The last time the Mavs won a playoff series, Jason Terry scored a game-high, Finals-clinching 27 points to vanquish the Heat in Miami four summers ago.
Starting Saturday he’ll attempt to extend his former team’s post-season drought.
I know the Rockets have home-court advantage and MVP candidate James Harden and inside behemoth Dwight Howard and clutch-shooting Terry, but give me the matchup against Houston over another uphill tussle with the defending champion Spurs any day.
The Mavs have a legitimate chance in their first-round series with the Rockets, for several reasons:
*Rick Carlisle: He’s one of the best playoff coaches of all-time, and will design a defensive game plan to not allow Harden 40-point, 20-free throw nights.
*Howard missed 41 games with assorted injuries and isn’t his old Defensive Player of the Year self. Plus, the Mavs’ Tyson Chandler can help neutralize his edge in the paint.
*Despite his spectacular season, Harden has shot below 40 percent in his last three playoff series – all losses.
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*Unlike the Spurs, the Rockets will run with Dallas. The Mavs scored 105 points per game, third-best in the league just ahead of the Rockets’ 104.
*Houston’s three wins over Dallas during the season were all close, by three, four and seven points.
*In close games, look for Carlisle to intentionally foul Houston’s horrible free-throw shooters. Howard, Joey Dorsey and Josh Smith all shoot below 53 percent.
*This is why the Mavs made the December trade for Rajon Rondo. He’s played harder and shot better the last month of the season and – especially in crunch time – he’ll have the job of checking Harden. While with the Celtics Rondo was a triple-double, playoff terror. Mavs need to see that player. Now.
*While in late-game possessions you know the Rockets will go to Harden, the Mavs have plenty of options with Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons willing to take – and make – the game’s and series’ biggest shots.
Obviously the Rockets are favored. They won six more games than Dallas during the regular season, won the season series, 3-1, led the NBA in made 3-pointers and have Harden as the best player on the court whom the Mavs will struggle to guard one-on-one. Plus the Mavs have injury concerns with Parsons’ knee and Devin Harris’ toe.
But if energy-spark reserve Al-Farouq Aminu can do for Dallas what Corey Brewer does for Houston, I can see this series going seven games. And in a Game 7, the Mavs’ experience with Nowitzki and Rondo and Chandler should pay off.
These teams – these cities – don’t particularly like each other. The Mavs won their last playoff series in seven games 10 years ago. They fought for free-agent Howard in 2012 and even front-office loudmouths Mark Cuban and Daryl Morey haven exchanged barbs.
Last summer the Mavs stole Parsons from Houston. Now I see them stealing a series from them, too.
Mavs-Rockets First-Round Playoff Series
- Game 1 – Saturday, April 18 at Houston, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 2 – Tuesday, April 21 at Houston, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 3 – Friday, April 24 at Dallas, 6 p.m.
- Game 4 – Sunday, April 26 at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
- Game 5 – Tuesday, April 28 at Houston, TBD
- Game 6 – Thursday, April 30 at Dallas, TBD
- Game 7 – Saturday, May 2 at Houston, TBD
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
