Mavs Not Only Team in Town Blowing Big Leads

Big edges. Blown leads. Frustration. Desperation. Anger.

Surprisingly, I’m not talking about the Dallas Cowboys.

In a week in which the football team frittered away a 26-3 lead, it’s the basketball team that is having even more trouble holding onto to what it’s built.

As the Mavs enter tonight’s game against the Rockets in Houston, they do so knowing their 15-12 record could be sooo much better. The cold, hard truth? The blew a 17-point lead in Atlanta in a loss, and one of 18 points at Golden State in another stinging defeat.

But Friday night’s was even more painful. Because it came at home. Because it came against the Toronto Raptors.

All was well as Dallas built a 41-22 lead. But, poof, the edge was gone before halftime.

“We’ve got to be the team that loses leads quicker than any team in the league,” Dirk Nowitzki told reporters after the game. “We give up a 19-point lead in a couple of minutes. We’ve got to be more solid.”

The Mavs still had a chance to salvage a win, but Dirk missed a game-winning jumper at the end of regulation and three more open looks that would’ve given them the lead in the final minute of overtime.

“Really, against Toronto at home, it shouldn’t come down to the last couple of plays where we have to make shots to win,” Dirk said. “It just really shouldn’t.”

Come playoff time these wins-turned-losses are going to haunt the Mavs. If, that is, there is a playoff time.
 

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 writes a sports/guy stuff blog at DFWSportatorium.com and lives in McKinney with his fiancee, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.

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