Dallas Mavericks choked

[Gman1524]

What happened? 2 games to none series lead, and then proceed to lose 4 straight?!!!! That's pitiful.

[Old_Fart2]

Agreed. I'm just glad it's over with so I can get to bed at a reasonable hour (for me, that's about 9:30).

And even though I used to find Mark Cuban a refreshing change from the typical team owner, he was starting to get somewhat annoying.

[flints41]

How many times in the history of the playoffs has a team won the 1st two games of a championship series and then blown the next four. Unimaginable!

[Gman1524]

I wanted them to win. I thought they were going to, and then the bottom fell out. Too bad.

Cuban. I will trade you several Philly cheesesteaks for him. I want him here in Philly. We suck. Remember The Sixers were the last team to hold a 2 - 0 series lead only to choke it away to the Blazers.

1976 - 1977 Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 4 - 2.

[jlf1965]

Although I didn't expect it when they started out down 0-2 in the series I was glad to see the Heat win it, especially for the older guys like Zo and Payton, especially Zo.
And it was especially fitting that Zo came into the game and played the way he did.

[RAINMAKER]

Being From Dallas, Naturally I'm Disappointed That The Mavs Lost To The Heat, But I Have To Give Miami Credit. They Hung In There When They Were Down, And I Think The Deciding Factor Last Night Was They Made The Clutch Baskets When They Had To, And The Mavs Didn't. I Think That's Where The Finals Experince Of Shack And Some Of The Other Heat Players Came Into Play. Only Keith Van Horn Of The Mavs Had Ever Been In The Finals Before, And He Played A Very Minor Role For The Mavs In The Finals. Since The Mavs Are A Pretty Young Team, I Hope That They Can Learn From This Year's Experiences In The Finals And Come Back Even Stronger Next Year. In The Meantime, Congratulations To The Heat!!!

As Far As Mark Cuban Becoming Obnoxious, I Agree. I Think He Has Some Valid Points To Make About The Referees And Some Of The Other Areas For Improvement In The Nba, But I Think He Needs To Be More Selective In Choosing His Forums To Speak Out And How He Makes His Points.

[mavgrad99]

Cuban is a whiney beeotch, Dallas deserved to lose, especially when they kept one of their better players on the BENCH the whole series, they should have played Marquise Daniels more, that guy is an animal. I was rooting for another Shaq championship that way all the sports writers can shut their holes about the whole Shaq vs. Kobe fiasco. Im happy for the Heat, now let someone else win next year, Dallas vs. Cleveland maybe?

[nm156]

Only 3 times in NBA history has a team with a 2-0 lead, then turn around and lose the next 4 straight. I give Miami all the credit and I'm happy for Shaq & Zo, but I still stay the Mavs gave it away. When they attacked the Heat & drove to the basket, they won. The last game was a perfect example: the drove to the rack in the first qtr instead of settling for jumpers & look what happened. They did just the opposite pretty much the rest of the game and look what happened. Drive to the hoop - get to the line. Simple. Plus, when you go cold with shooting, you'd think they'd want to try something else. IT WAS DRIVING ME FOCKING NUTS!!! As far as Cuban goes, he's a great owner and I wouldn't trade him for any other. We are very blessed in Dallas to have owners of our teams that want to win and not just make a profit. However, Cuban's bitching & moaning and classless treatment of reporters after tough losses is embarrassing. The refs didn't cost our team the championship, the Mavs own lack of having the killer instinct and maybe lack of experience cost 'em the ring, not the refs. Yes, there were some terrible calls in this series, but on both sides. I still think the Mavs have the better team, but if you don't have the heart & the killer instinct, then you're only halfway there. Hopefully, this painful collapse will serve as motivation for the team & they'll learn how to close the deal next season.

[Doughboy]

Cuban is annoying but I still wanted Miami to lose.
Im from Detroit so either way Im mad but I would have wanted Dallas. Mostly because I hate Shaq and sick of everybody givin him so much credit for just being born big. Yeah Shaq wouldnt be shit if he was born 8 inches shorter, he aint got skill he just big and strong. You make anybody as big and strong as him and they will play the same....lemme stop b4 i hijack da thread lol

[thisisphil03]

Originally Posted by jlf1965

Although I didn't expect it when they started out down 0-2 in the series I was glad to see the Heat win it, especially for the older guys like Zo and Payton, especially Zo.
And it was especially fitting that Zo came into the game and played the way he did.

ageed. i had lost all hope once they went 2-0, but i'm very happy the series turned out the way it did. not sure why dirk was so mad at the end of game 5, tho. it might have been a miscommunication on the TO, but he should be more concerned about why they couldn't stop dwayne wade's drive to the basket without fouling him.

[haphakhung]

Originally Posted by Doughboy

Mostly because I hate Shaq and sick of everybody givin him so much credit for just being born big. Yeah Shaq wouldnt be shit if he was born 8 inches shorter, he aint got skill he just big and strong. You make anybody as big and strong as him and they will play the same....lemme stop b4 i hijack da thread lol

You are allowed to hate Shaq in my mind, it is your right. But no need to get pissed off at his genetics. Plus he eats a lot to get that big. With his age now and his eating habits he was like the members here. He got too fat and his performance went to crap, plus with the injury. But he lost 30+ lbs when Riley told him he had to, in order to get back into shape. I give him respect for that, we all know how hard mentally weight training and eating right is. Not to mention, considering how he was a big star and he stepped away from the main spotlight to give Wade the role shows something as well.

True, if we find some center/power forward with his genetics or close to it, and train the heck out of that guy and he works with determination, surley that special player will kick Shaq's butt (Maybe Yao or Ben Wallace, etc). Problem is, nobody has stepped up. It's not like Shaq never got his butt handed to him before. Remember the Houston/Orlando series? Shaq got killed in that series by Olajuwon. That guy was getting old and wasn't as big in weight as Shaq. Maybe it really isn't Shaq's fault, maybe those potential centers out there today just gotta step it up. Like Shaq says, he's a lot older, and a lot slower, but he's a lot smarter.

I'm not a huge Shaq fan either, I was like you too Doughboy. I hated him when he started in the league where he just used his size to do lazy layups and dunks and hardly really doing any real shooting, but then like they say, if it works, don't fix it. His free throws are aweful though. But I guess just over the years he earned my respect, he brushed the anti-fans and critics aside and kept doing his thing to win a ring, that is a champion.

I really were rooting for the Heat, I wanted Gary and Zo to really win this. But in the end, I really wanted Zo. Man talk about heart, the guy came back from a kidney transplant and kept playing and did some nice stuff when Shaq wasn't so hot.

The Mavs really did have this series though, until they just shut down. They in my mind had the more athletic team of the two. Plus when you got a 7 ft guy that can dance around like that, wow, what a team. The Heat did step it up like crazy to beat the Mavs, but had the Mavs did the same, I doubt we would have seen the final results be the way it is. But like their coach Avery says, all great teams go through this, and they end up being legends eventually. I wouldn't be surprised if the Mavs go all the way next year and get a couple of rings the next couple of years.

Awesome series though, and talk about Wade, he was amazing.

Hap