I had to watch this one, just to see if Dallas could assert itself or not. I saw the Warriors play their game, run around the Dallas players as if they weren't there, scored with ease, and kept the Mavericks off balance the entire game.
Dallas is in real trouble here, because they aren't using their size and strength to their advantage. They should be able to dominate the glass with their height, but because of the Warriors gang-rebounding, and no one to block them out, the Warriors more than held their own.
The one area where Dallas can't compete is team speed, and the Warriors deserve credit for keeping the pressure on. They only let up once or twice, just to give their players a break. But the majority of their plays were easy baskets on missed shots by Dallas.
The Warriors seemingly couldn't miss from the outside, throwing up shots with abandon. And many were easy shots right at the rim, since Dallas was too slow to defend the lanes or get in front of the players.
Dallas is now down 2-1 in this series, exactly the type of scenario they needed to avoid. The game was also a blow-out so Dallas has no reason for optimism in Game 4. G.S. has the momentum and control over the series.
The disturbing thing is that Dallas was unprepared. They had no strategy to counteract what the Warriors were doing, and the Mavericks were afraid to run on them.
As I wrote in an earlier thread Miami would be in real trouble in the first round, and they are now down 3-0 to Chicago after loosing at home. The thing is Shaq was looking good for a part of the game and so was Wade. But the Bulls did a great job of playing their game and Miami couldn't stop them on offense or outscore them on defense.
It looks like Miami is going to get chased out in the next game. I have great respect for Riley as a coach, and he is saying all the right things. I just don't think he has the players he needs. Jason Williams and Gary Payton can't stay with Chicago's guards and Wallace and Nocioni are doing a great job on the boards.
