Mavs Trip Up Lakers, Steal Game 1

Kobe had 37 points, 0 Assists, 5 Rebounds
1 Steal, and 1 Block in a Game 1 loss to the
Mavericks.

Before this season if I told you the Mavs would go to the playoffs win their first round matchup and then win the first game of the conference semifinals against the Lakers in Staples Center you would have called me insane. Especially if I  also told you that at the beginning of the third quarter they were down 16, up a creek without a paddle.  But that's exactly what they did Monday and what they plan to do again tonight. This series is over, I don't know how many games, maybe 5, maybe 6 but this Mavs team will go to the western conference finals and from there go on to the NBA finals. What, do you think Oklahoma or Memphis are going to beat them after the Mavs took down the Lakers?

Monday night was not a dominating performance by any means but it did prove one thing, Kobe can't win a game by himself anymore. Consider the fact that in the two games he had the highest scoring of the playoffs this year, both were losses, Monday night he had 0 Assists, 0!! As in no assists at all. He had his highest scoring total of the playoffs beating his previous high, gained in the first game of the playoffs against the Hornets and we all know how that went. He also had a chance at a barely contested 3 point game-winner that clanked off of the back of the rim. Kobe isn't as clutch as he was anymore. I'm not saying he's not clutch and he's not one of the best players in the game because he clearly is, he just no longer has that other level that makes him nearly unstoppable. Kobe is now human.

Dirk had 28 points (Including the two free throws that won the game),
14 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Steals, and 1 Block in a Game 1 win.

Monday nights game proved another point that was equally important. What were the Mavs going to do when faced with adversity? Were they going to lay down and take it or were they going to rise to the challenge? They proved Monday night that they won't take a beating, they'll claw their way back into a game if you let them. They were behind almost all of the second half and their biggest lead in the whole game was 5 points, compared to the Lakers 16 you might be wondering how they won. Well it certainly wasn't the refs, who sent the Lakers to the free throw line twice as often as the Mavs. The Mavs earned the win Monday night and proved that they are a team that isn't to be messed with. I only have one thing left to say. Buckle your seatbelts because we're in for a wild ride.