Source: http://0rz.tw/skPo6
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Dallas Mavericks must quickly deflate Denver's confidence
10:25 AM CDT on Tuesday, May 5, 2009
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DENVER – Let's say the Dallas Mavericks drop another game by 14 points.
Let's say Denver continues its feeding frenzy.
I don't care what happens when this series moves to the American Airlines
Center later this week. The Mavericks won't be able to recover.
These Nuggets are maturing before our eyes. If the Mavericks don't dent that
confidence tonight, if they don't give the Nuggets a reason to question
themselves heading into Game 3, they are done.
This is not San Antonio clinging to its former glory. This is an upstart
bunch with something to prove. This young Denver team gains a sense of just
how good it can be with each passing blowout.
These Nuggets are the ultimate front-runners.
If you think that characterization offends Denver coach George Karl, you are
wrong.
"That's what we teach," Karl said. "You don't want to waste energy with a
difficult game. This is what the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics and LA
Lakers did."
Don't distort Karl's point. He can act crazy, but he's not. He's not
comparing his team to some of the league's recent dynasties.
His point: Chicago just forced Boston to a Game 7. Did that steel the Kevin
Garnett-less Celtics for what lies ahead, or expend precious energy they will
need to move past Orlando in the second round?
It's all a matter of perspective.
Denver hasn't lost a game at the Pepsi Center since March 11. Its average
margin of victory this postseason is 22.5 points.
Yet the suspicion remains that if someone can step up and challenge Denver,
if an opponent can force the Nuggets to play from behind in a series, their
athletic gifts won't flow as freely.
One thing we don't know about Denver in the 2009 playoffs is how it will
handle adversity.
Karl chuckles at the thesis. You think the Nuggets haven't faced adversity?
This is the first time in the last 15 years that Denver has advanced to the
second round. This nucleus – minus Chauncey Billups – had gone down five
consecutive years in the first round without winning more than one game.
The Nuggets have won more playoff games in the last three weeks (five) than
they did in the previous five seasons (4-20) combined.
This team knows adversity. It knows failure.
"Every game was just frustrating," Billups said of what this team endured
before his arrival. "There was no fun involved, no togetherness, no
cohesiveness.
"Those are the exact things we have right now. Pulling for one another,
rooting for one another. We earned our homecourt advantage for the first two
series through hard work in the season. What we don't want to do is give it
back."
He paused.
"Momentum is a beautiful thing," Billups said.
Momentum the Mavericks must stall if they have any hope to win this series.
"Staying away from those stressful games, protecting your home court, playing
with more energy on your home court and keeping intensity on your side, those
are all attributes of winners, winners in playoffs," Karl said.
"I think we should be commended on not going to go there. We're going to
fight hard not to [play stressful games]."
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