In the second to last game of the season where the Mavericks faced the Warriors for the third time, they had a chance to keep them out of 8th place in the West heading into that last game of the regular season. The Clippers did their part to try to get that 8th spot, but the Warriors also won their last 2 games, but Avery Johnson decided to go small against the Warriors in that 81st game, giving them a loss. Now they end up facing the Warriors in the playoffs and getting upset by them big. What gives? Nothing's guaranteed in the NBA, so matchup with the Clippers instead.
He didn't go small, he benched his stars. Either way Avery was in a lose lose situation. If he played his stars and they still lost, there goes his team's confidence against the Warriors in the first round. I guess it didn't matter either way huh?
I don't get so many things... for example, what I don't get is that Howard and Terry could not carry the team more than I would have expected if they're struggling. Nowitzki did absolutely suck in this year's playoffs, due to his own mistakes and also due to a good job by the Warriors of course, but it would not be forbidden for an All-Star like Josh Howard to drop a real statement game (30+ points), and Jason Terry was also disappointing in all but one game. If somebody struggles and/or your opponent shuts somebody down, the others have to step up. A good team can compensate that better instead of being blown out if things are not going well. Stackhouse and Harris showed some effort IMO; Terry missed the opportunity and also Josh Howard failed to deliver in the crucial moments.
^^^ How long did it take you to draw that up, host it and post it? Probably around 10X longer than just typing it... Anyway, I agree with Rudeezy, it was a lose/lose situation for Avery Johnson and the Mavs. He could bench his starters, lose and face the Warriors in the first round, or let them play, probably lose aswell (since the Warriors would be much more inspired to win: the Mavs already had the top seed sealed, while the Warriors were battling for the 8th seed) and lose all confidence heading into the series. It doesn't matter either way, since the Mavs should have been able to beat ANY team, inclduing GS, in the playoffs, being a near 70 win team. But, they didn't, and losing to GS in the next-to-final game of the regular season and helping them reach the playoffs changes nothing.
