Exactly what a difference annually makes. Just last year, Dirk Nowitzki and also the veteran Dallas Mavericks folded over Kevin Durant's youthful Oklahoma City Thunder in five games within the Western Conference finals, prior to going onto upset Lebron and also the Miami Warmth within the National basketball association Finals.
On Thursday, the Mavs were destroyed 95-79-through the going to Thunder to fall under an -3 hole within their first-round playoff series. It had been the worst home playoff reduction in Mavs history. There wasn't just one basketball analyst on TNT's national telecast who gave the champs a fighting opportunity to return and steer clear of a sweep Saturday.
The Thunder brought Thursday's game from beginning to end around the Mavs' home court. Dallas fans chosen using their ft, walking on the lop-on the sides contest at first from the 4th quarter.
TNT game analyst Steve Kerr stated several occasions the overall game felt just like a "altering from the guard." Stated Kerr: "This figures to become it let's focus on the Mavs moving forward using this group. You will see some changes designed for Ron Carlisle and Mark Cuban. For Oklahoma City, case another step along the way. ... This really is a part of the next that appears limitless for that Thunder."
Kerr second-suspected Cuban for letting center Tyson Chandler leave for that New You are able to Knicks after their championship season. Chandler wound up winning National basketball association Opponent of the season honors. With him went a lot of the toughness and defense that powered the Mavs for their first championship.
After the overall game, TNT's Shaquille O'Neal stated: "Dallas just met their match. Yes, they are old. Yes, it's the perfect time for change. But OKC has their number, period."
TNT's Charles Barkley did not even need to watch the entire game to place a fork with the aging champs and pronounce them done versus. the more youthful Thunder.
"Listen, the Mavs were built with a great run. However they got old rapidly. ... These men are extremely youthful, too sports, too large for that Mavs," he stated throughout halftime. "I do not observe how Dallas can win a game title. They were given championship pride. But that do not mean anything having a team that's more youthful and faster."
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