Mavs-Nuggs Game One: Crunching the Numbers

I've never been a big numbers guy. You can use numbers to prove anything. 76 percent of people know that.

But statistics are a booming business for a reason. They look at the past to predict the future, and that holds very true in sports.

Sure, Nene might have dropped 24 on the Dallas Mavericks yesterday, but seven seasons worth of stats tell us that he averages about 11.2 PPG, so that output probably isn't normal.

A look at the numbers from game one aren't exactly promising for the Mavericks, so let's take a look.

10: The number of shots taken by Carmelo Anthony

23: The amount of points he scored on those shots.

6: The number of points scored and assisted dished by Chauncey Billups.

What do those three numbers tell you? That the two best players on the Nuggets didn't exactly have breakout games, but the Nuggs were able to win by 14.

'Melo only shot 10 times, but he made seven of those, and hit another seven free throws. A very efficient game from him, despite him sitting out much of the first half with foul trouble.

The Mavericks couldn't have asked for a better opportunity in the first half, and yet when it ended they were trailing by four.

The defensive gameplan also worked on Billups, as he didn't get to the line, and his six points were a result of two three-pointers, which I can live with.

What I can't live with is the fact that Billups scores 17.7 PPG, so we can be counted on do do a lot more damage as the series goes on.

What I can't live with is that 'Melo takes 18.3 shos a game, and if he is shooting as his current clip, that means a few over-30 point games.

Let's look at some of the Mavericks' numbers.

28: The number of points scored by Dirk Nowitzki.

32: The number of minutes played by Jason Terry.

15: The number of points scored by Jason Terry, Josh Howard and Jason Kidd

For the first two on that list, 15 is much too low, for the third, more than you can expect.

For a guy who played 32 minutes, Jason Terry was absolutely invisible. If him and Brandon Bass had a "who can make the least impact off of the bench in game one" competition, they would go into more overtimes than the Bulls-Celtics series.

Bass, whose athleticism is going to be sorely needed to compete with the likes of Chris Andersen and Nene, did not come out of the gates with the physicality and energy that the Mavs needed.

Ryan Hollins and Bass are going to be needed to make much more of an impact than they did in game one, because Dampier is a step too slow to hang with Andersen and Nene.

A few more numbers:

8: The number of turnovers committed by Jason Kidd in game one

3: The number of turnovers committed by Jason Kidd in five games against the Spurs.

The Kidd turnovers only bother me because they wasted an otherwise great offensive game from Kidd. For a while in the first half, it was 2003 all over again. Kidd was hitting open threes, hitting elbow jumpers, he even tossed in a floater that made me think that the Mavs had traded for Chris Paul at halftime.

Kidd can't be counted on to drop in 15 a game, and he shouldn't be. In a way, he deserved a lot of credit for contributing. It was clear that after Howard's ankle injury that Howard couldn't (or wouldn't) get as aggressive as he needed to be, so Kidd tok up some of the slack.

The Nuggets gave him space, and he made them pay for it.

But in the debacle known as the fourth quarter, Jason Kidd went to another rarely seen aspect of his game, a turnover machine. Forced bounce passes, miscommunications with other players and sloppy ball handling became a disease that Kidd quickly spread to the other Mavericks as the fourth quarter got away from them.

Now here's where the numbers game gets a little bit ugly. You could argue that the Mavericks beat the numbers against the Spurs. Dirk and Terry didn't play up to their usual levels for most of the series, but the reserves like Bass, Hollins and J.J. Barea played above their levels, so the Mavs were able to win.

ell, yesterday, aside from Jason Terry, we saw a regression to the mean. Dirk got his points, and the role players didn't. Which is bad news since a regression to the mean seems to mean an "L" for Dallas against the Nuggets.

So do the Mavericks come out tomorrow night and have another game that defies the numbers? More importantly, will that matter?

Assume Kidd doesn't turn the ball over eight times, assume Terry and Howard score 20-plus, assume Brandon Bass puts up eight and four, his season average. Sounds good right?

Except we have to be fair. Assume 'Melo shoots more than 10 shots. Assume Billups scores more than 6 points.

Sure, Nene probably won't score another 24, and Andersen probably won't block six more shots, but when the last two paragraphs are thrown together, does it help the Mavericks gain an extra 15 net points? Especially at the Pepsi Center?

I sure hope so, but I don't know if the numbers are behind me.

2009 West Playoffs: (4) Blazers vs. (5) Rockets

(4) Portland Trailblazers vs. (5) Houston Rockets

Interestingly enough, this matchup was decided before the Blazers/Nuggets game, all that remained was to see who would get homecourt.

The person who has the most to lose in this series won't even be on the court. Tracy McGrady. If the Rockets beat the young, upstart, Blazers, the team that people are saying are the only challengers to the Lakers in the West, then people McGrady loses a lot of value.

Teams that could have been thinking about taking his contract in a trade will think twice, given his injury history and the economy, and the Rockets will view him as the guy who was holding them back.

Rockets fans can envision a world where Yao and Artest can take them beyond the first round, and if they can dump McGrady for another, better free agent in 2010.

The Blazers can shed the ghosts of the past, and accelerate their plans as the team of the future, and with Kobe age, the decline of the Suns, Spurs and Mavs, and Hornets' owner George Shinn's notorious penny-pinching, they could be poised to take over the west.

PG: Steve Blake vs. Aaron Brooks

Who knew at the beginning of the year that it would turn out like this? Steve Blake has experiences a mini-resurgence and has a young heir in Jerryd Bayless to take the reins, and he has played perfectly within himself to help his team be the best they can be.

Besides hitting the occasional three and making some end-of-game free throws, not much of the shooting burden will fall on Blake.

Aaron Brooks started the year second on the depth chart, and filled in so well during Rafer Alston's injury, that the Rockets were willing to trade Alston to give Brooks the reins. He's capable of a breakout game or two on the offensive end, and he runs the offense nicely.

Winner: Aaron Brooks

SG: Brandon Roy vs. Ron Artest

A great matchup. Roy has emerged into a genuine assassin, and probably has the most complete game of any player not named Kobe in the game today. He can kill you on both ends of the floor, and from every spot on the floor. He's capable of miracle shots, momentum killers and boosters, and has a very bright future in the NBA.

But can Ron Artest stop Roy? Between Battier and Artest, Roy has to deal with the two most talented perimeter defenders in the game. As the primary offensive threat, Roy will have to be careful and pick his moments, but he's smart enough to do that.

If Artest can do damage on the offensive end, the Rockets could really be onto something. With McGrady out, Artest needs to provide those points, and he needs to be smart about his shots, something he sometimes gets away from.

If he gets rattled and start jacking up bad threes, especially if Roy starts abusing him it will be very easy for Houston to come unglued and suffer yet another first round defeat.

Winner: Brandon Roy

SF: Nicholas Batum vs. Shane Battier

This is the chance for Nicholas Batum to make a name for himself, other than being the French guy who isn't Tony Parker or Boris Diaw. If he can score with regularity, that spreads Artest and Battier apart, and will open things up for Portland's primary weapon, Roy.

Battier has both the easiest and most difficult job of the game. He has to play good D, and make the open three when called to do so. But he has to play good D against someone like Roy or LaMarcus Aldridge, and he has to do it well.

Winner: Shane Battier

PF: LaMarcus Aldrige vs. Luis Scola

The two frontcourt matchups in this series are the most intriguing pair. Aldridge has the potential to be one of the top power forwards in the game, combining a pretty decent low-post arsenal with a sweet jump shot, and a pretty good skill set. His shot is streak at times, and he tends to slack on defense, but he is rapidly improving.

With Scola, you have a "sophomore" who is one of the most physical players playing in the game. A good shooter, a great rebounder, he will give Aldridge all the bumping he can handle, and then some. It will be interesting to see those two go at it, and to see who comes out on top, as this matchup may very well decide a series that goes seven games.

Winner:LaMarcus Aldridge

C: Joel Pryzbilla vs. Yao Ming

With his low-post skill set, the Trailblazers are going to need every single foul they can get. The problem with Greg Oden is that he might give too many of those away.

Yao can make anyone pay from anywhere inside of 18-feet, and he has managed to stay healthy this season. The pessimist in me says that this means he's facing an injury in this series, which will spell doom for the Rockets. The optimist in me says that playing more than 50 games (77 to be exact) for the first time since 2004-05 will give him the confidence he needs to break through to the next step.

If Yao can get the Portland big men in foul trouble, this will place an extraordinary strain on their reserves, and he could have a huge series.

Winner: Yao Ming

Bench:

Two good benches. Portland's features two people that could be starters on a number of other teams in Rudy Fernandez and Travis Outlaw, as well as Greg Oden. Greg Oden has a real chance to make a splash if he can stay out of foul trouble and make life difficult for the Yao.

Houston's features a promising point guard in Kyle Lowry, who has started to usurp minutes from Aaron Brooks, and two possible difference makers in Von Wafer and Carl Landry.

Portland's bench should have the edge here, but if they cede that to Houston, then they won't go very far.

Winner: Portland

Pick: Portland in 6

2009 Playoffs: (3) Spurs vs. (6) Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks have closed the season with a flourish, or so I'm told, I don't follow them all that closely. The Spurs have limped to the finish, which stands in stark contrast to how they usually finish the season, playing their best basketball. Both of these teams have will have a chance to extend their window by at least a week, a the expense of slamming the other's shut.

For the last few years, the hierarchy in the West has always been Spurs, Mavs, Suns. The Suns are stuck in third place as far as that goes, and now the Mavs have a chance to climb to the top, possibly for the last time.

Ginobili has always been a Mavs killer, and with his absence and Duncan's knees, the Spurs are as ripe for the plucking as they have always been.

PG: Tony Parker vs. Jason Kidd

Old-school vs. new school. For two people who play the same position, the two couldn't have more opposite games. With Manu out, Parker must be the first or second option on offense, while Kidd is often fourth or fifth.

We all know that Parker will probably have a field day on Kidd on the offensive end. His speed can't be matched by Kidd, and any help the Mavs will give Kidd will only open the window for another shooter to bomb the Mavs from long range.

Kidd needs to do exactly what he has been doing. Push the ball in transition, set up Dirk, Terry and Howard, and make the open three when given the space. If the Mavs can find a way to slow down Parker, the Spurs simply don't have enough firepower.

Winner: Tony Parker

SG: Roger Mason Jr. vs. Antoine Wright

While Roger Mason's late game heroics have made SportsCenter all year long, what he does in the other 47 minutes can't be overlooked as well. Simply put, he's a smart player. I had the privilege of watching him go overlooked on the Wizards last year, and his play this year hasn't been surprising.

Mason's strength lies in the fact that he doesn't try to overstep his bounds. He doesn't take shots he has no business taking, which is more than can be said of a lot of NBA player. Unfortunately, most of those other players aren't on the Spurs.

Antoine Wright is at his best when he is acting as foil to Josh Howard. When Howard is hot in the first, Wright needs to be lockdown defensively. As Howard cools off, Wright needs to be driving to the cup, drawing fouls.

Wright shouldn't have many defensive problems with Mason himself, but he needs to be careful about shifting to Parker and leaving Mason open. The Spurs have won four rings on the drive-and-kick offense, and this is no time to let them take advantage.

I think Wright is much more capable of leaving his mark on the series than Mason.

Winner: Antoine Wright

SF: Michael Finley vs. Josh Howard

Ah, how fitting. The Mavs' small forward of the past against the small forward of the present (and hopefully, future). Josh Howard has been playing on a leg and a wrist that will go under the knife after the season (hopefully not until late June).

It's been said ad nauseum, but Josh Howard is the X-Factor. His return and subsequent stellar play have everything to do with the Mavericks hot finish.

Michael Finley's role is far more reduced, but no less important. He needs to hit jumpers. Plain and simple. When the defense collapses on Duncan or Parker, he's one of the few that will be taking that shot.

But no one on this postseason, save maybe Kobe, has more riding on this postseason than Howard. Short of an admission that he is a cokehead, Howard has hit the bottom, and has nowhere to go but up. Not that it's going to be easy, but it's possible.

Winner: Josh Howard

PF: Tim Duncan vs. Dirk Nowitzki

As far as star power goes, this is it for first-round matchups. Besides LeBron and Pierce, there isn't another matchup that features two sure hall-of-famers going at it.

At this point in their careers, Duncan is slowing down fast, and Dirk is still plugging along. Of course, Timmy can still relax on a mattress of championship rings (at least, that's how it feels) when he's done. Dirk still has work to do.

Dirk's offensive game is still unparalleled, his one-legged Euro fadeaway is near unguardable (though Carl Landry managed to block one last night), and he can still get to the rim. Duncan, on the other hand, will break you down with his arsenal of low-post moves, and he can hit the elbow jumper and rebound better than anyone.

During this series, Tony Parker can take up most of Duncan's slack on offense, but Dirk's 20-plus points are going to be hard to replace, even with their depth. Dirk needs to have a strong series, otherwise next year's Mavericks are going to look very different, maybe not in a good way.

Winner: Dirk Nowitzki

C: Matt Bonner vs. Erick Dampier

There's not many centers in the league that I would pick Dampier over, but Matt Bonner is one of them. While he is a good outside shooter, he doesn't have the low-post presence to compete with Dampier, and that speaks more to his shortcomings (read: he's a whitey with red hair) than to Dampier's strengths.

This hasn't killed the Spurs because of Duncan's low-post dominance, and his ability to play a passable center.

Dampier needs to show up for every other game as opposed to every four or five, and Dallas should be okay at the center. Dampier does tend to get in foul trouble, and if Parker is particularly aggressive it may come down to that, but that's where Dallas' bench comes in.

Winner: Erick Dampier

Bench:

Dallas has emerged as having a very deep bench. Jason Terry aside, J.J. Barea, Brandon Bass, James Singleton, Ryan Hollins and Gerald Green are capable of making their own marks on the game.

What to say about Jason Terry that hasn't been said already? Your Sixth Man of the Year, instant offense, instant energy and a cold-bloodedshooter to boot. With Terry in at crunch time, the Mavs are looking pretty good in close games.

Let's go back to Brandon Bass. His ferocity and athleticism should play a huge part for the Mavs during this series. Big, athletic guys have always given the Spurs trouble, and that's Bass to a T.

If he can lock down Duncan for a few minutes, throw some crowd-pleasing dunks, and make the occasional elbow or baseline jumper, he could be a huge part of the Mavs living to fight again in the second round.

The Spurs have George Hill (who might be ready in a few years), Ime Udoka (who isn't ready after a few years), and Fabricio Oberto (who lost his starting gig to a big, red-deaded 7-footer who can't rebound). 'Nuff said.

Winner: Dallas

Pick: Mavericks in 6

2009 Playoffs: (2) Nuggets vs. (7) Hornets

This should be a doozy. A transcendent point guard and an All-Star forward vs. an All-Star point guard and a transcendent forward. A former first round doorman vs. a team trying to prove last year wasn't a fluke.

One team pulled off a monster trade, one didn't and you could argue both came out better because of it.

For the last two seasons, the Western conference champion has started their run against the Denver Nuggets. The "I shoot then you shoot" of the Iverson-Anthony combo didn't do justice to either one's talents, and it got them nowhere. Now, the game's most selfish player has been replaced by one of the most unselfish, and Denver seems poised to advance for the first time in 'Melo's career. Denver also lost a defensive rock in the paint, but added one of the game's most mercurial talents in Chris Andersen.

New Orleans is another low-seeded team still coping with the disappointments of a season in which they were picked to be a sleeper, but Chris Paul has spent the season redefining his position.

PG: Chauncey Billups vs. Chris Paul

What Billups has done to this Denver team has gone largely unnoticed, yet people are not taking them seriously to come out of the West. Partly because of the Lakers, but partly because people are ready to see if Carmelo can join his other All-Star draftmates and finally advance. Billups figures to play a big part in this because of the nature of his game.

He can distribute, he can shoot, he can play defense, in roughly that order.

Unfortunately, the man on the other end of the ball could end up as the best to play his position. It's a case of "everything you can do I can do better," because Chris Paul does everything Billups can do to an amazing level.

Winner: Chauncey Billups

SG: Dahntay Jones vs. Rasual Butler

I would consider J.R. Smith the official shooting guard for the Nuggs, but according to their depth chart, Jones is number one. I don't know too much about him, but I know Rasual Butler can be a threat. He's not a game changer by any means, but wth Chris Paul giving him great looks, and with the attention given to Paul and West, he should have some room to operate.

If the Hornets are going to advance, Butler needs to make his mark on the series.

Winner: Rasual Butler

SF: Carmelo Anthony vs. Peja Stojakavic

Peja is without question on the downside of his career, and 'Melo is still finding exactly what his peak is. This is make or break time for 'Melo. Without Iverson, he needs to take control of the offense, and he needs to show the team that he is the superstar he's billed to be.

He's got the talents to do it, and he talks like he's motivated to do it, but if the Hornets advance, the blame will be on no one but Anthony, and the Nuggets might start preparing for a future without him if he can't deliver.

Peja has much lower expectations, and if he can hit the corner three, and stay out of his own way on defense, he should add to the Hornets nd not take anything away.

Winner: Carmelo Anthony

PF: Kenyon Martin vs. David West

Another intriguing matchup. Martin has shown flashes in his career, but is far from a given at his position. David West, on the other hand, is a bona fide All-Star, and a physical low-post presence combined with a sweet shoooting stroke.

The offense runs through him and Paul, so the two of them need to keep producing for the entire series. West is more than capable, but the question is, can he sustain it for an entire series?

He did well against the Mavericks last year, but during the Spurs series, he shot .565, .182, .526, .267, .640, .286, and .421 across the seven games, not exactly a model of consistency.

He's going to do better than that, especially with the Hornets situation at center.

Winner: David West

C: Nene vs. Tyson Chandler

This is where the series will be made for the Nuggets. You know what you're getting from 'Melo and Billups, but Nene needs to work hard on both ends of the floor.

With Chandler banged up, suddenly Chris Paul's favorite alley-oop target isn't there, and suddenly the paint isn't locked down on defense. A less-than-100% Chandler, combined with Melvin Ely and Hilton Armstrong, means that Nene needs to make a difference down low, which he is more than capable of, given his performance over the last month of the season.

In April, Nene is shooting better than 60 percent from the field , better than 70 percent from the free throw line, and averaging 7.4 rebounds and a block per game. If he can keep it up, the Nuggets should advance.

Winner: Nene

Bench:

New Orleans is frightfully thin, with the exception of James Posey. Antonio Daniels and Ely/Armstrong are far apart from their starter counterparts. Julian Wright is talented, but he won't be able to do much this series.

Denver on the other hand, has sharpshooting J.R. Smith coming off of the bench, not to mention a sparkplug defensive player in Chris Andersen, and Linas Kleiza provides a multi-faceted attack as well.

Denver's depth should give them the edge, because West and Paul can't play all 48 minutes.

Winner: Denver

Pick: Nuggets in five

2009 Playoffs: (1) Lakers vs. (8) Jazz

Over the next few days, I will be breaking down each playoff series.

It was pretty clear that the Lakers didn't want to play the Jazz. I think they're ready to beat anyone, and they should be, but the Jazz play a physical game that could place some strain on the Lakers, particularly Kobe who's coming off of a run to the Finals last year, the Olympics, and then a full 82 game season this year.

While Kobe's not an old man, he's no spring chicken, and he's still got that finger injury that he never got fixed.

The Jazz are coming off of a strange year. Once thought to be sleepers for the '09 title, the injuries/shenanigans of Carlos Boozer, and a woeful road record have left them as an afterthought to the NBA playoffs, which is strange, given that they've added a talent in Paul Millsap, and haven't really lost anyone of importance.

As bad as the Jazz are on the road, they're that good on the road. The absence of homecourt means they have to steal a game in the Staples Center, and it's hard to imagine them doing that against one of the best teams in the NBA.

PG: Derek Fisher vs. Deron Williams

Really no contest, and one of the few matchups that the Jazz have in their favor. The young, physically imposing Williams should have his way with the older, slower Fisher.

Fisher is no slouch on the defensive end, but he's going to have his work cut out for him trying to stop Williams from doing a lot of damage.

Winner: Deron Williams

SG: Kobe Bryant vs. Ronnie Brewer

I like Ronnie Brewer. He's got decent speed, is pretty good on defense, and is a solid shooting guard. Pity for him he's going against the best shooting guard of the last decade, one who's deadly on both ends of the floor.

With Kobe likely focusing on defending Williams, Brewer should have a chance to make his mark on the series. But can you upset a No. 1 seed with Ronnie Brewer handling the scoring? I don't think so.

Winner: Kobe Bryant

SF: Trevor Ariza vs. C.J. Miles

Trevor Ariza is one of the most underrated defenders in the league today. Though his numbers from three-point land aren't spectacular, it seems like every time I see the Lakers, he makes a timely three. With him and Kobe guarding the best wingmen, they're a formidable duo, and it's going to take more than C.J. Miles to put pressure on them.

Winner: Trevor Ariza

PF: Pau Gasol vs. Carlos Boozer

One of the most intriguing matchups of the first round. A physical low post scorer against a finesse shooter and skilled passer.Gasol's defense against the much more physical Celtics in last year's finals was one of the reasons the Lakers seemed unable to generate much firepower, and stop the Celtics, and it could be a factor here.

I don't see Pau Gasol giving Boozer much trouble when he tries to post up, but Gasol's reach could help him. With Boozer on defense, he's more than capable of handling Gasol, but he will be helpless when Gasol is able to make quick passes to a streaking Ariza or Bynum.

As far as who is going to have more impact on the series, I think it is going to be Boozer. He's got a new contract to think about, and he's got Paul Millsap just waiting to show him up to grab the Power Forward spot.

If Gasol comes out swinging, this could be a four or five-game series, but I think he'll be outmuscled.

Winner: Carlos Boozer

C: Andrew Bynum vs. Mehmet Okur

This provides an interesting contrast as well. As different as Gasol and Boozer are, Okur and Bynum are even more so. Bynum is just a low-post presence, while Okur lacks in that area, but he's a great perimeter guy.

Look to see the two guys switching up on defense. If I were Phil Jackson, I would put Gasol on Okur, start Odom on Boozer, and let those two play their games.

Bynum on the bench could provide a good boost, especially if he comes in when Boozer and/or Okur are on the bench.

I think Bynum will have a chance to make his mark on the series, but I'm not sure he's ready to do it. If he's getting muscled by someone like Boozer and/or Millsap, then he could be hesitant given his injury problems.

While I've always been an Okur fan, I think the nod has to go to the true center.

Winner: Andrew Bynum

Bench:

The Lakers used to have one of the deepest benches in the league, and Odom coming off of it certainly helps the second unit. After Odom, it gets pretty thin, with a streaky Farmar, even streakier Vujacic, and the seldom seen Luke Walton.

Utah boasts a guy who will probably be starting for them next year in Millsap, a sniper in Kyle Korver and one of the most complete players off the bench in Andrei Kirilenko.

Utah's depth will be a major reason they can stretch the Lakers to six or seven games, but they need to take advantage of their matchup advantages, particularly when Kobe is out. If AK-47, can slow down Kobe, the Jazz should be able to make the series interesting. Otherwise, it will be a joke.

Pick: Lakers in 6

Why I like the Mavericks

Well, it's 4:00 p.m., EST on a Tuesday, and I could be doing work for my noon deadline tomorrow, but I think I'd rather explain to you, the loyal fan (I'm still not entirely sure if anyone other than me has read this blog, but hey, I'm as loyal to myself as they come) why exactly I like the Dallas Mavericks.

After all, I have lived most of my life in the Washington D.C. metro area, I hate the other major team based in Dallas (the Cowboys, sorry NHL, you still have some work to do, like getting your playoffs on national TV), and I've never been to see them play, aside from a preseason game against the Wiz this year.

Let's start at the beginning. I really liked watching Larry Bird in my formative years. I started really paying attention to him around 1991 or so, so I caught him on the down part of the hill. But he was still fun to watch, and he still got me interested in the sports where big guys throw a rubber ball through a circle.

Then Bird left, and MJ began dominating the game. And let me tell you about MJ. I hated him. I hated the Bulls, and when they both kept winning, I stopped watching basketball.

I've always been like that as a sports fan, and I don't think I'm unique. Nobody wants to see a dynasty, unless the ruling team is their team.

So while Chicago was being whipped in a frenzy unlike anything this side of Russell's Celtics, I couldn't have cared less. After all, all my loser friends loved Jordan, loved the Bulls, so I had to be different.

After the Bulls came the strike, then a Lakers three-peat. Boooooooring! But it was around 2002 that I started watching the playoffs again, and I did like watching Kobe and Shaq play together, even thought they became basketball versions of the Yankees (who were fresh off of four rings of their own). So I told myself I would only watch the playoffs, because it guaranteed the best games.

What did I miss by this logic? A few things. Paul Pierce, Jason Kidd, Dirk, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, allen and Pau Gasol for one thing. Since they didn't even sniff the playoffs, I didn't know who they were.

I wasn't an ESPN.com junkie like i am now (thank you 28.8k modems) so I couldn't get that deep in the league.

And during the 2003 playoffs, guess who was the most fun to watch. Not the three-time defending champions, but the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks.

The Kings had Mike Bibby (great name, also helped me like Chauncey Billups), Doug Christie, the shell of Vlade Divac and C-Webb, still in his prime (or as close to it as he ever got). They were fun to watch, plus since they had been in the shadow of the Lakers for so long that they even had my sympathy vote.

The Mavericks had the troika of Steve Nash, Michael Finley and the Dirkinator. While I loved Finley's jump shooting and Nashie's passing, there was something incredibly fascinating about this 7 foot German guy who reminded me of Alan Rickman from Die Hard.

He had a wicked jumper (probably should be 'jumpah', just to be safe), could hit the three, could rebound, and though it often was overshadowed by Nash's skills, he was a pretty good passer.

I rented a video game after the Finals that year, and I ended up playing mostly has the Kings (as I have been known to choose sports teams, see: Gretzky's Kings in 1992 NHLPA Hockey for the SNES).

Sometimes I wake up in a cold sweat, wondering what my life would have been like if I'd been a Kings fan. As much hell as the Mavs have put me through in the past few years, it beats the cold indifference of mediocrity that the Kings, T-Wolves, Heat (except for the dreaded '05-06 season) and Clippers have been through.

Okay, I don't really wake up in a cold sweat, but you get it.

Tomorrow, the story continues. Why did I stick by the Mavs as the trio I loved gradually went away?

Until manana.