Mavs Win, Mavs Win

Wow.

I was a Mavericks fan when being a Mavericks fan wasn't cool.

I (at one point and not for long) was extremely excited about the acquisition of freakin' Shawn Bradley. And the Mavs Lost.

I watched and cheered as Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn, and Jim Jackson all came, went and played better elsewhere (Kidd will be a hall of famer someday...) and they lost.

I watched and cheered for such hall of shame coaches as McLeod and freakin' Quinn Buckner. And they lost (badly).

I endured Steve Nash's first injury plagued season and thought, Man he might be good someday. And they started to win. (some)

I always cheered for Michael Finley. He's a class act that carried the Mavericks franchise for years until Dirk developed into a one man Blitzkrieg. (sorry for the obligatory German reference...) It's a shame that a (kind of) joke by Dirk got him booed in Dallas. He deserved better. (Glad he lost since he plays for the other team, but he deserved better.) And they won some more.

I remember watching Dirk in his first season and thinking, what a goofy dorky player. (He's grown on me some.)

I then watched and cheered the Big Three as they lit up the league and outscored almost everyone. I cheered and smiled when they scored. I winced and cried as they gave up layup after layup and were labeled "soft". They won, but they couldn't win the big game. They always started throwing up jumpers and threes and acting like the rim was radioactive.

I've never seen a Mavericks team (granted I didn't watch the Aguirre, Blackmon, Harper and Tarpley Mavs much except for the playoff run of '88) with this type of guts and gumption. They actually have a mean streak. (Not a Detroit, Laimbeer punch you in the face tough...more like a sneaky punch you in the nads tough...but tough nonetheless). I love the Mavs and have for years, but this game tonight is a game that in years past, they would always find a way to lose.

This wasn't for the championship, but it sure felt like it. This was the most fun I've had watching pro basketball in years. Every game (except game 2) felt like a NCAA tourney game. Heartbreak and elation...all wrapped up in this one.

PS. Gana Diop and Eric Dampier = finally putting the ghost of Roy Tarpley to rest.

As of this posting (I'm exhausted) looks like the Suns in the Western Conf finals. Wow.

Wonder how that will turn out. You know there is no D in Phoenix.