Dallas Mavericks Getting No Love for Potential Sweep of Lakers
The Dallas Mavericks go into Sunday's matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers looking to pull off one of the biggest series sweeps in the history of the game.
Yet no one from ESPN, outside of Michael Wilbon, has given the Mavs any credit for the job they have done against the two-time defending champs. All of the talk is how the Lakers are collapsing, Pau Gasol is playing horrible and the trust issues. Oh the trust issues.
Come on people! This is a Lakers team that has not lost the first two games of a series at home since the 1976-77 season in which they fell to Bill Walton and the eventual champion Portland Trail Blazers.
This is a team with Kobe Bryant, one of the top five players of all time, being coached by Phil Jackson who has 11 NBA championship rings. Do these teams just collapse without something first causing the collapse?
Is it that the Lakers are just old and can't cut it anymore, or is it that the Mavs actually deserve to be here?
This is a team that was supposed to cause tremendous matchup problems for the Mavs with all of their height, yet no one can stop tiny J.J. Barea from getting to the basket at will.
Dirk Nowitzki is, for some reason, considered one of the most overrated players in the game, yet when the Mavs need a big basket he has been the man to knock down his patented fadeaway with a defender in his face.
The Lakers are obviously flustered by the Mavs. Just look at the actions of the Lakers' stars. Ron Artest's clothesline on Barea exemplifies it.
As well as the usually quiet Andrew Bynum chattering about the lack of trust and communication on a playoff experienced team. Although, I would be upset too if I went to help someone guard their man driving to the basket, and he throws it over everyone's shoulder for a Tyson Chandler dunk who is uncovered.
Gasol seems to not even care when guarding Nowitzki. Dirk has been able to drive by him or get himself an open shot at will.
The only bright spot and hope for the Lakers is Kobe who can hit a jumper from the moon with a hand in his face I am convinced.
Yet through all of this, the Lakers are just blowing it. Without reason.
The Mavs have overcome improbable odds to have the chance to closeout the Lakers at home in four games. Maybe a sweep will get someone to talk about them, but probably not.
