One More! Dallas leads series 3-2

By Katrina King

Image by Channing Jemerson

Wow! What an exciting game five of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks. I had the Mavericks as the underdog in this series, because favor, it seems, were giving to the Heat. I'm just saying.

With the series tied at 2-2, going in to game five, fans were nervous. The AAC was electrifying, the fans energy was at an all time hig. No way, were the Mavs going to lose with that energy going on. Both teams battled for the ball. Fans were standing in the aisles (no one could sit down), couples kissing each other, high fives , fist bumps and plenty beer drank),. This was the best series (historically & my first) ever. Entertainment, at its best. Thrilling and exciting! For the Dallas Mavericks, historical. Historical is the perfect word to describe this journey. 31 years in the making! How 'bout that.

Both teams are at a historical marker, Miami with their second championship since 2006, when they beat Dallas and the rematch, five years later. LeBron James made a good decision afterall, joining the Heat. Pat Riley, and the Miami organization have a vision. They win win their second championship..just not this year. It's the Mavs time now.

Game 5; Morning Shootaround-Tyson Chandler

By Katrina King
Image by Katrina King
Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center

A must win for the Dallas Mavericks tonight going back to Miami. The series is tied at 2-2 with the best of 3 left to play. Dallas must win tonight in order to placed themselves in a better position to win this series. An absolute must win!.
During shoot around (practice) before game 5, I had the pleasure of speaking with Coach Rick Carlise about Corey Brewers playing time and second chance points.

Q: Coach Carlise, speaking on Corey Brewer, in previous interviews when asked about Corey Brewer, you have said that he's ready and active. We know he can 3 things off the bench: energy, scoring and defense, so the question is will he see some playing in this series?

A: There's a possibility. "What I like about him, he's always ready. It's hard to tell at this point in the game, we'll just have to see depending on how well the game is going. He's definitely ready".
Q: Coach in order to win this series, second chance points are going to be very important. What are your thoughts on grabbing offensive rebounding? " We have got to do a better job on the boards.. We have to work harder and better protecting the boards and not allow the other team to grab those points as well.

Jason Terry seemed pumped up and ready to play saying that the team realizes this is a must win tonight. Not worried about all the hoopla surrounding James and his lack of playing scoring (8 pts in game 4). "Don't care. Our job is to make sure he doesn't score." We've got to be more aggressive and consistent in this game and the remaining two. We know what is at stake tonight."

When ask about consistency in his performance, from game 4, Tyson Chandler says he realizes he must get involved early in the game and stay agressive. The players could care less about LeBron lack of scoring in game 4, JET, says "good if we got in his head, give us motivation".

MAVS WIN GAME 4! 86-83

By Katrina King

Images by Channing Jemerson

It was a nail biter tonight. The kind of game you sit on the edge of your seat. Wow! what a game! Jason Terry pumped the crowd up in the final seconds of the game, for more rowdiness. Jason Terry backed up his talk up these passed couple of days, saying he's tired of playing from behind. Well, he backed his talk up by leading the Mavs to a win.

Meanwhile, an ailing Dirk scored 21 points, the bench scored 28 points. DeShawn (11 pts), Jason Terry (17pts).

Mavs Must Win Game 4

By Katrina King
Images by Channing Jemerson

From the start of training camp the championship has been the goal. "The Time is Now" is the Mavs slogan for the championship quest. The time is here, tonight! To grabbed the opportunity to tie this seriesw 2-2.
Oh my GOD, the Mavericks are in a must win situation tonight. Heat up 2-1 on the Mavs home court. Not a good sign. Arrive to practice late, missed the opportunity to ask coach Carlise a couple of questions regarding offensive rebounding and turnovers.

Early in the season, in previous interviews and press conference, coach Carlise discusses stresses the need for second chance points. How the stratefy is not not allow the Heat any offensive points, what about home team. In game 3, Mavs only grabbed 12 offensive rebounds for second chance points.
Remember when Tyson Chandler in the Portland game how he grabbed 17 offensive boards? He hasn't grabbed anything remotely close in the Oklahoma series or in this series. What the Mavs need to do tonight is adjust their strategy a bit. First the focus needs to be on grabbing offensive rebounds gaining an adavantage on second chance points and 2, shake up the rotation, put in corey Brewer, he's got the energy, he can defend and score. Besides give the guy a break let him get in the game so his family can see him play.

Game 4 is a must win for the Mavs.. WIN OR GO HOME!

Not looking good for Dallas Mavericks.

By Katrina King

Images by Channing Jemerson

The Heat is up 2-1, winning NBA Finals game three final 88-86. I don't know where to start on this issue. Mavs, (long sigh) just wasn't there last night. Dirk was, but the rest wasn't. Can't explain what appeared to me to be another lack of cohesiveness with guys. They appeared to be confused, and bewildered.

No second chance points attempted - worth talking about - only 12 offensive rebounds. Three points more than Miami (9). Dwyane Wade scored 29 points in the game, LeBron 17, 3 rebounds; Wade 8 rebounds, 3 offensive rebounds. A decent game not his best, the same for LeBron James.

Carlise speaks on "not getting enough second chance opportunities". He is focused on minimazing the Heat allowable second chance points (Heat offensive rebounds), that he has lost focus on his on team grabbing offensive boards.

The last time Mavs went on a 20 point offensive board night was in the series against Portland. Historically, not known for offensive rebounding, the Dallas Mavericks need to change history and be known for OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING.

Game 4 -Dallas, TX Tuesday night on ABC and your local canle channel.

It's Game 3 of the NBA Final Mavs, Heat

By Katrina King

It's game three of the NBA Finals, who will take it all? Coach Erik Spoelstra: "So we have had a couple of days to think about it (the loss game 2) now. Obviously we weren't happy about the way the game ended. We came back to work yesterday and today to fix some of these things. Most important thing to remember, and out team has great perspective with this. There is not a good win in the playoffs and there's not a bad win. It's black and white. It's either a win or it's a loss. And you have to move on.
We have a great opportunity tonight. Our guys understand that. And we'll be better than we were down the stretch the other night. We're doing allot of good things in this series. There's a dangerous team at the end of the day. They executed better than we did down the stretch, regardless of how it happened.

MAVS UNBELIEVABLE FINISH!

By Katrina King
Images Channing Jemerson

An unbelievable finish in game 2 in Miami. Down by 15 poitns with less than 5 minutes left in the fourth, the Mavs win game 2. Stunned the Miami crowd, in fact, silence the Miami crowd. Dirk, playing with a hurt finger, scored the final basket leading the team to a win.


Jason (JT) Terry, hasn't played particular well in this series, left his man, Chumbers open for a wide open 3 which kept the Heat in the lead. In the fourth quarter, J.T. redeemed himself with his shots going down.




When asked what did Dirk have to say to him in the huddle sfterhe allowed the 3-pointer by Miami, "A lot of cursing was involved".