vs. 
Dallas Mavericks (0-1, 0-1 road) vs. OKC Thunder (1-0, 1-0 home)
TV: TNT (Cox 31, HD 730); FS OK (Cox 37, HD 722, Tulsa Cox 27, DirectTV 679, UVerse 754)
Stream: Click here
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM, 640 AM, 97.1 FM Tulsa)
Time: 8:30 CT
Thunder lead series 1-0
View from the enemy: The Two Man Game
The important thing is that the Thunder won. Whether it was by 20 or by a miracle bounce, Oklahoma City leads the series 1-0, which is right where it needed to be. The disconcerting thing is that I don’t think there was any clear separation in talent or ability between the Mavs and Thunder.
Thunder fans hoped, I think, to see a completely renewed side foaming at the mouth for revenge. Especially against a Dallas squad that very clearly isn’t the same team that won the title last season. Wasn’t entirely the case. The game was close, almost mimicking last season’s Western Finals.
But I had fear the Thunder might play Game 1 a bit tight just because they wanted it so very badly. I don’t know if they were tight, but KD certainly didn’t shoot the ball well (10-27) and the team itself went through stretches of poor execution. Before tip-off, I was quietly fearing a loss in Game 1 because of it, with the likelihood OKC would sweep the next four games.
Thing is, the Mavs looked more game than I expected. They almost looked like they had been waiting on this, just chilling out until the postseason. I think this might’ve even caught the Thunder off guard. But the win is in the bag and it’s time to move on. Winning Game 1 is vital, but taking care of home court is critical. You can’t give away that advantage.
Three Big Adjustments
1. Maybe not leave Shawn Marion THAT wide open. One of my favorite things about a Mavs game is the collective “What the s@#%?” that goes through the crowd when Marion attempts a shot. He’s not a good shooter, but when wide open clearly has the capability to drop down 3s. Kevin Durant almost seemed disinterested in even contesting Marion and thereby, he drilled three 3s. Maybe at least put a hand up.
2. Manage the defensive assignments on Dirk. The Thunder weren’t afraid to mix it up on Dirk. Try Serge Ibaka. Try Perk. Try Nick Collison. Use it all and throw those different looks around. Not one Thunderer necessarily is best suited to challenge Dirk, but the multiple variations is wise.
3. Get versatile. One of my favorite small in-game adjustments from Scott Brooks in Game 1 was going supersmall for a stretch mid-fourth. KD played center on Ian Mahinmi with Ibaka on Dirk. It immediately forced Rick Carlisle’s hand to re-match his side against the Thunder and provided a small spark. It didn’t entirely work out as it wasn’t the lineup that led the charge, but I think that kind of willingness to be creative is key. Or the idea to use Russell Westbrook as a ball denying bulldog on Jason Terry. Carlisle outmanaged Brooks in the Western Finals last season, so Brooks needs to be on his game this time around and not be afraid to take a risk or two.
Tip at 8:30 CT. Go Game 2.
I could have sworn the crowd was chanting "Refs you suck!" instead of "Dirk you suck!". This was around the time of the Dirk/Perkins situation.
Wow tough win tonight! But we've got a two game lead in the series, which is the best place we could be right now.
I think the best thing to take away from these first two games is that while obviously Dallas is a different team this year, without Chandler, Barea, throwback Peja, etc, the Thunder, our Thunder, just beat the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, not the seventh seeded Dallas Mavericks, two games in a row, when it counts the most. ThunderUp!
Why doesn't Durant's family wear the t-shirts? I've noticed this in other playoff games as well.
@dream catcher Because they're secretly Mavs fans.
Absolutely brilliant:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D1-YKBVMM4
Just got home guys...great atmosphere once again...I must tell you, the refs were atrocious tonight....and ya boy Dirk was being plenty bitchy....haha....wish Perk woulda but glad he didn't too! Anyhow, one note Brooks has to know when to stop playing small ball....almost killed us!
@kdub withus having to go through dallas, lakers and spurs, get used to it, refs will be against us all the way to the finals
LOL so who wrote this ESPN recap
"
The tension escalated quickly after Serge Ibaka tried to block Nowitzki's jumper midway through the first quarter and smacked him in the left eye on his follow-through, without getting called for a foul. Nowitzki hit another jumper along the baseline on Dallas' next possession before he got shoved in the back by Kendrick Perkins while jockeying for rebounding position on a made 3-pointer by Durant.
Perkins followed Nowitzki for a few steps before Nowitzki bumped him away, and Perkins responded by taking a swing at Nowitzki's head with his open hand."
So in conclusion dirk did nothing?
@OBoymuzik that's pretty bad..
@loplopol and then perk pulled out a knife and make dirk hand over his wallet
@loplopol made*
@OBoymuzik i guess so. which obviously wasnt the case.
In other news, i may not agree w/ him all the time, but Barkley is the best.
wow is it possible JR Smith isn't the dumbest player on the Knicks?
@OBoymuzik the knicks do stupid stuff
Just got back from the game. Let's just say that OKC truly does have the best fans in the league. I love this team.
And by game I mean free throw shooting contest.
@SeanzieCrews
37-39 probably the grest display of clutch free throw shooting I have ever seen. Just amazing.
cracks me up hearing dallas reporters ask about westbrook like he shot 14% from the field all year and just started hitting shots
@OBoymuzik He's been killing it the first 2 games. Initially i thought they were total idiots giving Russ uncontested mid range jumpers when he's hitting them, but then i realize they just can't defend him, other than packing in the lanes.
Did they bring DFish to podium for interview? The old man was clutch today!! I'm going to stop being Fisher hater for a couple days.. haha
"Westbrook is the guy who's been phenomenal, you know, making that 15-16 footer consistently now. He made a big 3 there on the wing when we had a little momentum. That was a big 3. He's been phenomenal and he kept them in games, he's been aggressive, he's a great shooting rhythm lately. He's been the guy that's killing us"
- Dirk Nowitzki
@FF_pickups
“I like the fact that we kept Westbrook out of the paint a lot of the night,’’ coach Rick Carlisle said. “If he’s going to keep making jumpers it’s going to be tough.
“We’ve got to do something to take him out of his rhythm a little bit more, because he’s in a groove and he’s been in a groove for the last two or three weeks of the season as well.’’
@Thunder S
I love Westbrook but he wasn't in a groove the last 2-3 weeks of the season, more like a rut!
@FF_pickups @Thunder S lol people think he's never made midrange jumpers ever
2 down 2 to go. If we can get one in Dallas we can take game 5 at home. Dirk said "we are going to make them earn it". He wasn't lying!
@Thunderman we are going to take 2 in dallas
just got back...am i crazy if i think that win was harder than the first?
@OBoymuzik
It was hard but I think the first one was a higher degree of difficulty. Tonight, we beat the defending champs, Saturday, it was the champs + Joey Crawford.
@FF_pickups @OBoymuzik Officiating was atrocious though, both ways, you can just tell by the number of total free throws. Got nervous when Dallas got to bonus with like 10mins left in 3rd, and officials were calling fouls if any one was near Dirk. Suprised all our bigs didn't foul out.
@neo12 @FF_pickups yeah they came out and got in the bonus fast but then we adjusted and played aggressive and got to the line
@FF_pickups game one all we needed to do was play better and win...this game was basically 2 games...the first half where the refs let everyone play, which we would have run away with but then the refs took over in the 2nd half and we had to adjust and grind it out
I think Rick Carlisle is trying to politic for calls which is fine but he's making a mistake by involving his players in it. If you listen to the Marion interview, he just whined and pouted about not getting more calls. I think that can have an adverse effect on the level of intensity of the players.
@FF_pickups AKA The Call. Let's hope they implode like the Blazers..
"It's playoff basketball. It's physical. We don't like the cheap shots when they give them and they don't like the cheap shots if we give them. That's the nature of competition. I love hard play, clean, competitive playoff series. You throw the ball up and may the best team win. The dirty bullshit's gotta stop. We don't want anybody getting hurt out there. Either way, either."
The full quote. I honestly am not sure what he is talking about. If he means Perks forearms in to Dirk, then he's gonna have to work with Dirk on how he establishes position. Dirk usually hooks and fouls getting posted up. Of course players are gonna fight back against that. Otherwise, Dirk continues to do it and reak havoc. This seems entirely dishonest to the Thunder as a team, the game that was played, and basketball as a sport.
@FREE_COLE
The good news is that outside of the Dwyane Wade series, no one ever thinks about officiating afterwards. He can complain all he likes, to the victor goes the spoils.
@FF_pickups Agreed but going in to Dallas with his comments...bothers me and makes me a little nervous. Especially when he is spreading blatantly false information. They are averaging 9 FTA/game more then they did in the regular season, and averaging 10 more then they did in their regular season games against us. I don't understand how he can say playoffs are more physical and then expect to increase their FTA even more then they already have. I don't get it
@FF_pickups @FREE_COLE he's just finding something to complain about now..because he can't say they're not getting enough calls but we're getting too many...no ones dumb enough for that
@FREE_COLE
I guarantee you that if you put truth serum in the guy, he would agree with you 100%. It's gamesmanship, he's trying to say and do whatever he can to get a couple more calls to go his way. To me, that's fine, it worked for Phil Jackson but Brooks won't do it, that's fine too. Brooks technique shows more sportsmanship but I don't know if it is the optimal choice.
Note: By Dwyane Wade series, I am referring to his freethrow shooting barrage of the 2006 NBA finals.
Russ with Urkkele glasses.
KD looks irritated.
@MD4Okc i would be too if im getting shut down.
@Lost Ones He's still contributing in other ways. Clearly the man can score.
Did anybody ever find a link to the intro video?
The Mavs complaining about the refs is rich. It's in the name, folks.
DaLOSS
lol @ Rick Carlisle's "dirty bullsh*t"
i hate that *granthill* Carlisle
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@OKCBornandBred well... durant does look regular out there :(. let them talk though
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@Lost Ones @OKCBornandBred West has been pretty bad. Kidd has been up and down depending on position. and Terry really has been atrocious. I want our offense running through Harden this series
@FREE_COLE @OKCBornandBred no he was saying the defenders are horrible by no way is JASON KIDD AND DELONTE WEST horrible defenders
@JimboSlice @OKCBornandBred @Lost Ones Ah gotcha, that definitely makes more sense.
@FREE_COLE @OKCBornandBred @Lost Ones pretty sure he was saying the people DEFENDING russ and harden sucked, not the other way around...
@OKCBornandBred @Lost Ones LOL Russ a horrible defender in this series? You series Bro? He has bound up and murdered terry
@OKCBornandBred horrible defenders really?
@Lost Ones @OKCBornandBred God what I would give to see a 45+ point outburst and a win in game 3.