This format worked well, let's do it again! Things we learned from Game 1 of Dallas vs Portland.
-It's funny, I was actually more impressed with Portland in the loss than I was with Dallas in the win. The same was true of Indiana/Chicago today. Strange, strange day of basketball.
-Portland really knows how to control the tempo of the game. 89-81 is just the kind of final score they were hoping to see, just in the wrong direction. Dallas was prevented from running for much of the game, while Portland got into their slow-down offense, which is exactly the kind of offense they want to play. At the end, Portland was forced to run and try to get quick shots as they were pressed for time, and it didn't work, unsurprisingly. But in that 4th quarter, it really seemed like they figured out how to play slow it down basketball against Dallas. Look for more of that going forward.
-LaMarcus Aldridge is the real deal, and (not that it REALLY matters at this point) he should have been an All Star over Kevin Love. His specialty is catching and finishing lob passes, but he can also shoot anywhere from 18 feet and in, he has a nice hook shot, he can make shots on the run, and he can post guys up from the low block. Strong, athletic, and very long, he's like Kevin Garnett 2.0, minus all the crazy screaming and cursing.
-Homecourt advantage really matters. Dallas' crowd was waiting for an excuse to erupt throughout the entire late run that Portland ran off. When Dirk started getting all his superstar calls (another advantage of the homecourt), they blew the roof off, the Mavs grabbed hold of the energy, and a young Portland team crumbled. Dear Miami fans, that is the power of being at home in most stadiums. Take notes and stop sucking. (Actually, what am I saying? The Celtics will probably face Miami next round. Keep it up guys! You are doing great!)
-Jason Kidd came through tonight for the Mavericks, but going forward, Dallas is going to need to find some real offense from other players besides Dirk and Jason Terry. Kidd hit some early threes that the Trailblazers gifted him, and, unfortuantely for Portland, he found a rhythm and kept knocking them down. None of this changes the fact that Kidd is roughly 73 years old and will not be able to keep up this pace throughout the playoffs.
-I can't tell if I'm a huge fan of Mark Cuban or if he irritates me to no end. It's really one or the other, so you'd think it would be an easier decision. On the one hand, I love that he is a huge fan of his team. I love that he takes such an interest in them winning not just from a business standpoint, but also because he knows what it's like to be a fan. On the other hand, his antics sometimes seem very contrived and attention seeking. Mark? You are fun, but it's always about the players. It's always about the game. PLEASE don't forget that.
What did I miss? Tell me in the comments.
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