Tonight Will Be Fun
Mavs vs. Warriors!
The Mavs return to the Bay Area tonight, as they attempt to exorcise some of the demons from last season’s humiliating Playoff defeat to the Warriors.
Some of the key players during that epic series won’t be present tonight (Stephen Jackson is serving a seven-game suspension; Jason Richardson is in Charlotte) but the atmosphere will no doubt be electric. Hell, Magic Johnson, only one of the game’s great ambassadors, has already suggested that Dirk Nowitzki inflict violence on one of the Warriors during the game (not gonna happen, obviously).
The Mavs sort of have to win tonight, don’t they? A loss and questions about their team’s toughness and its ability to overcome adversity will have to be answered immediately (instead of during the Playoffs); as it happens, all of the pressure is on them this evening, and the Warriors know it:
“I think ever since they lost they’ve been waiting for this game, just to kind of get it off their chests,” Baron Davis said.
“I think Dallas has more to prove then we do,” suspended forward Stephen Jackson said. “We’re trying to get to a point where we’re playing well and we’re able to win a game.”
“Oh yeah,” forward Josh Howard told reporters in Dallas. “You know we’re going to want this win bad, especially on their home court. For them to beat us, they came out on fire, but it’s a new year, new things and we’re going to go out there and get a win.”
It’s not often that you get a must-watch regular season game, let alone one this early in the year. In short, you’d be crazy to miss tonight’s tilt (10:30 PM EST, TNT).
30 Responses to “Tonight Will Be Fun”
Nov.8 at 1:41 pm
white hot eboy says:
No better time than the present for the Warriors to get their first win.
Nov.8 at 1:46 pm
Myles Brown says:
The Mavs should actually have to start the game with -20 points.
Nov.8 at 1:46 pm
Gym Rat says:
GO WARRIORS!
Nov.8 at 1:47 pm
FLUD says:
Warriors 105 Mavericks 98… Captain Latvia to go nuts. Play wit tit.
Nov.8 at 1:48 pm
FLUD says:
That’s not a typo by the way.
Nov.8 at 1:53 pm
Rasheedionics says:
No Josh Howard or Devin Harris for the Mavs either… So it won’t be exactly the same, but should be fun nonetheless.
Nov.8 at 1:55 pm
white hot eboy says:
Mutoni, all your Heat bashing posts have finally caught on with the “leader”. Shaq’s demise is their current front page story.
Nov.8 at 2:15 pm
Rasheedionics says:
Eboy, don’t you think Shaq is somewhat overrated? Is it really a demise or Wade withdrawal syndrome? Through out his entire career Shaq played along with great guards: Penny, Kobe, Wade. Yes, his presence elevated their games but equally their presence elevated his game as well. I see it as 50-50. I remember when Shaq was on Lakers and Kobe would miss a game or 2 with injury, the Lakers would lose those games every time. Not to take anything away from Shaw but he needs his sidekicks as much as they need him. Even though Shaq lost step or two with age, I see him returning to his dominant self once Wade is back on the floow.
Nov.8 at 2:21 pm
white hot eboy says:
Rasheed, your whole post confused me. First you kind of bashed him, then at the end you say he could return to his dominant self. I don’t know what to think of that.
Nov.8 at 2:27 pm
white hot eboy says:
And Belinelli will shine in his first nationwide performance.
Nov.8 at 2:27 pm
its just alex says:
This game is gonna be good. The games you’d think would be more competitive (cough Denver/Boston) haven’t been turning out that way so far. I think this one goes to the wire.
Nov.8 at 2:38 pm
Rasheedionics says:
I dont bash him. All I’m saying is that for a big man it’s hard to carry a team. He’s a dominant big man but he’s not a playmaker. So he only can do so much. He’s not the type of player you build a franchise around unless you already have a Kobe, Wade or Lebron type of player along him… I just find it funny that ESPN is ready to write him off because they lost few games this early into the season. It has more to do with the team’s dynamic than with Shaq’s skills. I just think it’s unrealistic to expect Shaq to carry a team. That’s never been his game. Guys like Kobe or Lebron can win a game all by themselves with bunch of scrubs because they playmakers who can create shots for themselves from anywhere on the floor. I’m not saying they’re so much better than Shaq, it’s just different positions and different type of game. I dont see ESPN writers recognizing that.
Nov.8 at 2:43 pm
white hot eboy says:
I get your sentiment now, Sheed. If only others that claim they know the intricacies of basketball embraced that type of thinking, there’d be less arguing and name calling around these parts and everywhere else basketball is discussed.
Nov.8 at 2:46 pm
Captain America says:
Much hype but with Jackson you really don’t have a rematch. Mavs can’t recreate history. So far, I’ve been disappointed with the Warriors. Not running as much as before and settling for half-court offense. That plays into Mavs’s hands.
Nov.8 at 3:14 pm
Hisham says:
this game is going to be about as entertaining as.. well something that’s not entertaining. I expect a boring 15-point mavs win. Why? because I don’t think the hunger is gonna be there anymore for the warriors. they already showed the whole world that they own the mavs. the mavs on the other hand, will want to prove that they’re a good team so badly that they get sloppy.. Plus it won’t matter anyway because who’s gonna remember today’s matchup down the road? exactly: nobody. Last season’s playoffs series, however…
Nov.8 at 3:17 pm
Dallas J says:
warriors were a flash in the pan.. sick of the publicity on this game. its not a rematch, captn america is right. no jackson, no barnes, no richardson.. the past is the past.
Nov.8 at 3:53 pm
scott says:
When is slam going to run down the list of the top 50 players in the association again? Kobe or LeBron at number one? Perhaps it will be Duncan this time.
Nov.8 at 3:59 pm
bouncyman says:
Perhaps it should be Duncan this time! As long as it’s not Nash, I’m happy. I feel weird debating a theoretical list that might never be posted
Nov.8 at 4:30 pm
albie1kenobi says:
this will be an entertaining game up until tipoff. then people will realize that warriors haven’t gotten the “organized” part down of their “organized chaos” offense. currently no defense is being played and the offense consists of lots of 1 on 1 and plenty of bricklaying from beyond the arc. they are missing richardson’s outside shooting and leadership. easy win tonight for the mavs. unless baron decides to go nuts, which i suppose is what we are all hoping for. either that or dirk picking a fight with monta. (he don’t wanna mess with azubuike or baron, they can manhandle him)
Nov.8 at 4:38 pm
sam says:
mavs by ten. no messin
Nov.8 at 5:03 pm
BETCATS says:
mavs lose by 10000000 and Stack Jax gun tatto comes to life and kills dirk. I did the preview for g-state so i should know
Nov.8 at 5:35 pm
Tarzan Cooper says:
azubuike will have a monster game.
Nov.8 at 5:55 pm
Bigeasy says:
the golden state warriors are too fast for dallas and warrior will kick dallas
to tonight and there no stoppin baron davis
Nov.8 at 6:26 pm
Dyce says:
The mavs are going to methodically beat the warriors into submission…
Nov.8 at 7:01 pm
franco says:
it doesnt matter if the warriors show up for the game or not, the games vs the warriors are the only ones that really matter this season until the playoffs for the mavs. The warriors own the mavs and the mavs need to start showing they can beat the warriors consistently.
Nov.8 at 7:24 pm
ciolkstar says:
Azubuike has a sprained ankle. He might not even play. Prediction: Monta and Biedrins will both have big games while B-Diddy struggles with his shot but manages to sink the game-winner…
Dirk scores
Nov.8 at 7:26 pm
ciolkstar says:
WTF? where’s the rest of my post?
Dirk scores
Nov.8 at 7:27 pm
ciolkstar says:
Dammit. Dirk scores less than 20.
Warriors Win 110-108
Nov.8 at 7:40 pm
bouncyman says:
I dunno… Stephen Jackson’s length bothered Dirk alot. With him out, I don’t think anyone else on the team can guard him.
Nov.9 at 3:08 am
Hisham says:
Guess i was wrong! judging by the online recaps, it looks like that was a pretty good game right till the end. too bad the reslut wasn’t the other way around though…