I took a stab at live-blogging an NBA playoff game, from start to finish.
8:20pm: 19-12, Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki, the shaggy blonde guy for the Mavericks, gets psyched up by listening to David Hasselhoff. No joke.
8:25pm: Keith Van Horn came off the bench in the first quarter. In 1997, Van Horn was #2 in the draft, and Tim Duncan was #1. Nine years, later Van Horn has moved from team to team every few years, and Duncan is a two-time league MVP, and a three-time finals MVP. But Van Horn just sank a pretty 3-pointer. 26-17, Dallas.
8:35pm: End of the first quarter, 37-27, Mavericks. It’s been all Dallas, even though the game is being played in San Antonio. The Mavericks have made 15 of 17 in first quarter shots but the Spurs’ Tony Parker scored 12 points in the first.
8:52pm: 52-36 Mavericks. It’s still early guys, you can do it.
9:00pm: It’s so strange to see Avery Johnson as a head coach, much less for the Mavericks. I still remember him sinking some clutch shots during Spurs first championship in 1999. He’s 5’11” and looks about half that size on TV, but he played over 1,000 games in 16 seasons in the NBA. He even won Coach of the Year this year. Good for him, but I’m still rooting for the Spurs. 58-40 Mavericks.
9:06pm: Beautiful 3-pointer by Michael Finley. Maybe this is the beginning of a Spurs run. 60-44, Mavericks.
9:13pm: Halftime, 64-50, Mavericks. The TNT commentators are starting to talk like this game is already over, but the Spurs sank 5 of their last 6 shots. The Finley 3-pointer was a turning point and provided the team with some good momentum to close out the half. Don’t count the Spurs out just yet. This is the same team that has won 3 championships over the last 6 years. They are the defending champions and the #1 seed in the West, and they are playing at home.
9:25pm: Still halftime. How often do 3 of the 4 conference semi-final series go down to game 7? Last night the Pistons sent LeBron James home for the season. After the Mavericks/Spurs game is decided, the Clippers will battle the Suns for a spot in the Western conference finals. I’m rooting for Cinderella, aka the Clippers, in that matchup.
9:30pm: End of halftime. Marv Albert’s hairpiece is way too obvious.
9:48pm: 74-67, Mavericks. The crowd in San Antonio finally has something to cheer about and they are getting loud. Four Mavericks have 4 or more fouls; Tony Parker is the only Spur with at least 3 fouls.
9:50pm: 74-70, Mavericks. Spurs fans are chanting MVP for Tim Duncan, who just hit his free throw. I love the Spurs because Tim Duncan’s senior season at Wake Forest was my freshman year, and I’ve got some great photos to prove it. He actually graduated and even had a psychology paper published, and he’s always represented Wake well.
9:58pm: 84-74, Mavericks. Keith Van Horn just sank his third 3-pointer. Somebody stop that guy. Oh good, he missed one.
10:00pm: 84-78, Mavericks, end of the 3rd quarter. Seen in the audience in the 3rd quarter: Mike Modano, captain of the Dallas Stars hockey team, there to support his basketball colleagues.
10:17pm: Manu Ginobli hits a 3-pointer. 93-87, Mavericks. The Spurs have been within two but have yet to lead. I have faith, guys, I have faith.
10:24pm: 94-89, Mavericks. In what I hope will be my last Dallas-centric post of the evening, I must point out that Josh Howard, Wake Forest class of 2002, started for the Mavericks and has scored 13 points so far. (Thanks Will for the tidbit.)
4:11 left in the 4th: I am sending all my energy through the TV to the Spurs. This helps, I know it does. 96-92, Mavericks.
1:40 left in the 4th: Finley hits another 3-pointer to put the Spurs within one and I scream. 101-100, Mavericks.
32 seconds left in the 4th: Duncan hit a foul shot and Ginobli sank a huge 3-pointer to give the Spurs the LEAD! 104-101 SPURS! Mark Cuban is not happy, but I am! Go Spurs go!
End of regulation: Tied at 104. My neighbors must think I’ve gone off the deep end.
22 seconds left in OT: 115-110. Jerry Stackhouse is 1 of 2 at the free throw line. Robert Horry, aka “Big Shot Bob,” checks in for San Antonio, supposedly just for rebounding. Come on, Big Shot Bob is the ultimate clutch player. Give him the ball!
End of overtime: 118-111 Mavericks. DARN IT.
This post was made possible with tidbits from TNT commentators and stats from the NBA and si.com.
3 comments ↓
if you ever want a job at espn, send them you resume and a link to this post.
Thanks Kareem for the compliment! I just might have to take your advice…
If only the commentary would have been as exciting for the Clippers/Suns game. I hated to see my Cinderella team put up such a weak fight. Maybe next year we can have that Spurs/Clippers match-up that we were hoping for.
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