| 83 Reasons The Series Is Done Authored by Jonathan Wall - May 5, 2005 - 1:39 am
You have to love percentages if you're the Dallas Mavericks.
After the team secured the first home win by either team in the series; the team moved one step closer to becoming the fourth team since the 1994 Houston Rockets to win a playoff series after losing their first two games at home.
My how things have changed in this series since game one; after looking like one of the biggest busts in the playoffs, the Mavericks have watched the Rockets implode like a cheap house of cards and fall one game from elimination.
Houston has gone from being in total control of the series, to now facing possible repercussions for their head coach Jeff Van Gundy, and another first round playoff exit for guard Tracy McGrady.
Think things can't get any worse for Houston? Well if you thought this you're totally wrong.
There are 83 reasons to be exact why this series is all but done, even with game six in Houston Thursday.
Over the last 115+ playoff series since the league went to a best of seven format in the first round, the team that won game five has gone on to advance in game six 96 out of those 115 times. That number equates to an 83 percent chance that Dallas moves on tomorrow night to face the Phoenix Suns in the second round.
The Rockets will put it all on the line tomorrow night; however, after having numerous chances to comeback and win game five, it will remain to be seen if they can get their energy level back up for the most critical game of the series.
Dallas held the lead for most of the game at home and for the first time looked to finally control the tempo of the game. The one eyesore that might make Maverick fans squirm going into game six is the way Dallas allowed a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to disappear.
"We were pretty much up all game and they kept coming back," Nowitzki said. "We were up 11 at one time right there in the fourth and ... they're a good team. They're going to make good plays. Obviously, they've got two superstars who had it going again (all night)."
If Dallas is going to end the series tonight in Houston, the team needs to make sure they find the free throw shooting touch that allowed the Rockets to claw their way back to within a McGrady three of tying the game at the end of regulation.
"We missed a lot of key free throws down the stretch," Nowitzki said. "We were really lucky to get the win against them because of (the free throws), but you know sometimes its better to be lucky than good."
Lucky is good, but the Mavericks will need to be on their game tonight if they expect to send Houston packing. |
