Monday, May 11, 2009

Open Notice To The Dallas Mavericks

I can't believe I'm even saying this because I truly believe the NBA is the absolute worst playoff championship/sports league (with all due understanding that NASCAR has a legitimate claim) and, since I only have so much sports energy to burn I don't want to waste it on this.

However, if you live in Dallas, the lead story in all the media has been the "non-call" on a foul attempt by Antoine Wright against Carmello Anthony in the crucial game 3 of their playoff series. See, the Mavs were down 2-0 and desperately needed the win. Well, Melo hits a 3 point basket with one second to play even though Wright fouled him a second before that.

However, the whistle didn't blow. Melo hit the desperation shot. Nuggets 106, Mavericks 105. Game over. Series over.

Since then the Mavericks players and coaches have been complaining about the foul "non-call" and how it cost them the series. By extension, the series.

But here's the deal: In addition to the reality that you're 0-7 against Denver this year and the odds of you taking this series to 6 games (much less winning it) was slim to none...

...well, maybe you should remember what we teach children in sports. That good teams overcome bad officiating every time.

Maybe you should chide Wright's defense on Anthony 30 seconds earlier when he let him run right by him and dunk the basketball to cut the 4-point lead in half.

Maybe you should chide the superstar MVP Dirk Nowitzki for missing a 15-foot jumper with 7 seconds to play that gave the ball back to Denver with a chance to win.

Maybe you should remember to keep playing defense until the whistle actually does blow. That's what Melo did.

That's why they were going to win the series no matter what you did, Mavs.

But, in the end, the NBA is a league that calls fouls based on who you are rather than what actually happens (re: Jordan, LeBron, Kobe, Wade, et al., all get preferential treatment from the refs). In this case, the refs decided to let the players determine the game and Melo did what great players do: Deliver in the clutch.

So, Mark Cuban and the rest of the Mavericks, let it go.

You lost.

But it wasn't the refs fault no matter how you try to spin it.

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