NBA Playoffs Update: Mavericks Not Close To Contention

A week ago the Dallas Mavericks season ended. An uninspiring and quite frankly incredibly boring Game 5 loss enabled the Houston Rockets to advance to the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

Last night those Rockets, with five nights rest, lost to the Los Angeles Clippers…at home…with Chris Paul out of commission due to a hamstring injury suffered in the instant classic Game 7 win over San Antonio two nights earlier.

Yes, the Mavericks took one game from Houston. But that’s nothing to be proud of unless you take the “shorthanded and outclassed” approach, which as Mavs fans we just aren’t used to doing and let’s not start now.

“Shhhhh, CP, I’ll Win Game 1 For Us”

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

No Chandler Parsons. Definitely no Rajon Rondo. Still the Rockets aren’t a team that should have so easily beaten the Mavericks unless we really are that flawed. And for the time being, we are. But the Rockets aren’t that good.

You can’t be that good and play as Houston did last night. But enough about the losing team, let’s talk about the winning Clippers.

Even without Chris Paul, they hung around all game before delivering a knockout punch with a few minutes remaining.

L.A. had things cooking defensively, J.J. Redick made James Harden a non-factor and Deandre Jordan completely outclassed his counterpart Dwight Howard. Matt Barnes was everything that makes him so darn valuable while also so intolerable. Barnes has heart, he brings the energy, he plays defense, he hits open three’s.

He’s also a pain in the ass. A complete pain the ass. But I would go into battle with a guy like him every day of the week. He’s Tony Allen with a jump shot. That’s a mighty fine player to have around.

Speaking of Tony Allen, his Grizzlies are without Mike Conley after the point guard took an inadvertent elbow from Portland guard C.J. McCollum in round one game three.

Conley’s chances of returning are strong because it is not a structural injury to a knee, ankle, shoulder etc., however those odds immediately take a dip when you see just how swollen the upper-left side of his face is.

Nevertheless, their opponent is the Golden State Warriors and they just had Stephen Curry named the league’s MVP. Right now they look unstoppable. Not like LeBron going to the basket, Dirk from the elbow or Kobe from anywhere circa 2008, what the Warriors are doing right now seriously does not look like it can be stopped.

Unstoppable Stephen Curry personified in the form of his Golden State Warriors team. Memphis is arguably the best defensive team in the league, but GSW simply got what they wanted when they wanted and it was a serious clinic.

B(ecause)YMI: Mavs Management In The Mirror

On the other side of the league as the NBA Playoffs roll on, the Bulls took Game One from the depleted Cavs. Even with a huge chunk of Cleveland’s offense out, this was a serious statement game from Chicago.

Kevin Love (shoulder) isn’t coming back (to Cleveland?) and J.R. Smith (Likes to Slug Former Mavs) will be back but not until Game 3.

Even still Cleveland rolls out the two best players in the series, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. This new look Bulls team was something completely unique from teams of Bulls’ past.

They…scored…basketballs. A lot.

Jimmy Butler was literally everywhere, guarding LeBron 75 times out of 77 chances, also adding 20 points including 9 of the bulls last 15. He’s getting paid.

Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick Rose, aside from not being able to isolate around 6’10” Tristan Thompson late in the game, was very productive as he finally got help around him offensively from Butler but particularly the newest Bull Pau Gasol. Gasol holds the key to this series. If he can hit that mid-range jumper against the undersized Cavaliers at a better than half rate, the path to the NBA Finals is looking good for the Chicago Bulls.

Not that that will save Tom Thibodeau’s job.

The Atlanta Hawks continue to fall apart the same way they came together, as a team. They are admittedly a replica of the San Antonio Spurs, but the Spurs have a Tim Duncan and Tony Parker to be tough shot makers. The Hawks are struggling to find tough shot makers, or even get open for tough shot taking, especially late in the game.

The Wizards, after a strong start to the season and a turrible finish, are finding their stride again. John Wall and Bradley Beal have to find ways to not always be hurting but the only way the Wiz can make it Chicago or Cleveland if they even get past Atlanta is to get production from either Paul Pierce or someone taking Pierce’s spot that night.

Safe to say they miss Trevor Ariza more than the Rockets are happy to have him. He’s a glue guy. The Rockets aren’t even pressed to the paper right now, like the Hawks.

The Grizzlies and Clippers are using thumbnails, Cleveland needs to refill their stapler, Chicago needs to hide the staples and the Warriors have enough scotch tape to last a lifetime, or another month, that’s all they need right now.

Sure, sure it’s  Mavs site but the more we can think about the NBA Playoffs the more we can realize how badly we miss competing in them.