NBA Finals Matchup Reminds of Rough 2015 Season

The NBA Finals are set. To be perfectly honest, they were set once the Chicago Bulls lost to Cleveland and the San Antonino Spurs lost to the Clippers somehow.

Alas, here we are with the last two standing: The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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My Mavericks-centered world remembers playing these two teams in the regular season. Here’s how we stacked up with the teams now battling for the Larry O’Brien trophy that we’re four years from hoisting ourselves (Even though it feels like 400 years)

December 13, 2014 vs. Golden State: Ah, day game basketball. I love sports in the day time. Then you leave with plenty of time to pretend you haveplans that night. Ain’t nobody gotta know.

The Mavericks were down 39-18 after one on their home court.

Ah, day game basketball.

The Mavs made a garbage time run, if you want to call it that, so the final score was respectable at 105-98. Rajon Rondo‘s Boston Celtics were off.

January 4, 2015 @ Cleveland: LeBron James didn’t play, Rajon Rondo was currently liked by Dallas fans and the Mavericks won 109-90.

February 4, 2015 @ Golden State: You know how they say some games are a “tale of two halves?” Well, this game was a tale of “a quarter and then the other three quarters.”

The Mavericks came out firing, leading 42-25 after one, including a 24-4 start. It went downhill just as fast as it grew. Faster. Much faster. It was bad.

Still leading by 20 early in the second quarter, 47-27, It took less than seven minutes to make it a five point game, 49-44. That’s 17-2 and if you remember watching this game at Oracle, it was over by then.

The Mavericks had their nice start, but then went back to looking old, discombobulated and just…turrible.

Golden State would win in blowout fashion, 128-114. Stephen Curry had 51 points.

Photo Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

March 6, 2015 @ Golden State: Another visit to “Roaracle” and more results of the kind the Mavs get when they unpack their bags for a game in Oakland.

Dirk Nowitzki was 5 of 16, Rajon Rondo 6 of 15 with a +/- of -21, Chandler Parsons did not play and worst of all, Monta Ellis was 2 of 14 smack dab in the middle of his worst stretch of the season. Six Warriors scored in double figures, the Mavs first lead was there only lead, the GSW won 104-89.

March 10, 2015 vs. Cleveland: A torturous stretch of games in a “Make or Break” portion of the season continued, and the Mavs dropped another. However, this was the worst. Looking back, perhaps this was the game where even the most optimistic fans like myself knew there was no damage to be done by this Dallas Mavericks team.

The first time at home against either of the eventual Conference Champions, the only thing memorable about this one was the Tribute to former Dallas Mavs fan favorite and NBA Champion Shawn Marion.

Then, just as LeBron James has done to the Mavericks every time since June 12, 2011, he absolutely clobbered us. James himself had a ho hum 27/8/7 but like the previous Warriors game, Dallas showed up for only one quarter. They were outscored by 38 after the first 12 minutes. This was a gut punch. Alas, the season was not over by a long shot, so more room for hopeless optimism, yay!

April 4, 2015 vs. Golden State: The third time the Mavs played either Cleveland or Golden State on the 4th of a month, and this one of the 1-year anniversary of Captain America: The Winter Soldier so you better believe they were ready to play!

Shame on you, what a stupid thing to believe in.

My sister Adrienne and Robert Downey Jr.’s birthday parties would have to be held away from the American Airlines Center, because there was more doom and gloom in Downtown Dallas.

The Mavericks actually did a good job of containing Stephen Curry, who was happy to let six other teammates join him in double figures. Andre Iguodala was 4 of 9 from downtown because Mavs.

Leandro Barbosa got to the line five times because Mavs.

Marreese Speights had 18 points because…you get it. (Mavs)

Also, Shaun Livingston committed a humanity sin.

If the hilarious WTF reaction from Dat Dood Dirk is a morale victory for you, then the Mavericks did indeed beat a Stephen Curry or LeBron James team this season.

If.

Enjoy the NBA Finals. Here’s to getting back there someday.

Next: 5 Things to Know About Deandre Jordan

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