Let's see. So much to say. I'm not even sure where to start. Ok, let's start here: MVP! MVP! MVP! MVP!
But who am I speaking about?
Steve Nash was amazing last night. The Mavericks actually figured out how to stop Steve in the 2nd and 3rd quarter but in the 4th he was able to figure out a way to break down the defense again and help the Suns score 10 points in the last minute of the game. He scored 32 points, had 8 rebounds and 16 assists. So is he the MVP?
Or is it Shawn Marion He scored 15 points and had 12 rebounds. But he got the offensive rebound at the end of the game and his only assist was a doozy - it was to Steve Nash who was behind the three point line to make the game tying basket in regulation. He also played MONSTER defense on Dirk who scored 30 points but had to take 28 shots to get there. That's thanks to Shawn.
Finally, could it be Amare Stoudemire? He had 2 fouls in the early part of the first quarter and had to sit out. Then when he did finally get to play in the rest of the game, did he ever play! He scored 41 points on 16-19 shooting, 9-12 free throw shooting and 10 rebounds. If it weren't for Amare's stellar play, the Suns would have been blown out of the game.
The Suns started the game by getting a 16 point lead and then the Mavericks fought back to not only tie or take a small lead but to get a 15 point lead of their own. Erick Dampier was unstoppable on the offensive glass. He had 11 rebounds - all of the offensive. He single-handedly brought the Mavericks back into the game when they were down early in the game.
If this is a preview of the Western Conference playoffs, it's going to be an awesome series. I think this game show just how well matched the two teams are. They could have played forever and the game was going to come down to whoever had the last shot.
And this morning, Mavs fans are who we thought they were. Babies. Pure babies. They do whatever their master, Mark Cuban, tells them to do and they took their cue from him last night as he shoved a camera guy away while he pouted. And this morning, the Mavs fans are acting as if the Suns had no right winning the game. As if they shouldn't have even played the game because the Mavericks should win every game. If a call goes against them, it is obviously a bad call not good play by the opposing team or a bad play by the Mavericks. They're complaining about the three free throws by Steve at the end of the game, saying that Raja fouled Buckner to let Steve get the final three point shot and saying that Steve was shut down by Josh Howard. All of this despite the fact that dirk had worse shooting than Steve, couldn't stop Steve when he had to and lost the game for his team when he got a technical foul late in the game for being a baby.
I said earlier that Dirk should be MVP. I was wrong. I'm changing my vote back to Nash. It's the way it should be. Dirk showed me that he still isn't the type of leader he needs to be. He still loses it when the going is bad. He can't rally his troops and win the game at the end unless things are going his way. I know the MVP, it's Steve Nash. Dirk is no MVP.
We get to watch this all over again in a couple of weeks. It's going to be awesome. Go SUNS!!!