[Dallas Morning News] Bulletin Board Material, As if there wasn't enough

Sefko is a Joke http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...avs/stories/050505dnspomavslede.7741ac67.html (gotta register)

For Mavs, push comes to love
Team has bonded through adversity only a playoff deficit can bring


03:59 PM CDT on Thursday, May 5, 2005


By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News


HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets have shed plenty of tears about the officiating, so now it's time for them to get into the spirit of the day and have a good Cinco de Cry-O one last time.

At this point, who is going to doubt that the Mavericks can complete a Houston sob story?

This first-round playoff series has shown the Mavericks' fortitude. In reversing field from a 2-0 deficit by winning three consecutive games, they are on the verge of becoming the third team in NBA history to win a series after losing the first two games at home.

That doesn't happen without a team believing in itself. And when one win links to another and another, strength grows from within.

"We were building a lot of trust in one another throughout the year," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. "Everybody talks about trust and having faith in your teammates. But it won't ever really come to fruition until your trust or faith has been tested."

A budding togetherness in the regular season is one thing. Johnson needed to see more.

"Let me see where your trust is when you get down 0-2 in a playoff series and the first two are at home," he said. "Let's see who's going to go south on each other. Who's going to say, 'Well, Dirk [Nowitzki] is supposed to be playing like an MVP, but he's not.' Or 'AJ was a pretty good NBA player, but he's not very good as a coach.'

"We said that we trust one another. Now, I know we do."

The Mavericks can put another building block on that tower of trust tonight. They can advance to the second round against Phoenix with a win. The revival has been spellbinding. The series has featured tense games that have gone to the wire the last four times.

There isn't a shred of doubt in the Mavericks' locker room. And there really wasn't when things looked bleak a week ago, either. As Jerry Stackhouse said, there may have been doubts about whether the breaks would go the Mavericks' way, but not about the fiber of the team. And now fortune appears to be on their side, too.

Michael Finley, a co-captain, has been an emotional anchor for the team. His play ebbs and flows – and in this series, it has flowed quite well – but his support for his teammates never wavers.

"We have a don't-die attitude," he said. "I always had confidence ... [we] could overcome adversity."

Finley mentioned three reasons the Mavericks have persevered: They did not play particularly well early; they knew they were a great road team; and they refused to give up on the system.

Stackhouse said the way the Mavericks have resurrected themselves is perhaps the greatest moment he's had in the sport.

"No matter how far we go, the key situation that brought the team together was that we were down and we were able to come back together," he said. "Winning the Finals would probably be an unbelievable feeling. But coming back like this ... I can live with it."

It may have started with that 20-0 fourth-quarter run in Game 3. Or maybe it was when Tracy McGrady dunked over Shawn Bradley during Game 2 and disrespected the entire team.

Owner Mark Cuban, who prefaced his thoughts by reiterating that the Mavericks have won nothing, likes the way the team has taken on an edge that has always been possessed by its new coach.

"You've seen me in games – I have doubt all the time," Cuban said. "But I never doubted their effort or willingness to do what it takes to be successful. Our guys are strong-willed, and I don't think there's a quitter in the locker room. If anything, that's becoming the identity of this team, that we're a team and a lot of guys can hurt you."

That's what you learn when you trail 2-0. But, as Johnson said, "we don't want to go there again."

Grittily coming back from the dead once ought to be enough to serve a team well for its future.

E-mail esefko@dallasnews.com

 

Well yeah duh, but your missing the point.

I believe it was Tolstoy that said the spirit of the army is what wins wars. I agree to an extent. Who cares if its true as long as it makes our guys want to go out there and kick there guys' asrses!