http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon.../mavs/stories/042904dnsposefko.16fcd9904.html Tomjanovich, Barkley differ on Mavericks' chances 12:47 AM CDT on Thursday, April 29, 2004 By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A voice of experience from one of the NBA's most famous playoff rallies says the Mavericks should not give up on their first-round series despite a 3-1 deficit. Another somewhat louder mouth – who was on the collapsing end of that notable series – says they need not bother showing up tonight at Arco Arena. Rudy Tomjanovich and Charles Barkley have different suggestions for how the Mavericks should approach the tall task of trying to pull themselves back into the best-of-7 series that the Sacramento Kings can end with a win in Game 5. One piece of advice – and we're guessing you can figure out which one – is legitimate. The other is folly. Tomjanovich was coach of the Houston Rockets in 1995 when they went to Phoenix for Game 5 facing a 3-1 deficit. They won the next three games in the second-round series and eventually won their second championship. "It all changed so fast," Tomjanovich said Wednesday. "We're down 3-1. And you talk about a big emotional swing. It goes from your opponent being in a comfortable, confident position to being ... 'Oh my God, now we've got to go back to their place and we could be tied.' "I know how those guys [the Mavericks] are feeling. You get down and have all the doubt. But I'm telling you, it absolutely can change in a hurry." The Rockets remain one of only seven teams to recover from a 3-1 playoff deficit, and they were the last team to do so by winning twice on the road - which is what the Mavericks will have to do to advance. Barkley, of course, was on the Suns team that was full of confidence and perhaps some cockiness. His recommendation for the Mavericks? "Hakeem Olajuwon, that's the only answer," Barkley said. "Sometimes, when you're down 3-1, you're really down 3-1 and you can't come back. Those guys are on vacation after [tonight]. "But in that [1995] series, we knew they had Hakeem and they were capable of coming back." The Mavericks went through a lively practice Wednesday afternoon at Arco Arena, and the morose climate that permeated the team Tuesday had been replaced by defiance. They are committed to going down swinging. "We're not going to lay over and play dead," guard Michael Finley said. "They don't want to go back to Dallas, and they know if we prolong the series, anything can happen. They don't want to deal with the planes, the hotel and all that. Our goal is to make it so they have a miserable time in Dallas." Tomjanovich said attitude is the first step toward a revival. "If those guys get one win, I wouldn't want to be heading back to Dallas," he said about the Kings' perspective. "It really does boost morale. But it also does something to that other team. When you're up 2-1 and you get that third one, you get that swagger and that feeling that even if you lose, you still got two chances and one of them at home. "And there's something about being down 3-1 that sort of takes the pressure off. You've got nothing to lose at that point."
Hmmm ..... Rudy sure seems interested in the Mavs. I didn't hear him speaking out about the Rockets down 3-1.
Would he not be an EXCELLENT coach for that team when the swing the hammer on Nellie? I would hate for the rockets to look down the barrel of that offensive Juggernaut Rocket River
Yes that would be great. The Mavs have a nice collection of veteren, classy and coachable players with maybe the exception of Walker. Maybe Rudy can trade away Walker for some defense. I might turn into a Mavs fan. It sure would be sweet revenge for Rudy and would be cool to hear him say "Papaya or Hypaya! or whatever his trademark phrase was. He would say this whenever his Mavs beat the Rockets which I assume will be quite often. In the meantime, Van Gumby will just be standing on the opposite sideline with his arm folded looking all grumpy as usual. Didn't Yao like Rudy? I get the feeling that Yao doesn't like Gumby very much. What would be funny is if Yao jumps ship to Dallas to play for Rudy once his contract ends. It would hurt as a Rockets fan but also would be funny in some ironic way.
Hmmm...wasn't Sefko the author of the infamous 'CHOKE CITY' article, and do he and Rudy not go 'way back' together, hence the interview/comments by Rudy to him?
Were they sitting at the same table, Chuck and Rudy? It seems their answers are so related... like talking about the SAME EXACT SIMILAR thing.
No, Chuckles said they were 'in the butt kicking bizniz, and bizniz is good!' They held a distressed merchandise sale just days later.
Rudy wouldn't be able to handle an owner who wants to be in your time out huddle and part of the post and pre-game locker room long enough to wait for Yao to be a RFA. Rudy and Mavs minus Walker = good fit. Rudy with Mavs + Cuban = bad fit.
i dont know that rudy would fit in up here (in dallas). the fans would embrace him, and i think cuban would back off if it meant going farther in the playoffs. but i dont see rudy and the players clicking. i think finley, jamison, nash, and dirk would be good under his system (trade walker), but the lack of defense is amazing. oh yeah, and the only guy on the team who plays any d is najera, who rudy had traded away on draft day. plus there isnt anyone who can post up on this team that is over 6'2.
It's the worst kept secret up here that Cuban really wants Pat Riley if he opens the trapdoor under Nellie.
not to make this a mavs forum, but riley wont be here next year either, he's still under contract with the heat next season.... plus i dont see the mavs playing well under riley's system either. they're just not designed for it.
Does Show Time ring a bell? Nash isn't Magic but the Mavs run and gun.... but I believe Riley owns part of the Heat and/or makes some serious money as the GM. Is this really being talked about in DAL?
it was brought up back in feb when the mavs were struggling, but the talk died down when nellie switched to small ball and the mavs went on a tear.... im sure coaching change talk will come back up after tonight (probably).
It would be extremely difficult to pull Riley out of Miami before next summer. Given his near-obsession with players that resemble himself (PFs with range), I can see Rudy jumping at the chance to coach Nowitzki. He's best with veteran squads, so the Nash-Finley-Dirk core would be a good fit. Walker would certainly need to be shipped out asap. As to Rudy and defense, his squads relied far more on Dream than they did any of his schemes. It's part of why the team fell apart so bad in his final few years. Evan
Rudy speaks - but he didn't really say anything - about the Rockets - who cares Dall-ass they're finished.
The only reason Rudy is being quoted at all is because Eddie Sefko has his home number somewhere in his rolodex, and couldn't manage to write an article about a team down 3-1, without reffering to the greatest team he ever covered... the 95 Houston Rockets. If Rudy were to ever come back, who would be on his staff? Would Larry Smith and Jim Boylen leave their respective assistant coaching jobs? Would he be able to convince Clyde that front office managment sucks, and THIS is the step to NBA coaching that he always wanted?
