12/21/24
December 07, 2002
"We choked, just flat-out choked." : The Dallas Mavericks blow a 30-point lead to the Lakers.
posted by kirkaracha to basketball at 11:42 AM - 5 comments
Giving up 44 points in the fourth quarter is completely inexcusable, regardless of who you're playing. This game will just give the Lakers the confidence they were somehow lacking after the slow start. And, you better believe that this loss will stick with the Mavericks for the remainder of this season, possibly longer. If these teams happen to meet up in the postseason, even if the Mavs beat the Lakers the rest of the regular season, this loss will hang over them.
posted by bcb2k2 at 03:28 PM on December 07, 2002
I happened to catch this (couldn't sleep), and it was pretty ridiculous. The Lakers were hitting their shots -- but, aside from a couple crazy plays by Kobe, they were wide open. The Mavs just stopped playing defense. And, so many of their points earlier in the game having come off of missed shots on the other end, their offense dried up at the same time.
posted by ajax at 10:29 PM on December 07, 2002
This was one of those games where I turned on the radio just before the choke happened. I was very excited to hear about the Mavs' big lead at the end of the 3rd, listened to the 4th quarter and just about screamed. Don Nelson should have taken a time-out when the lead got down to about 12 or so. But he tends to be pretty stingy with the TO's, so he didn't. Damn, Damn, Damn.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:02 AM on December 09, 2002
I fell asleep when the Mavs were up by 28 and woke up to hear ESPN commentators talking about one of the greatest comebacks ever. Talk about a nightmare.
posted by jmevius at 11:49 AM on January 09, 2003
Grr. And here I was hoping this might finally be the year that the Lakers fall off the radar. Perhaps not.