FIBA Basketball
USA - Terry lifts Mavs in Game One triumph
DALLAS (NBA) - Jason Terry scored 32 points to cover for his cold-shooting team-mates and the Mavericks allowed just 12 points in the fourth quarter and made a smashing NBA Finals debut with a 90-80 victory over the Miami Heat.The Mavericks overcame poor performances by star forwards Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard, who were unable to heat up despite triple-digit temperatures outside the American Airlines Center. They shackled Shaquille O'Neal and deterred Dwyane Wade just enough to get Game One
Play-offs results
DALLAS (NBA) - Jason Terry scored 32 points to cover for his cold-shooting team-mates and the Mavericks allowed just 12 points in the fourth quarter and made a smashing NBA Finals debut with a 90-80 victory over the Miami Heat.
The Mavericks overcame poor performances by star forwards Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard, who were unable to heat up despite triple-digit temperatures outside the American Airlines Center. They shackled Shaquille O'Neal and deterred Dwyane Wade just enough to get Game One.
Regaining the touch that disappeared during the Western Conference finals, Terry made 13 of 18 shots, including four of seven from the arc. He completely rescued the Mavericks in the first half, when he scored 20 points to help erase an 11-point deficit.
"We saw the real Jason Terry and we need this Jason Terry," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. "This Jason Terry makes us a pretty special basketball team."
After not taking a shot in the third quarter, Terry provided the separation the Mavericks needed by scoring eight straight points in a span of 77 seconds. His jumper and consecutive three-pointers gave Dallas its largest lead at 82-72 with 7:54 to play.
"For my team to be successful, I have to be out there in attack mode at all times and that's what I was able to do tonight," Terry said.
But it was a shot Terry should have made moments later that created some anxious moments. He made a steal and coasted in for a breakaway layup - that he somehow left short.
Two dunks by O'Neal, a layup by Antoine Walker and a free throw by Wade had the Heat within one possession at 82-79. But Walker missed a potential tying three-pointer with 3:37 left, and Miami's offense evaporated.
Terry added two free throws in a closing 8-1 surge by Dallas, which won despite receiving zero points from Nowitzki and Howard in the fourth quarter. Miami made five of 20 shots with four turnovers in the final period.
Nowitzki, who will be the centerpiece of Germany's national team and at the FIBA World Championship in Japan this August, scored 16 points on four of 14 shooting.
"You always are going to have an off night," he said.
"You have to give the defense credit, I thought they tried to push up on me, tried to deny me in the post and tried to get the ball out of my hands some, and when I put the ball on the floor, somebody was running either from my blind side behind or in the front, just making me pass off the dribble.
"Still, I had some good looks I thought early on in the first three or four shots, looked pretty good, and just never really found my rhythm."
Howard managed 10 on of 14 shots, committing five turnovers. Neither forward ever really got his game going.
"Me and Josh couldn't really get anything going," Nowitzki said. "They played us tough, they contested our shots and if you would have told me Josh and myself would go seven of 28 and we win this game, I wouldn't have believed it."
O'Neal never got going, either. The three-time Finals MVP scored 17 points but took just 11 shots as his team-mates inexplicably went away from him. He became a passer when double-teamed by the Mavericks also didn't help himself by missing his first eight free throws until finally making one in the last minute.
"Throughout my career, I know that if I want my team to win a championship, I have to step up to the line and hit them, and I will," O'Neal said. "Probably just thinking about them a little too much."
"We know we have to get the ball to Shaq more," said Wade, who is in Team USA's 23-man preliminary squad for the FIBA World Championship.
Game Two is Sunday in Dallas. The Mavericks are 7-2 at home in the post-season.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 13 points off the bench for the Mavericks, who won despite being outrebounded for the first time in the post-season. Dallas were beaten on the boards, 45-43, ending their record streak of 17 straight play-off games with better board scores.
"It's been the first time in a long time that we've lost the rebound game, so we're going to have to be stronger and tougher on the boards as a team," Johnson said.
Wade scored 28 points but needed 25 shots. Walker added 17 points for the Heat, who got two points from their bench.
The first fourth seed to reach the Finals, Dallas appeared to have the early jitters while Miami was able to run their offense.
In an attempt to slow down Wade, Johnson started Adrian Griffin, who had no impact.
Wade had four driving layups in the first six minutes, then added two jumpers as if to prove to the Mavericks he could make an outside shot.
Nowitzki's woeful first half included throwing away an inbounds pass that Walker turned into a three-pointer just before the first-quarter buzzer for a 31-23 lead. He drained another to open the second quarter, giving Miami their largest lead.
With Nowitzki harassed by Haslem and Howard struggling, Terry rallied the Mavericks, who began to creep back when Wade sat down. Terry - who was nine of 11 from the field - had a runner, a jumper and a fast-break layup to tie the game before Nowitzki sank a fadeaway for a 46-44 half-time lead.
After making just two baskets in the first half, Nowitzki made two three-pointers in a 62-second span to give Dallas a 64-59 advantage with 4:12 left in the third quarter.
A pair of dunks by Wade closed it to 70-68 entering the final period.
By PA Sport
DALLAS (NBA) - Jason Terry scored 32 points to cover for his cold-shooting team-mates and the Mavericks allowed just 12 points in the fourth quarter and made a smashing NBA Finals debut with a 90-80 victory over the Miami Heat.
The Mavericks overcame poor performances by star forwards Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard, who were unable to heat up despite triple-digit temperatures outside the American Airlines Center. They shackled Shaquille O'Neal and deterred Dwyane Wade just enough to get Game One.
Regaining the touch that disappeared during the Western Conference finals, Terry made 13 of 18 shots, including four of seven from the arc. He completely rescued the Mavericks in the first half, when he scored 20 points to help erase an 11-point deficit.
"We saw the real Jason Terry and we need this Jason Terry," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. "This Jason Terry makes us a pretty special basketball team."
After not taking a shot in the third quarter, Terry provided the separation the Mavericks needed by scoring eight straight points in a span of 77 seconds. His jumper and consecutive three-pointers gave Dallas its largest lead at 82-72 with 7:54 to play.
"For my team to be successful, I have to be out there in attack mode at all times and that's what I was able to do tonight," Terry said.
But it was a shot Terry should have made moments later that created some anxious moments. He made a steal and coasted in for a breakaway layup - that he somehow left short.
Two dunks by O'Neal, a layup by Antoine Walker and a free throw by Wade had the Heat within one possession at 82-79. But Walker missed a potential tying three-pointer with 3:37 left, and Miami's offense evaporated.
Terry added two free throws in a closing 8-1 surge by Dallas, which won despite receiving zero points from Nowitzki and Howard in the fourth quarter. Miami made five of 20 shots with four turnovers in the final period.
Nowitzki, who will be the centerpiece of Germany's national team and at the FIBA World Championship in Japan this August, scored 16 points on four of 14 shooting.
"You always are going to have an off night," he said.
"You have to give the defense credit, I thought they tried to push up on me, tried to deny me in the post and tried to get the ball out of my hands some, and when I put the ball on the floor, somebody was running either from my blind side behind or in the front, just making me pass off the dribble.
"Still, I had some good looks I thought early on in the first three or four shots, looked pretty good, and just never really found my rhythm."
Howard managed 10 on of 14 shots, committing five turnovers. Neither forward ever really got his game going.
"Me and Josh couldn't really get anything going," Nowitzki said. "They played us tough, they contested our shots and if you would have told me Josh and myself would go seven of 28 and we win this game, I wouldn't have believed it."
O'Neal never got going, either. The three-time Finals MVP scored 17 points but took just 11 shots as his team-mates inexplicably went away from him. He became a passer when double-teamed by the Mavericks also didn't help himself by missing his first eight free throws until finally making one in the last minute.
"Throughout my career, I know that if I want my team to win a championship, I have to step up to the line and hit them, and I will," O'Neal said. "Probably just thinking about them a little too much."
"We know we have to get the ball to Shaq more," said Wade, who is in Team USA's 23-man preliminary squad for the FIBA World Championship.
Game Two is Sunday in Dallas. The Mavericks are 7-2 at home in the post-season.
Jerry Stackhouse scored 13 points off the bench for the Mavericks, who won despite being outrebounded for the first time in the post-season. Dallas were beaten on the boards, 45-43, ending their record streak of 17 straight play-off games with better board scores.
"It's been the first time in a long time that we've lost the rebound game, so we're going to have to be stronger and tougher on the boards as a team," Johnson said.
Wade scored 28 points but needed 25 shots. Walker added 17 points for the Heat, who got two points from their bench.
The first fourth seed to reach the Finals, Dallas appeared to have the early jitters while Miami was able to run their offense.
In an attempt to slow down Wade, Johnson started Adrian Griffin, who had no impact.
Wade had four driving layups in the first six minutes, then added two jumpers as if to prove to the Mavericks he could make an outside shot.
Nowitzki's woeful first half included throwing away an inbounds pass that Walker turned into a three-pointer just before the first-quarter buzzer for a 31-23 lead. He drained another to open the second quarter, giving Miami their largest lead.
With Nowitzki harassed by Haslem and Howard struggling, Terry rallied the Mavericks, who began to creep back when Wade sat down. Terry - who was nine of 11 from the field - had a runner, a jumper and a fast-break layup to tie the game before Nowitzki sank a fadeaway for a 46-44 half-time lead.
After making just two baskets in the first half, Nowitzki made two three-pointers in a 62-second span to give Dallas a 64-59 advantage with 4:12 left in the third quarter.
A pair of dunks by Wade closed it to 70-68 entering the final period.
By PA Sport