by Gareth Bossard
The NBA playoffs have gotten off to an unusual start due to the Golden State Warriors three to two lead over the dominant Dallas Mavericks. Dallas finished with the best record in the NBA this season – 67 wins and 15 loses – whileGolden
State barely made it over .500. The Mavericks are desperately looking for answers in order to avoid being looked at as the duds of the NBA.
Baron Davis, standout guard for the Warriors, has been making his opponents look foolish. Dribble penetration into the lane is coming at will and if Davis is stopped, which usually does not happen, the rest of the team is wide open and has been knocking down shot after shot.
In game four, Baron seemed to be looking to demoralize the entire Maverick team with his hard nose play. At half time, he knocked down a half court shot to tie the game and gave the Warriors the momentum leading into the second half. If that was not enough, to end the third quarter,
Davis picked off a pass and dribbled the length of the court for a two handed slam.
This series is not all about Baron Davis however. He is looking for his teammates and they have played a crucial role in their success as well. The Dallas Mavericks have helped the Warriors with their soft and lackadaisical play. Failure to box out has lead to numerous second chance points, and lack of defense has hurt too.
As the series heads back to Dallas, the Mavericks are hoping to take advantage of their home arena. Home court advantage will help, but the Mavericks will need a 180 degree turn if they want to overcome the scrappy, and now, confident Golden State Warriors.
