Mavs 124, NY 114: No Joke -- No Choke!

   I have long theorized that there is no such thing as “choking.’’ It became one of my go-to bits back in my daily-radio days (much to the irritation of my boys Norm, Wally and Leon). But it wasn’t shtick. The Bills didn’t “choke’’ away Super Bowls, Greg Norman didn’t “choke’’ in golf tournaments and the Cubs didn’t “choke’’ away playoff chances. Rather, I argued, the Bills, the Shark and the Cubs were simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

   These Dallas Mavericks, though. … they possess a very persuasive power. They’ve spent three weeks convincing me that they are something different than “inadequate.’’ Because I don’t believe they are “inadequate’’ or “bad’’ or that they “suck.’’

   Their persuasive power was causing me to reconsider, to wonder if they are “choking.’’ And their bizzarro-world skills have pushed me to contemplate the existence of “choking’’ – EVEN AFTER THEY WIN.

   Meanwhile, Dallas scored the last seven points in regulation – storming back from being seven down -- and then scored the first eight points in overtime. Instead of the game’s big streak belonging to the other guy, Dallas survived NY’s and rebounded with a 19-2 run to close the game.

   Dirk Nowitzki was pivotal, with 24 points in the first half and 39 points total.

   "I was forcing him to shoot tough, 17-foot fadeaways off one leg at seven-feet tall, but they went down," said the Knicks’ scrappy David Lee said. "That's why he is an All-Star."

   The UberMan had help, of course. Jason Terry scored 16 of his 20 after intermission. Josh Howard was good for 31 and 14. Brandon Bass bulled his way to 12 points. And The James Singleton Era was a surprise hit. Singleton, the international journeyman who has been a roster afterthought up until now, was the first man off the bench when coach Rick Carlisle realized his centers weren’t going to be able to stick with NY’s Zach Randolph. Randolph ended up getting his – 27 points and 18 rebounds – but it would’ve been much, much worse had the 6-9 Singleton not chased him about, and offset Zach’s success with his own 12-point/10-rebound effort.

   As we have chronicled at DallasBasketball in great detail, the Mavs have a nasty habit of giving up fourth-quarter runs. They’ve done it with such unbending consistency that one starts to wonder about this team mentally. … you know. … choking. It happened again to start the fourth quarter here. And Jason Kidd even conceded that after a few consecutive Dallas errors. …

“I think, in the past,’’J-Kidd said, “we might have folded up the tent.’’

  Whaaaaaaat?

  That is pretty much the first public admission anybody inside the organization has ever made that suggests the Mavs have a mental handicap that must be overcome. Fans and the media talk about it – a hangover from Miami and/or Golden State, Been-There/Done-That Syndrome, MavVirus, whatever we have chosen to call it – but there’s Kidd, coming right out and saying it.

  “We might have folded up the tent.’’

   Isn’t that what “choking’’ is?

   Instead – under the pressure of what owner Mark Cuban said was a playoff-like situation – the Mavs eventually thrived. Dallas got fine play from its stars, pushed the right buttons with its bench, made clutch shots and tossed a late-game shutout. ... much like seven of the previous nine opponents had done to them.

   The trip to New York did not come and go without intrigue. From Mavs owner Mark Cuban’s Marbury-friendly exchanges with the media to Jerry Stackhouse being in street clothes, Sunday included an assortment of head-scratchers.

   Dallas isn’t out of trouble yet; it is a bit humbling for the end of a five-game losing streak, for a 3-7 record, to be cause for celebration. But at least maybe a few heads are getting screwed on more tightly, at least the confidence may be bubbling, at least the stench of the choke – if there is such a thing – may be fading.

   Telling line from my man Mark Followill on the telecast. In the late-going, Mark says, with equal parts excitement and caution, “It look like this may be the long-awaited breakthrough!’’

  At the time, Dallas was up 10 with just 59 seconds left. And we were all still wise to be cautious about being excited.

828am nov 17 2008