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Posted on Mon, Apr. 28, 2008

Mavericks refuse to play game so necessary to winning

By RANDY GALLOWAY

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- Summer is coming for the Mavericks, coming in a hurry. Like probably within 48 hours.

On the bright side, this early end to the season will mean extra days, weeks and months to work on those beloved jump shots. It was obvious once again Sunday night -- this is a team that needs plenty of perimeter practice.

Meanwhile, Josh Howard can also relax with his smoke of choice -- his radio words last week.

And then there's Avery Johnson, the head coach who almost certainly won't be by next weekend, barring some kind of miracle revival by his team. Big changes are on the way for the Cubans, changes that guarantee nothing, except the Mavs we once knew will be no more.

So much went wrong for the Mavericks in a pivotal Game 4 Sunday night, it's difficult to pinpoint the blame in what was a 97-84 blowout win by the New Orleans Hornets.

But one thing is certain. The Hornets were much the better team in this one, the third time in four games that's been the case. And there's no reason that trend figures to change in an elimination Game 5 on Tuesday night back down south.

In dealing, however, with strictly the facts from Game 4, this we know:

The Hornets don't need Chris Paul to be all-world, not when it comes to beating the Mavs, or even when it comes to doing so under blowout conditions.

Shock me, shock Avery, that Paul could have a docile evening (16 points) and the Hornets still breezed.

It's amazing -- and it's mandatory to also say gutless -- the way the Mavericks can suddenly shrink in heart and in other vital man parts when it comes to the No. 1 rule of playoff basketball:

Either go to the paint or go home.

The Mavericks had that paint payoff with a strong first quarter (14 points inside) and appeared to be picking up right where they left off in the aggressive Game 3 victory Friday night.

But ...

Here came the Js in the second quarter. Jump-jump-jump shots galore. Credit some of this foolishness to the Hornets defensive intensity after trailing by seven points after the first quarter.

Mainly, however, it was a lack of desire to drive the hole by a team that repeatedly over the last three seasons has displayed that same terrible tendency.

Get this:

From late in the first quarter, to near the halfway point in the third, the Mavs did NOT shoot a free throw. Zero, nada, zip. That AWOL stretch at the line went 22 un-bleeping-believable minutes.

If you don't have the desire to drive the hole, then you won't be going to the line. It's an indictment, however, that is ongoing with this group of players.

"We went back to our old habits of not being consistent penetrators," a sad Avery said.

And it's also a team going back to its old habits of getting bounced out of the playoffs at the least likely times, although if it's any consolation, the Hornets winning this series would not be an upset.

Avery went to his bench early in the second quarter, holding the lead at the time. That bench burned him, save for Brandon Bass, who once again had no quit.

The need for Jason Terry to start, and it's a legitimate need, leaves the bench void of scorers. Jerry Stackhouse hasn't been the same since returning from injury, and wasn't right again on Sunday night.

Strangely, an arena crowd that was high-voltage with noise early in the game, was more than kind to a collapsing home team in the second half.

The only boos that rained down from the rafters were aimed at a couple of missed jumpers by Howard. Certainly, Josh is a miserable story these days. The stupidity of his Friday radio comments are compounded by a jump shot, or even a layup, that simply doesn't fall.

Howard went a pathetic 3-for-16 in Game 4. Over four games, he's now 15-for-58.

If there was any hope of trading Howard in the off-season, well ...

OK, forget that.

Josh basically killed his trade value by stupidly admitting he smoked the illegal weed. But 15-for-58 is the final dagger on any deal.

Dirk Nowitzki had his first playoff misery of the spring, but even so there were 22 points and 13 boards. There was effort, as always, but also no chance to save his team.

Beyond Dirk and Jason Terry, with a combined 42 points, the only other quality minutes came from Bass.

Jason Kidd? His best moment in an awful evening was getting thrown out in the fourth quarter for an unnecessary head shot on a driving Jannero Pargo. It's almost a certainty Kidd will not be in uniform for Game 5, once the league office takes a look at that scene.

Season over on Tuesday night, and the long summer of change will begin.

Randy Galloway can be heard on Galloway & Co. weekdays 3-6 p.m. on ESPN/103.3 FM.