Bella's quirky musings - Playoff version vs. Dallas Game 3

THE BIG THREE... they make me so happy!
via www.slamonline.com

OK, it's been a while since I posted a quirky musings post.   Reading that old post reminds me that some of you have not yet scheduled an appointment to absolve yourselves of the sin of doubting the Sickness.  I would hate for someone to have that huge sin sitting on your shoulder.... especially during the playoffs.  So make haste, peeps!

I watched the game live and then viewed the game again on Saturday.  I had the pleasure of hearing Sean & Bill's show on Fox Sports Net Southwest and they crack me up.  Anyway, here are my thoughts about Game 3 versus the Dallas Mavericks:  (Check it out Sleep... I even used the dreaded letter D).   ;)

• I know I mentioned this on the game thread, but I believe it bears repeating.  After the National Anthem was completed each player does their little ritual thing.  Manu & Tim both like to shoot a quick basket before they move over to the bench.  Right after Tim hit his shot, DeJuan Blair did something that I noticed at this game.  He jumped on Timmy's back.  Not once, but twice.  Very playful... very team togetherness... very we are family.  Also Very Wrong.  What the hell, DeJuan?  Do me a favor.  OK?  PLEASE. DON'T. JUMP. ON THE FRANCHISE'S BACK.  PLEASE.  Holy hell!  If I needed a rapid spike of the heart rate to begin the game, I would have gone over and read Mavsmoneyball.  (BTW- Don't do it... their comments will more than likely leave you with a sour stomach.  Apparently their ownership has changed... and you can tell.  Bleh).
• The crowd was very loud from the get go.  It's not the loudest I've ever heard at the AT&T Center, but it was pretty impressive.  Especially for a first round match up.  But obviously, this is no ordinary first round playoff series.  (The loudest crowd I remember, had to be the Game 7 2005 Championship Series... listening to that crowd was a thing of beauty).  Our fans were very into the game until we had our little detour in the 3rd/4th quarter.  Things got a little bit quiet right around that time.  Everyone was nervous and worried, but everyone regrouped and things were rowdy again towards the end.  We need this same kind of energy today.  Even from the charter club (lower) level.  Yes, they paid for their tickets and have the right to do whatever they want.  But this is a playoff basketball game.  Cheer for your damn team!
• The opening musical / introduction sequence was good.  Not great, but I'll take it over what we had for the majority of the season.  I didn't recognize the music, but it had a good beat and it was easy to dance to... at least that's probably what Dick Clark would say.  I wish the actual sequence was a little longer and in past years they used to showcase highlights of the last game.  That would have been great... but truly those are trivial items.  Overall it worked.
• Le larme is back.  TONI, TONE', TONY!  (I can't remember who used to use that on the site, but I remembered that saying yesterday during the game).  So Toni, Tonee, Tony!  it is.  I loved Tony's game on Friday... he was hustling and playing D, he was energetic and running back and forth between defenders.  He was the Tony from 2007 and at one point I said "I love Tony Parker".  My sister was sure to repeat that little incident to the number one Tony Parker Fan in the family... my mother.  He was magnifique!  And we'll just leave it that. 
• Except for this...  At one point after Tony hit a huge shot in the Fourth quarter everyone was high fiving and chest bumping and all that stuff.  Tony was so excited he goes to high five Coach Budenholzer and accidentally slapped him in the face.  It was funny and great all at the same time.
• OK, Ok, One more last thing about Tony or rather his mom.  She was sitting in the front row and after Tony hit the layup dagger, she was like all Mom's in the world.  She was leaning forward in her seat to watch the play and once he hit the shot she placed her hands across her heart and fell backwards as if to say thank goodness.  It was a very sweet moment that was captured by the folks at FSN.  
• During a TNT time out, the audience participated in a lively rendition of Shout.  Up on the big screen was Otis Day & the Nights from the Animal House film.  You rarely ever view/hear an entire song at a game because the time outs are so short.  However, this was a nationally televised game, so everyone was up on their feet singing the entire song.  "A little bit softer now... a little bit softer now.... a little bit louder now... a little bit louder now... Hey-aah, aah, aah! 
• The Sean Elliottisms.  He cracks me up.  Calling Barea the pest, a mosquito... the termite.  When Manu kept going to the sidelines to repack his nose with gauze... "He's got a couple of pillows in there right now". And late in the fourth quarter... "Damp literally can't guard Manu in a phone booth".
• I love that the organization called up Gee & Jerrells.  All the young guys on the bench seemed really involved and intent on learning.  It seemed all of them realized what an invaluable experience this was and were trying to soak it all in.  Kudos to the team for trying to teach the young guns, even if their talents may take them elsewhere.  
• McDyess, McDyess, OMG, McDyess.  How lucky are we to have this man on our team?  His experience and basketball IQ just add so much to our team.  Dyess is a man.
• Bonner taking a charge from Dirk in the 4th quarter... classic.  His hard work and perseverance apparently made an impression with the refs.  I like.
• Pop going Serbian on everybody... Tony, George & Manu.  
• Tim getting fouled hard by Jason Terry and then refusing his help to get up.  I love that attitude... like I'm not taking the hand of a cheap shot artist.
• Timmy D taking the lead in a huddle and Pop just listening.
• Coach Bud being more involved than ever before.  I turned to a friend and said "Coach Pop didn't get tossed again did he"?  No, he was sitting on the bench, while Coach Bud was up yelling instructions.  
• Yelling "Hey Damp, he likes to go left" after he gets burned twice by the Sickness. And then someone else saying "Hey Haywood, he likes to go left, except when he goes right" after Haywood got burned.  That made me happy.
• When Manu came back to the bench after his injury, Coach Pop had a lengthy conversation with him.  Pop had his back to the camera and Manu was listening.  I wish I knew what Pop said.  It appeared that Manu said something like "I can play or I could play".  It didn't appear to be a statement... it looked like he was asking a question.  Wow...
• Did anyone else notice the huge red finger marks on Manu's right shoulder after he came back from the locker room?  In my fanciful mind, I'm thinking it's like a Rocky moment.  Someone trying to hold down the Manu while he says... Cut me, Mick... Cut me.  :)  Anyone?  Yeah... probably just me...
• That cheap shot by Beaubois at the end of the game.  So bush league.  Really... you felt you had to hit the nose of the God?  You should be kissing it.  Bow down and kiss it.  Bastard.  (We can still use bastard on this site... can't we?) ;)
• During the 4th quarter about to have a heart attack and I'm getting texts from Sima, Mrs. Bones, my sister and my Houston Rockets pal... it all helped me to stay sane and breathing somewhat normally.  Thanks to my texting peeps... ya'll rock!
• High fiving strangers at the end of the game... that's always fun. 
• Maybe it was because of the weekend or Fiesta or too much alcohol, but alot of the Mavs fans were especially jerkish.  I heard more smack talk around me than at any time before.  And this was after they'd lost.  Dude's, I'm glad you support your team, but don't be an ass.  Especially when you're a visitor.  Cheeze Whiz!
• In the end this win was a testament to a total team effort and hustle and experience.  And it was all exemplified in a wonderful play in the 4th quarter.  Manu to Timmy to Tony.  It was the Big 3, plus great efforts from Dice and Bonner and Georgie and RJ and and and.  Our defense was back and everyone was rotating and helping.  Everyone was moving quickly and making smart decisions especially when it counted... in the 4th.  If we play like this today... I like our chances!