Mavs topple Seattle, roll into playoffs
DALLAS – In last year’s playoffs, Marquis Daniels was a rookie starter for the Dallas Mavericks. Going into this postseason, he’s nearly at the end of the bench.
Daniels reminded new coach Avery Johnson to keep him in mind for the playoff rotation by scoring nine points and handing out a season-best nine assists, sparking Dallas past the Seattle SuperSonics 101-96 Tuesday night. It was a milestone-filled home finale that was almost ruined by a third-quarter collapse.
After letting a 21-point lead turn into a one-point deficit in about an 8-minute span during the third quarter, Daniels and Shawn Bradley helped the Mavs recover to win their eighth straight game and 15th of 17 since Johnson replaced Don Nelson as coach last month.
The win was their 57th, tying the second-best total in team history, and it gave them a nine-game home winning streak heading take into the playoffs. The Mavericks will open the postseason on Saturday at home against Houston.
Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 21 points, giving him a career-best 2,016 for the season.
With starting point guard Jason Terry getting the night off to rest, Daniels had more chances to run the offense and responded with what Johnson called “a huge effort.” As a team, Dallas tied its season-best with 32 assists.
“I’m just trying to be ready whenever,” said Daniels, lost in the shuffle at point guard behind Terry and rookie Devin Harris and left out at the two swing spots because of Michael Finley, Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse and Keith Van Horn.
“You always want to play more, but we’re winning. I just want to keep helping the team.”
Asked if he were going to remind Johnson about his performance in last year’s playoffs, when the coach wasn’t with the club, Daniels smiled and said, “I think they’ve got film in there.”
Bradley has also made a bid for postseason minutes lately and he may be needed against 7-foot-5 Yao Ming. Against Seattle’s much smaller frontline, Bradley made his first five shots, including a hook that restored Dallas’ lead. He finished with 12 points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes.
Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis each had 21 points for Seattle, most coming during a 14-0 run midway through the wild third quarter.
Luke Ridnour scored all 15 of his points in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Sonics from taking a 4-9 skid into their finale in Houston tonight. They’ll open the playoffs Saturday night at home against Sacramento.
Seattle came in having won two straight, and they were important ones – clinching the Northwest Division title, then home-court advantage in the first round.
Some bad information had players thinking they might have an easy shot at three in a row.
“We had heard they weren’t going to play their big guys,” center Jerome James said, “but Avery Johnson did just the opposite.”
Seattle coach Nate McMillan said there was another misunderstanding.
“I didn’t say to take the night off. I said I was going to cut some guys’ minutes,” he said.
The Sonics trailed 47-27 before halftime and were down 53-32 early in the third quarter. Then Lewis and Allen got rolling, getting Seattle within four.
After trading baskets, the Sonics went ahead 64-63 on a steal and a layup by Reggie Evans. It was short-lived, though, as Bradley immediately answered then Daniels made a short jumper in transition.
Seattle was within one again until Harris made a 3 at the third-quarter buzzer.