Dirk blasts Lakers again, sends Mavs to 2-0 lead

By GREG BEACHAM

LOS ANGELES (AP) Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks let loose with a few primal howls as they left the court, cutting through the scattered boos and gloomy silence at Staples Center.

After back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks are headed home with something coach Rick Carlisle insists they expected.

These longtime playoff disappointments have a golden opportunity to knock out the two-time defending champions.

Nowitzki scored 24 points, Shawn Marion added 14 and the Mavericks stunned the erratic Lakers 93-81 in Game 2 on Wednesday night, taking a 2-0 second-round lead with consecutive road wins.

Jason Kidd scored 10 points for the Mavericks, who pushed the Lakers halfway to playoff elimination with Nowitzki's stellar shooting, another steady defensive performance, and a decisive 9-0 fourth-quarter rally. Dallas did nothing spectacularly well, yet was significantly better than the cold-shooting Lakers on both ends.

"We came to compete, and we came to make something happen here," Marion said. "We made our presence felt on both ends of the floor tonight. We did a good job of handling their pressure and just going out there and doing what we've been doing all postseason, just playing good defense and just playing our style of play."

Kobe Bryant scored 23 points for the Lakers, who hadn't lost the first two games of a playoff series since the 2008 NBA finals - also the last series they lost. Only three NBA teams have come back to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first two at home, where dismayed fans sent the Lakers off with boos and jeers.

"We came here to win two games," Carlisle said. "We're going to need every gun blazing and throw the kitchen sink at these guys when they come to our place."

Game 3 is Friday night in Dallas.

Los Angeles missed its first 15 3-point attempts in Game 2, only avoiding its first playoff game without a 3-pointer since May 8, 2001, on Bryant's 3-pointer with 2:43 left. Los Angeles finished 2 for 20 on 3-pointers, but the Lakers also appeared simply exhausted during long stretches of their 75th playoff game in the last four seasons.

"I saw guys tired out there, but I don't think it's contagious from two years ago or three years," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Really poor second half on our part tonight. Just really a rugged third quarter for our team, had a hard time getting going."

Los Angeles also could be short-handed in Dallas: Ron Artest was ejected with 24.4 seconds left for apparently clotheslining Dallas guard Jose Barea, possibly leading to a suspension. Even Jackson conceded "there's a good chance" he won't have Artest on Friday.

"It's not a basketball play, so we'll see what happens," Barea said.

After years of playoff underachievement during owner Mark Cuban's tenure, the Mavericks certainly appear primed to change their reputation.

Dallas, which won just one playoff series in the past four years before this spring, was more aggressive and inventive than the champs, maintaining a steady lead before breaking it open with nine straight points down the stretch in the rally led by Barea, who highlighted it with an impressive short shot directly over Andrew Bynum. Barea had 12 points and four assists.

Cuban led the cheers behind Dallas' bench as the Mavs pulled away in the fourth quarter. Not even Bryant could save the Lakers, going scoreless in the fourth until hitting two free throws with 3:11 to play.

Bynum had 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, who haven't been able to control the paint with their usual vehemence against the Mavericks' three 7-footers. Pau Gasol had 13 points and 10 rebounds, but appeared tentative for long stretches while struggling to contain Nowitzki.

The Mavericks protected the rim and largely controlled the tempo, using their advantages in depth and athleticism to limit the Lakers' offense. Dallas took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter and stretched it to 10 moments later before coasting home with little opposition from the Lakers, who went 7 for 20 in the final period.

Gasol's struggles have been the Lakers' biggest mystery of the postseason. The Spanish All-Star 7-footer barely contributed to Los Angeles' tough six-game victory over New Orleans in the first round, and he came back from a quiet opener against Dallas with another mediocre game, getting booed several times by the home crowd.

"He was one of the guys that looked tired out there," Jackson said.

Dallas rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half to win Game 1, finishing on a 9-2 run capped by four last-minute points from Nowitzki, who seems determined to erase memories of the Mavericks' past playoff failures on big stages. Nowitzki had 28 points and 14 rebounds in Game 1, including the go-ahead free throws.

Nowitzki came out firing again in Game 2, scoring 15 points in the first half with the 7-footer's usual array of impossible-to-block fallaway jumpers. Dallas took an eight-point lead in the second quarter, but Los Angeles made a 10-0 run catalyzed by Bryant before the Mavericks took a 51-49 halftime lead on another Nowitzki jumper.

The Lakers ran several defenders at Nowitzki, using Gasol and Lamar Odom before trying Artest in the second quarter. Artest gives up 5 inches to Nowitzki, who seemed to have little trouble in the matchup.

NOTES: Bryant has 5,246 career playoff points to 5,248 for Shaquille O'Neal, in fourth place on the NBA's career playoff scoring list. The former Lakers superstar is injured and sitting for the Boston Celtics this spring. ... Dallas is the most recent NBA team to win a series after losing the first two games at home, doing it in 2005. ... Fans near courtside included Larry David, directors McG and Brett Ratner, Bridget Moynahan, Eliza Dushku, George Lopez, Dax Shepard, Anthony Anderson, Holly Robinson Peete and Jaime Murray.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

POSTGAME QUOTES

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on the game tonight:
"It was a poor second half on our part tonight; I thought we played pretty good the first half. We took the lead at the end of the half, and it was just a rugged third quarter for our team and we had a hard time getting going¡­In the fourth quarter we got really de-spirited. Didn't cover some of the screen rolls we had to cover. We have to get back and do a better job."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on if the problem is the defense the Dallas Mavericks are presenting:
"We're not really that concerned. Offensively we're okay¡­We're concerned about our defensive end. We believe defense was our problem tonight."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson in if he is worried about his team:
"Well obviously down 2-0 you have to be worried about staying in this series and making it a run; settle down and get one game, start with the first game and go from there. That's what you do."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on how surprised he is to hear the Boo's from the crowd tonight on Pau Gasol:
"I was kind of surprised about that. But it's tough out there. He missed some foul shots, we missed foul shots as a team¡­he missed open shots; he missed a lay-up that was blocked at the rim because he didn't dunk it. There are some things that obviously didn't look good out there for Pau [Gasol], but he worked, he worked. He was one of the kids that looked tired tonight."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers poise tonight:
"I thought they got anxious with about six and half, seven minutes to go and I wanted to calm them down a little bit and tell them it's a 10 point game with 6 minutes to go, it's not that big a deal. We ended up scoring as many field goals as Dallas, but obviously the missed free throws and three-point shots¡­that changes the game a lot."

Lakers' Kobe Bryant on the difficulty of three-peating
"No, it's hard but you couldn't possibly expect this to be easy. If you want to make history you have to do historic things."

Lakers' Kobe Bryant on if the team is desperate:
"Desperate is a strong word. I think, when you play desperate you don't play your best basketball. What we need to do is relax, we need to focus on what we're doing wrong, and the mistakes that we're making, and we have plenty to review. [We need to] lock in on that and go into Game 3 and minimize those mistakes. You know, playing calm basketball but with a relentless energy. And I think if we do that we'll be fine."

Lakers' Kobe Bryant on heading on the road to Dallas:
"To me it's no different. We're not very good at home the last two games so going to Dallas might do us some damn good."

Lakers' Kobe Bryant on the Lakers bench play:
"It's important. It doesn't hurt. We have bigger things to correct besides the play of our bench. We have to do a much better job of getting into a rhythm on the defensive end of the floor."

Lakers' Kobe Bryant on Andrew Bynum saying the Lakers have trust issues:
"I think the trust that he's referring to is being able to help each other on the defensive end of the floor. You saw a lot of lay-ups. He gets frustrated when he supports a guard coming off the screen and roll and nobody supports him when a big's rolling to the basket¡­"

Lakers' Pau Gasol on the team's trust issues:
"We've got to communicate and trust each other. And pick each other up. There's breakdowns, defensive breakdowns, especially with a team that executes as well as Dallas does. So, we've just got to talk and support each other, and understand that mistakes happen. We just can't hang our heads just because of it. We've got to create that energy and just be positive because that's going to carry you down to the other end and be more confident on the other end."

Lakers' Andrew Bynum on if he's surprised they lost the first 2 games at home:
"I was surprised we lost the first game, but this game they just beat us."

Lakers' Andrew Bynum on what has been wrong the last two games:
"I don't even know the root of it at this point. Obviously we have trust issues and unless we come out and discuss them nothing's going to change."

Lakers' Andrew Bynum on what the trust issues are:
"Individual. I think all thirteen of our guys have trust issues right now."

Lakers' Andrew Bynum on examples of the team's trust issues:
" I mean I think it's quite obvious to anybody watching the game. Hesitation on passes, defensively not being there for your teammate because he wasn't there for you before. Stuff like that, those things."

Lakers' Andrew Bynum on his confidence in winning in Dallas:
"I mean, we can win anywhere. We've just got to bring it out. To be honest with you, like I said, if we go out and we practice hard tomorrow, we get to the root of what's really hurting us, and not candy coat things and talk around issues, then we'll be fine."

Lakers' Lamar Odom on what went wrong tonight:
"We lost. We lost our rhythm offensively. Defensively we didn't have a rhythm as well. Offensively not rebounding, not taking what they're giving us."

Lakers' Lamar Odom on defending Dirk Nowitzki:
"I mean, it's tough. He hits shots. There was a span in that game where he didn't shoot the ball as much, I think towards the end of the third, start of the fourth, and that was probably our chance to close in on the gap and we weren't able to."

Lakers' Lamar Odom on what happened tonight:
"They're team came out. I mean, they came back from 16, and today they won the game."

Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle on how big of a win this is for his team:
"It's one of sixteen [games] that we need and right now we have ten more wins to get to our goal. That's what we're focusing on. I thought our focus and concentration was terrific tonight, much better than game one and it had to be. They [Lakers] made some runs, we answered. We turned it over, we didn't lose our composure. Those kinds of things are the kinds of things you have to do to win."

Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle on the Lakers defense in comparison to their offense:
"We were able to get a lot of stops and that helps us get our offense going. Defensive rebounding is always going to help your offense¡­.when we get the ball up the floor and get moving it, we're tough to guard."

Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle on how difficult it was to guard Dirk Nowitzki
"Dirk's [Nowitzki] one of the hardest guys to guard in the history of basketball. It's not just tonight, it's every night; he's a game changer. He's our horse and we don't have a pecking order of scorers. For us, we may need to have six or seven guys with five or more points to be on target with where we need to be¡­"

Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle on holding the Lakers to 32 points in the second half and how their defense is working to hold the Lakers to that many points:
"For the most part we're at a stance, we're helping each other and we're scrambling. We need to have teams see a blue or white, depending on where we're playing. When we're scrambling and helping each other and have five guys in there getting rebounds we're a very good defensive team. Tonight was the kind of effort we have to have."

Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle on if he believes his team can sweep the Lakers:
"I believe that right now we're going to stay overnight here tonight, we will enjoy this moment for tonight and once 1 a.m. hits we're going to be focusing on game #3. The way you could be successful in this league is to always be focused and concentrating on the direct task at hand. Right now we have to get our minds geared towards the next game. But we're going to enjoy this briefly, but our work has just begun."

Mavs' forward Dirk Nowitzki on tonight's win:
"It was definitely a big win. We talked about Game One and didn't want to get too high on that win. But we definitely wanted to go for it tonight. We didn't a decent job early in the game taking their blow. We knew they were going to come out on fire. Kobe was playing well, they tried to establish Bynum and Gasol, but we kept plugging."

Mavs' forward Dirk Nowitzki on the Mavs defense and offense:
"To one of the most explosive teams, we gave up 33 points in the second half. That's obviously the key. I don't think we were particularly on fire. We shot only 42 percent¡­We just couldn't make a lot of shots. But defensively, we battled and tried to make it tough on Kobe and tried to keep a tight paint."

Mavs' forward Dirk Nowitzki on facing a hungry Lakers team in Game Three and sustaining their killer mindset:
"We have to [sustain a killer mindset]. We're a veteran team. We talked about it and this series is far from over. I've been around a long time. I've been up 2-0 before and ending up losing the series, and I've been down 2-0, lost both home games to Houston a couple years ago, and came back and won in Game Seven. So we've seen a lot of things happen in this league. We have to stay focused, stay together, let our home crowd ride us on Friday, and hopefully get another great win."

Mavs' forward Dirk Nowitzki on if he is at all surprised the beat the Lakers twice at STAPLES:
"If you would have told me before that we were going to win both games, it would have been hard to believe. But I think we earned it. We dodged a couple bullets in Game One. They had a big lead and let us back in. Kobe had a great look at a game-winner that he usually makes nine out of ten. And today, I thought we just went for it."

Mavs' forward Dirk Nowitzki on slowing down Pau Gasol:
"With Pau, I'm just trying to battle. He's so long in there. You have to attack him on the defensive end to try to take his legs away on the offensive end. I thought we did a good job battling their bigs."

Mavericks guard Jason Terry on his team's bench scoring:
"We're just very opportunistic. There's certain things that we like to do as a bench when we get the opportunity, and I think that we've been able to do that thus far. The key for us is can we maintain it.."

Mavericks center Tyson Chandler on his team's defensive intensity:
"We felt like we made a lot of mistakes defensively in the first game. After watching the tape, we gave them a lot of open shots, and we wanted to make the proper adjustments. We were able to pick up on things defensively, and offensively we changed some things around. But our main priority was our defense."

Mavericks center Tyson Chandler on winning the first two games of the series on the road:
"We knew this would be a tougher game. We felt like they were going to come out with a lot more energy, so we had to be prepared for that...I knew Kobe would come out very aggressive so these are things we prepared for. After we got Game 1, we looked at it like we've got to try to get another one then."

Mavericks forward Shawn Marion on his team's effort tonight:
"We came to compete, and we came and made something happen here. We made our presence felt on both ends of the floor tonight. And we did a good job of handling the pressure, and just going out there and just doing what we do."

Mavericks forward Shawn Marion on his team's defense:
"We were just being very active in there. I think it helped open up the game for us. I think we were able to limit them. In the first half we gave up a few offensive rebounds normally that we don't give up. At the same time, though, we were able to capitalize on things they did wrong, too. We were able to balance it out in the second half."

Mavericks guard Jason Kidd on his team's performance offensively and defensively:
"I think we kept our composure. We were patient, but playing defense is what's going to win games this time of the year. Right now that's been our focal point. We feel we're going to get good looks, it's just a matter of make or miss."

Mavericks guard Jason Kidd on his team keeping their focus:
"It's a 48 minute game. With the guys like Kobe and the players they have, they can score in a hurry. So for us, we were up 13 or 14 and we couldn't stop playing. We had to get stops, but on the other hand we had to keep trying to score the ball."

Mavericks guard J.J. Barea on the spark he provided for his team tonight:
"Oh yeah, I came out with a lot of energy that I knew we needed and we were up. We did a great job defensively all game. I think a little spark by me worked out in the win."

Mavericks guard J.J. Barea on his team not having a let down after a Game 1 win:
"No let down, that was awesome. First time all year I think. We've got to keep it up, though."

LAKERS VS. MAVERICKS GAME 2 PREVIEW

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP)¡ªKobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki were born just two months apart in 1978, and they've both been NBA superstars for over a decade. They've won one league MVP award apiece, and Bryant has only a slight edge in career scoring averages and All-Star appearances.

Nobody would ever compare Nowitzki with Bryant in the metrics that matter most, however. In championships, in big-game performances, Dirk just isn't in Kobe's league.

Yet after Nowitzki and his Dallas Mavericks thoroughly outplayed Bryant'sLos Angeles Lakers down the stretch of their 96-94 comeback victory in their second-round series opener, Nowitzki's teammates think this might be the season their German 7-footer erases their mutual postseason reputation¡ªalthough he'll have to damage Bryant's invincible aura to do it.

"He always wants the ball down the stretch, and he always finds a way to get it done," said Dallas guard Jason Kidd, whose veteran defensive savvy also caused problems for Bryant. "He likes that stage. You don't find a lot of guys who like that stage. Kobe is one of them, but (Nowitzki) has done a lot of work to get there with him. He and Kobe are the two best players on the floor, and he found a way to get it done last night."

Game 2 is Wednesday night at Staples Center.

Although Bryant is widely perceived to be the NBA's best late-game scorer after a 15-year career filled with clutch play, some statistics show Dirk is a better closer than Kobe, including Nowitzki's superior shooting percentage on last-minute shots in tight games. Bryant has missed crucial shots in several buzzer-beating situations over the past few postseasons, including his miss off the back rim to end Game 1.

Nowitzki scored 11 points in the fourth quarter Monday night during the Mavericks' first-ever playoff win in Los Angeles, including four in the final 40 seconds. With Staples Center collectively screaming in his ear with 19.5 seconds to play, Nowitzki coolly made two free throws to give Dallas its first lead of the second half.

"I've basically seen it all in this league," Nowitzki said after the Mavericks' workout at the Los Angeles Clippers' training complex. "It's my 13th year. I've got to be ready for anything. I can adjust to just about anything, and the good thing is we've got a lot of shooters on this team. We can do a lot of things."

Bryant scored 21 of his 36 points in the second half, but he couldn't close out the Mavs. His bad pass was stolen by Jason Terry with 20 seconds left, and he fumbled a handoff from Pau Gasol with 4 seconds to play before missing that catch-and-shoot 3-pointer.

Nowitzki was the cooler playoff customer, while Bryant made crucial mistakes to cap the Lakers' collapse. No wonder Staples Center fans appeared more confused than angry after their team blew a 16-point lead to lose their second straight series opener.

"I'm not clutch," Bryant deadpanned after sitting out another practice at the Lakers' training complex.

Nowitzki and Bryant have struck up a friendship during times together at All-Star games or the Olympics, but Bryant doesn't feel a personal rivalry with Nowitzki. After all, they had never met in the playoffs before Game 1.

"It's different, because it's not a personal challenge for me to try to stop him or make things difficult for him," Bryant said. "It's a little different in that regard."

Their career postseason scoring averages are nearly identical, around 25.5 points apiece, and they're both among the highest in NBA history. But Bryant has scored at least 30 points in 81 playoff games, more than anybody except Michael Jordan, and his steady brilliance has pushed the Lakers to seven NBA finals, including the past three.

Nowitzki's offensive talents are unique among 7-footers, but he still hasn't led the Mavericks to the franchise's first title during a decade of playoff appearances.

He got close in 2006, but Nowitzki shot poorly while the Mavericks blew a 2-0 lead over the Miami Heat to lose the NBA finals. A year later, Dallas was knocked out of the first round by eighth-seeded Golden State, and Nowitzki went 2 for 13 in the Warriors' clinching victory after a horrific series effort, forcing him into the bittersweet spectacle of accepting his only NBA MVP award after the Mavericks had been eliminated.

Dallas had won just one round in the previous four postseasons combined, even with Nowitzki averaging more than 26 points per game over the past three years, before knocking off Portland in the first round this spring. The Trail Blazers set the stage for a typical Mavs collapse by coming back from a 23-point deficit in Game 4 to even the series¡ªbut Dallas responded with two impressive closeout wins.

"We're mentally tougher than we have been," Nowitzki said. "It showed after the meltdown in Portland, coming back and winning two games when everybody said we were dead. We're a lot of veteran guys who have been around a lot in this league."

After Nowitzki's 28-point, 14-rebound performance in Game 1, the Lakers claimed they aren't planning a new defensive approach. Gasol, Lamar Odom and Ron Artest will share defensive duties, but Los Angeles realizes it must improve its rotation to prevent Nowitzki's teammates from spreading the floor for open shots.

The Lakers appeared thoroughly unperturbed by their third loss in seven postseason games this spring, even after blowing a 16-point lead. Unlike the Mavs, they have a large memory bank filled with postseason resilience to draw upon when things go wrong.

"We're playing against one of the best teams in the NBA, and there's no anticipation of being able to get up to a certain level and be able to maintain a lead," Lakers guard Derek Fisher said. "We've accepted the fact that it won't be perfect. We're going to lose games."

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

JACKSON-LED TEAMS A TOUGH OUT WHEN PLAYING FROM AHEAD
When Phil Jackson wins Game 1 of any playoff series, best-of-five or best-of-seven, his teams are 48-0, having gone 24-0 with Chicago and 24-0 with the Lakers. When Jackson-led teams open a series with a 2-0 lead, he is 36-0 all-time. And when holding a series lead of any kind, Jackson's teams are 55-1 all-time.

BRYANT CONTINUES DOUBLE-FIGURE PLAYOFF SCORING STREAK
With 36 points May 2 vs. Dallas, Kobe Bryant scored 10+ points in a playoff game for the 156th consecutive time. Earlier this series, Bryant scored 17 points 4/24/11 at New Orleans despite going scoreless in the first half of a playoff game for the first time since 5/25/04 vs. Minnesota. Also, Bryant's 11 points 4/20/11 vs. New Orleans were the fewest during the streak, which began in Game 6 of the 2000 NBA Finals vs. Indiana (6/19/2000), since he scored 11 points in Game 3 of the 2004 NBA Finals at Detroit (6/10/04). The only streak longer than Bryant's in NBA history is Michael Jordan's run of 179 consecutive double-figure scoring playoff games from 4/19/85 ¨C 6/14/98 (end of his career).

BRYANT'S 81 30+ POINT GAMES TRAIL ONLY MICHAEL JORDAN IN NBA PLAYOFF HISTORY
With 36 points 5/2 vs. Dallas, Kobe Bryant recorded his 81st career 30+ point playoff game, moving him further past both Jerry West (74) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (75) for the second most 30+ point playoff games in NBA history. Only Michael Jordan (109) has more 30+ point playoff games than Bryant. Elgin Baylor (60) and Shaquille O'Neal (55) round out the all-time list. Bryant, who recorded his first 30+ point playoff game in the 2000 NBA Playoffs, posted 14 30+ point games during the 2010 Championship run and 15 during the 2009 Championship postseason.

STAPLES CENTER ADVANTAGE
Since moving to STAPLES Center prior to the 1999-2000 season, the Lakers have won 83% of their postseason home games (76-16). The Lakers have topped the century mark in over half of their postseason home games at STAPLES Center (53-of-92) while the opposition has been held under 100 points in all but 27 of those games. Since the start of the 2008 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers are 33-6 in games played at STAPLES Center. The Lakers had won 12 straight home playoff games dating back to the 2009 Western Conference Finals before losing Game 2 of to 2010 NBA Finals at home.

JACKSON'S SPARKLING PLAYOFF RESUME
Last postseason, with the Lakers victory over Utah in Game 1 of the 2010 Conference Semifinals, Phil Jackson won for the 103rd time with the Lakers in the playoffs, passing Pat Riley (102) for most playoff victories in Lakers franchise history. Overall, Jackson owns a 229-101 postseason record, with his 229 victories being the most of any NBA coach in playoff history. Additionally, Jackson's 330 career playoff games are also the most of any coach in playoff history, while his .694 postseason win percentage is tops among all coaches as well. With the Lakers 2010 NBA Championship, Jackson (11 as head coach, 2 as player) further surpassed legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach (9) for most championships won by a head coach while also further passing fellow Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell (11) for most championships won by a player/coach. Jackson has taken his teams to the NBA Finals 13 times, tying him with NHL coaching legend Scotty Bowman for most trips to the Finals in a major professional sport played in the United States.