Art Garcia | Mavs.com

Posted: April 20, 2008

Adversity and the Mavericks haven’t left each other’s side much this season. Breakups don’t last long. They always find a way to get back together.

So it shouldn’t come as a shock that warning sirens are sounding after Game 1. The Mavs squandered a double-digit halftime lead, as the Chris Paul-led Hornets roared back to post a 104-92 victory in opener of the best-of-7 series.

Dropping one game on the New Orleans’ homecourt is hardly a cause for panic. Far worse had been dealt with.

“I love adversity,” Mavs coach Avery Johnson said. “That’s just my whole deal. It’s not that I’m always looking for it, but when it comes, I like to hit adversity right in the face. I think when you love adversity and you have a lot of courage under fire, when you’re in some adverse situations, it tells you a lot about yourself.

“It can help build confidence, so even though it appears to be challenging, and it has been, I think a lot of great things have come out of this season. We’ve found out a lot more about ourselves, we found out a lot more about our players and it’s been a different kind of year.”

What did those players find out about themselves?

“We were a weak team mentally, as far as when we faced adversity,” Jason Terry said. “I think we’ve gotten stronger and stronger as the years went on. You add a guy like Jason Kidd and it obviously helps in that department, a guy who’s seen it all, been to the Finals and been in adverse situations. We’ve learned tremendously and grown.”

The strides made at the end of the regular season carried over into the first half Saturday. The Mavs methodically built a 52-40 edge by applying a popular Johnson maxim. They hit first.

The forward tandem of Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard wasn’t as sharp as they were effective. They were rewarded for their aggressiveness, getting to the line often and combining for 30 points at the break. Paul dissolved the momentum of the first half in an unguardable flash of shot-making on his way to 35 points.

“We didn’t play great second half defense,” said Howard, who turned his left ankle early in the third quarter but continued to play. “Paul is an offensive player so you know he’s going to get his baskets for the most part. We knew they were coming back. It’s what they’ve been doing all season. We’ve just got to play better in the second half.”
 

It didn’t help that Nowitzki received little help. Howard and Kidd combined for just six points after the break. Terry, three nights removing from dropping 30 on New Orleans, had eight for the game. Brandon Bass powered his way to eight points in the first half of his first playoff game and followed with none in the second.

The Mavs were dissecting those issues and more with a practice session Sunday at American Airlines Center. The team heads back to New Orleans on Monday for Game 2 the following night knowing a victory means homecourt advantage when the series begins in Dallas.

“We’ve been optimistic throughout the whole ride,” Terry said. “Around us, it seems like it’s all bad, but if you were in our locker room, you’d know. It’s optimistic knowing it’s a process and we’re a good team. We never got down.”

Now’s not the time to start.  

First-Round Schedule: New Orleans leads 1-0

Game 2, Tue, April 22, Dallas at New Orleans, 6 pm, TXA/TNT

Game 3, Fri, April 25, New Orleans at Dallas, 7 pm, TXA/ESPN

Game 4, Sun, April 27, New Orleans at Dallas, 8:30 pm, TXA/TNT

Game 5*, Tue, April 29, Dallas at New Orleans, TBD, TXA

Game 6*, Thu, May 1, New Orleans at Dallas, TBD, TXA

Game 7*, Sat, May 3, Dallas at New Orleans, TBD , TNT

(All times CT)

* If necessary