2002 NBA Playoffs: First Round
April 28, 2002
Game 3: Mavericks 115, Timberwolves 102
Target Center
Dallas wins series 3-0
Recap | Box Score | Playoffs Index
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"There's always disappointment when you lose. I thought we played hard. We came out a little tight to start the game and a little tight at the beginning of the third quarter. We fought back... They're a good team."
"We definitely had problems defending the 'three' in particular. We weren't as relaxed, and especially when you play a good team — which Dallas is — you can't afford for them to shoot 90 percent when you shoot 60 percent from the line. That's not going to cut it, especially when they're shooting 13-of-24 from the three-point line. We went to the free-throw line more, which is somewhat different, but we didn't take advantage of it."
"They've got a dangerous team. Nellie's done a great job with them — their staff's done a very good job. And they hit some big, big shots. That shot that Steve (Nash) hit really put a nail in the coffin. A pull-up 'three' when you're up five with 1:05 to go — that dictated how they played, the aggressiveness."
"We had some opportunities. When you fall behind, you have to play at such a pace — with such energy and emotion — there's a tendency that when you get back in it, you can't get over the hump. They make so many tough shots — and they have so many great players — that when things bog down, they still find a way..."
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"He (Nowitzki) is a matchup nightmare. He had 39 points and hit some really tough shots. They have nice chemistry going. Nash finds guys when they're open and does a good job of breaking down defenses. You have to give them credit. They played well. We played well, but didn't play well enough. That's sports for you."
"If we had lost in five or lost in three, it really doesn't make any difference. We played our hearts out, and there isn't much more that could be asked. The bottom line is we lost. You go about trying to win three games whichever way you can. We just didn't get it done."
"I just tried to move my feet on Nash and Van Exel. They didn't really hurt us by driving into the paint, because it's tough to score over us. A lot of times when they drove in like that, we were able to break out and get easy buckets. I think the guys that hurt us were Finley and Nowitzki. Those two made some serious shots. They played well and are top-notch players. They earned the sweep."
"I didn't see him (Trent) on the wing. He told me he was there. I was just trying to attack the basket as much as possible. I figured with Nick back, I was fine as long as I could get to the point of going up for the shot. He wasn't going to stop it or block it. When I fumbled it going up, I thought I could get the ball. I knew I had Nick on my side so I didn't panic to get it. I just wanted to grab it and restart the offense. Then Najera made a great play to grab it and get the timeout. The following possession, with the three-pointer that rimmed in and out... that was just a microcosm of how the season has gone. If that would've gone in, we probably would've won the game."
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"We fought so hard. In all three games, we fought so hard. They just kept dropping those crazy shots. Whether it be from three, or fadeaways from Finley with two guys on him, halfcourt shots, or other hoop-de-doo shots... they crushed our spirits. I have to tip my hat to that team."
"It (missed free throws) was crazy. I just kept trying to get to the hole so I could get back on the line and knock them down. I wasn't successful."
"It was frustrating to claw and get back in the game and be down three. We were playing so hard and they come down and hit a big 'three'. It was disheartening."
"We need to grow together. We have a young core here. We have a coach that is very well-respected and we have Kevin McHale. I think that with the young core we have and the veterans we have, we need to have more time together. We lost some games this year due to inexperience, and I accounted for some of that. The only way you get better is if you stay together. Hopefully we'll all be back in this locker room next year. I know everyone wants to be back."
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"They can shoot the ball. We tried to bring some different schemes to slow the ball down a bit. You guard one of them and you guard another, but the third guy makes you pay. They have a lot of weapons."
"It was basketball. Sometimes it gets a little grimy and dirty. You can't say anything about how the game was called, because you have to make shots and you have to make plays."
"If you look at all of the other teams in the playoffs, their core has been there consistently. Every year it seems to be a different blow to us. Look at a team like Utah — they've been there 30 or 40 years. The only consistency here has been Kevin McHale, Flip, myself, and Sam Mitchell."
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"Just because it was a 3-0 series sweep, people will look at it and think it was easy. I don't look at it that way. It was a heckuva series. I love their team — the way they play, how hard they play — and this series could've very easily gone the other way. I don't agree with a lot of the comments in the papers. I thought it was a great series."
"I approached this game that if we lost today, we'd lose the series. I had my players playing well, and for the most part my players played terrific. I thought Najera made the play of the game — a la Dave Cowens in Boston Garden, diving on the floor and getting a big steal — and then he got a big putback basket."
"Another key today was Nick Van Exel, and he didn't have a good game, but we were able to withstand him not having a big game. Due to the 'Big Three' and the big games they had, they were able to pull us through, especially with Raef on the bench in foul trouble... We feel really blessed we won the series."
"Our motto for this series was, 'We're playing to win, not playing not to lose.' You have to give your players some freedom. I want this team to play with a high confidence level, but I want them to play smart, and we talked about that. We really needed to go after this game, because you just can't take any chances."
"I love our team, and I'm confident we can play well and beat either Utah or Sacramento. I think we'll play better in the second round this year than we did last year."
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"I knew the first and third quarters were the most important parts of the game. I took it upon myself to be the aggressor. Coach called my number, and I hit some shots. They were forcing me one way and taking away my jump shot. I wanted to take the ball to the basket, and I was fortunate to make some shots."
"We thought the Szczerbiak matchup was one in our favor, and with our two great point guards, they can create and get us some shots... Coach puts us in a position (that) if the first option isn't there, the second option is one of us at the top for a shot at the end of the clock. It's our last option, and we always know we have it."
"Dirk set the tone early by getting the first two touches of the game and driving to the basket. That told his teammates, 'That's the way we're going to play tonight.' He was aggressive, and I was happy for him with the way he played. We have a lot of weapons, and I think that was on display tonight. It makes us tough to guard, and when our best scorers are playing defense, it makes us a better team."
"Don't take any credit away from Minnesota. They played well in the fourth quarter, and we missed some defensive assignments. We got away from what we did to get the lead. We didn't push the ball and we didn't stay aggressive. It's hard to hit shots under pressure when the shot clock's running down."
"It's a lot different winning the first-round series this year. When we won the first series last year, it was like we won the championship — and San Antonio took advantage of that. That's not the plan this year. We want to win the next series, and the series after that."
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"We're at our best when we're running. We just didn't do a good job in the fourth quarter of running. We let them get into a halfcourt offense, and played into their hands. Luckily at the end, we picked it up again and hit some shots."
"I try to be aggressive from the beginning of the game — try to maybe go to the free-throw line and find a rhythm. I don't expect anything in this league. It's so tough to score... It's about winning, not about scoring. You do whatever it takes to win. Whether it's score 40 points or 20 points, winning is what matters."
"We have a couple of guys banged up, so the rest will do us good. We wanted to make sure we got this one, and we made some big plays at the end."
"I think we match up well with both Utah and Sacramento, and we can play with confidence against either team. Sacramento is the best home team in the league, but we played them tough in their place. We're trying to go all the way this year. We're deep enough and talented enough, so why not?"
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"It was my first sweep. Thank, thank, thank God we got it. Playing that terrible, but having these other guys come through... Dirk played a 'Wow', amazing game. And three games in a row, to put up those numbers is unbelievable. He had some help from Steve and Mike."
"We withstood the first five minutes, which we thought would be important. We knew they would come out pumped up with the crowd and energy. We withstood that, and we withstood the first five minutes of the third quarter, and all their runs. It's kind of tough for a team to come all the way back and win a game like that. It kind of drains you a little bit."
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"It's tough. We played pretty well in stretches, and really had a chance to kind of knock them out and sustain it. But they're a good team, and especially playing on the road... They really did a good job of keeping themselves in the game, and just hustling and energy. They showed a lot of character today. It's not easy when you're down 2-0 and a team gets a 19-point lead on you. I really respect the fact that they gave us a heckuva game today."
"I think we've always felt comfortable down the stretch, and it's a tough thing to come back on us because there are so many shooters. Somebody's bound to make a couple."
"Raef hit a couple big 'threes' early that I think gave us a big lift. Dirk was our MVP and our superstar this series, with Mike being a close second. But there are a lot of performances, and a lot of hustle, and a lot of energy. Dirk made a ton of big plays for us."
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"Give them credit. They stayed in there. They stayed in the game and kept plugging. There were a couple times we had them buried and they worked their way back in the game, and by the last couple of minutes it was a four-point game. And at that point, guys were able to make shots and make plays."
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"We knew all along it was going to be a tough game. We also knew we would have a chance to win the ballgame. We just had to take care of the ball. I thought we did a great job towards the end, making big plays and making big shots. Everyone played very well together. Minnesota never gave up, even though they were down 20. They still kept coming back, kept coming back, and you have to give them credit. They tried their hardest."
"We like to run a lot, and tonight we did it again. We've been doing it regardless of if we've been down or if we have the lead. We still have to run and be aggressive."
"Obviously I didn't contribute in the first two or three quarters, so I knew I had to come through at the end. I was glad I had the opportunity, although I didn't play very well. He (Nelson) still kept me in the game in the fourth quarter, so I had a chance to do a few things. I just did what I do most of the time."
