As much as I appreciate everyone's enthusiasm about the Mavs taking the Golden State series in five games, I had a bad feeling about this series. I still think the Mavs will advance but last night's game was all my nightmares come to vivid life.

First off, I have to agree with Charles Barkely (besides his assertation that Dwanye Wade should not be in his "My Five") that Dallas fucked up by trying to match Golden State with a smaller lineup. While I love Devean George, not starting with Dampier or Diop was an awful call. Golden State has an amazing ability to cut through to penetrate the basket and get rebounds. Second chance possions killed the Mavs last night. Forget the long layups and get the big guys in there around the basket to draw contact or drive to the basket.

Dirk? Wow, maybe a day of shooting some practice shots may be appropriate today.

Don Nelson makes me sad now. It seems as if someone has replaced his scotch IV drip with Lithium or Zoloft or something and now all I see is the dead eyes of one of my heroes. True story: during Nelson's last year as Mavs head coach when he was letting Avery slowly take the reigns, I saw the greatest piece of footage ever put to tape. On one of the Sunday night sports shows, a reporter bravely decided to turn up uninvited to Don Nelson's house on a Saturday afternoon to get his thoughts on some trade or something. As the reporter and cameraman were walking up the driveway of Don Nelson's house, through the open garage door emerged the ever-awesome Nelson. He was carrying a case of Miller Lite (partially consumed already) on his shoulder, his shirt had some wet spots and was buttoned crooked. He clearly had not really planned on doing an interview and proceeded to stare at the camera, microphone and reporter with the same expression my cat makes when he tries to watch TV. Also, I believe there was a lawn sprinkler in the background that was stuck and therefore just shooting water straight up into the air. I miss those days.