Dallas really didn't play an awful game. They had some defensive issues, but mostly, this was just Denver taking it to the Mavericks. They were down for most of the game by 8-12 points. Never really more than that, never really less than that.
Dallas would make a 3, then Denver would make a shot and hit the free throw that would follow the whistle. Dallas would hit a nice 18 foot jumper, Melo would hit a fall-a-way jumper with the shot clock buzzing.
Too much Melo. Too much of that punk JR Smith. Too much Chauncey Billups.
It wasn't for lack of trying on Dallas' end. Jason Kidd caught fire from 3 in the third quarter knocking down 3 in the span of 3 or 4 minutes. But even in that, Dallas couldn't get the defecit down to anything smaller than 7.
Dirk also toughed things out again with 32 points and 10 rebounds. Sad that his Herculean effort over these 5 games was wasted. People should recognize just how unbelievable a series he had.
34.4 points per game, 11.6 rebounds, 4 assists, a block a game, 53.4 percent shooting and 91.9 percent from the free throw line. If those numbers were put up in a 7 game series in the Western Conference Finals, Dirk would be labeled a playoff monster. He is one, but can't fully be recognized as such considering they lost in 5 games in the semi-finals.
Time for the off season now. You will undoubtedly hear the names Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Bosh and Chris Paul a LOT this off season. Mavericks are rumored to be interested in all 3. Shouldn't be a dull moment this summer.
Also, Dallas has a first round draft pick again. Their first since the 2006 draft. Hopefully that will result in getting a nice, athletic, 3pt artist shooting guard.
I'll have some off season thoughts and possibilities in the coming weeks. Until then, cheer like crazy for the Rockets to take out the Lakers and Thuggets.
Now on to the red hot Texas Rangers.
Starting out we had Thursday's return of both Josh Hamilton and Michael Young.
Started out as a tough pitcher's duel. Going into the bottom of the 7th, it was 1-1. Feldman had really done a good job in his 6 and a third innings of pitching. I'm really becoming impressed with Feldman. This is 3 really strong outings in a row.
This good pitching thing is becoming quite the nasty habit for our Rangers, isn't it?
Well, after almost no offense, the Rangers exploded in the 7th inning when Mariners reliever Mark Lowe came on. With one out, following a Michael Young single, Josh Hamilton was back. An opposite field fly ball JUST snuck over the left field scoreboard. 3-1 lead. Hamilton received high fives all around. But the Rangers weren't done.
After Andruw Jones and Marlon Byrd reached, the Rangers scored on 4 consecutive at-bats.
A Cruz sac fly, Davis reaching on an error, Salty double to right and an Andrus single had the Rangers rolling, up 7-1.
That's the way it would stay thanks to the once more solid work of the bullpen. Holland went an inning and two thirds and Guardado closed out the game in the ninth. Neither Holland or Eddie allowed a baserunner.
More good news came later in the evening when the Angels lost to Boston, allowing Texas to extend their division lead to a game and a half over the Angels.
Wednesday night it was Brandon McCarthy on the hill. He's really the only Rangers starter who has yet to find a groove. McCarthy put them in a hole early when he gave up a solo home run to Adrian Beltre in the second inning.
It got worse from there as the Ranger bats were unable to awaken against Jarrod Washburn through 3 innings. In the 4th, B-Mac allowed a two run shot to Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima. 3-0 headed to the bottom half of the 4th.
Texas got one of them back when Kris Davis singled home Josh Hamilton. Unfortunately, Texas left the bases loaded and still trailed 3-1.
Hamilton continued his come back in the 5th inning when he hit a game tying two run shot to the second deck in right. Josh Hamilton for the second night in a row was responsible for the very important second and third runs.
Enter Brandon McCarthy. He ONCE AGAIN allowed a home run. A solo shot to Russell Branyan the very inning after Hamilton had tied it up. 4-3 Seattle.
But if there's anything we've learned about this Rangers team, it's that they refuse to give up. After Marlon Byrd led off the inning with a single, Davis and Salty struck out back to back and left it up to Elvis Andrus. Andrus has been playing far and away his best baseball, offensively and defensively, in the last week or so. He kept it up with a two out triple to right-center, scoring Byrd and tying the game up. It's Andrus' third triple of the season.
McCarthy got through the 7th without any more damage. His first 7 inning outing since being acquired in the awful deal that sent John Danks to Chicago.
It would stay 4-4 all the way through the 9th and into extra innings. CJ Wilson was brought in to pitch the 10th inning. Yay? I think Texas fans are just about tired of watching Wilson blow game after game...I know I am.
Well, he did nothing to change that Wednesday as he ended out allowing a 1 out RBI double to Wladimir Balentien. That's all he'd give up, but it still led to a 5-4 Mariners lead heading into the bottom of the 11th.
Brandon Morrow came on in the 11th. He's the last kind of pitcher you want to see late in a ball game when you're fatigued. Morrow consistently throws 98-99 mph and can sometimes touch 100 on the radar gun.
No problem for Michael Young as he snuck a single into right field. Josh Hamilton followed by drawing a walk on an at-bat that seemed to last about 30 minutes.
After an Andruw Jones fly out, Hank Blalock came up and whacked a fastball into deep right-center. It fell and Hamilton and Young came home. Rangers win!
Then we come to Thursday. An afternoon for the Rangers, and a nice crowd considering it was a middle of the week day game. 21,000 turned out. I guess word is getting out that this Texas Rangers team is pretty good.
Felix Hernandez, aka King Felix, was on the mound for Seattle. Matt Harrison and his 19 consecutive scoreless innings were on the hill for Texas. It was a pitcher's duel as you would expect.
Harrison's scoreless streak ended at 22 and two thirds as he allowed a 1 out RBI groundout to Branyan. It was followed by an RBI double from Balentien.
He would escape any more trouble, but trailing 2-0.
It would stay that way until the 9th inning. Morrow was called on again, and again Hank Blalock burned him. Hammer tattooed a fastball to the upper deck in right field cutting the lead to 2-1.
After Nelson Cruz popped out, David Murphy was able to overcome his hitting woes and double to right. Next up was Kris Davis. Davis, in the clutch, delivered. He smoke a ball to the bleachers in right-center and got the walk off win, 3-2.
Thanks to that home run and going an entire game without striking out, I've decided to drop the K for now. He will now be known as Chris Davis again!
The Angels won both of their games after losing the first to Boston. Texas is still a game and a half up on the Angels and they get them for three this weekend. At best, Texas can be up 4 and a half games when it's over. At worst, Texas can be in a reverse position and be down a game and a half when it's all done.
Millwood will pitch Friday night for the first place Rangers.
Also, in other news, Neftali Feliz made his return to the hill for Oklahome City. No problems this time around. The control issues were not there as he went 5 innings, allowing 1 run, 1 hit, 1 walk and 7 strikeouts! That's what the Rangers like to see!
Hopefully I'll be blogging about a big Rangers victory on Saturday. We shall see!
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