March Player of the Month – Tiburcio Tommasini, Portland Trailblazers – 32.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.
March Rookie of the Month – Jack Dawkins, Dallas Mavericks – 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.0 blocks per game.
That makes things even more disappointing with Jack because he was starting to light the league on fire, but things are looking electric for next season. I shouldn’t be this excited about sneaking into the playoffs but at only half a game back from the eighth placed Suns anything could happen in these last eleven games.
Our first game of April was a good start, taking a one point first quarter deficit and turning it into a 13 point win, beating Denver 120-107. Victor Jones was excellent again with 23 points and 8 rebounds as Changa Hendricks again doubled up with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jones went 8/8 from the field to tighten his hold on the FG% crown, if that is a thing. Chris Drexler was held to only 3/12 shooting for only 9 points before fouling out as Isaac Holdan led the way with 23 points off the bench.
Dallas Mavericks 37-35
In our away game against Sacramento there was 16 lead changes and 5 ties but our last quarter failed us as we gave up a four point lead going into the last to lose by a measly point, 116-115. The Kings had three players over 20 points with Lavor Freeman having a field day with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 6 blocks on 9/11 shooting off the bench which killed us. Shawn Latimer was our best with 24 points and even though we shot a better percentage we couldn’t keep the Kings out of the paint and off the foul line.
Dallas Mavericks 37-36
The Lakers are one of many teams who are trying to sneak into the playoffs and at 38-35 are above us, so winning this game at Staples is going to be very important. It didn’t help that Victor Jones went a terrible (by his standards) 4/9 for only 13 points but when Shawn Latimer and Steve Anderson combine for 45 points and 17 rebounds we are bound to win. And we did in a low scoring 95-80 outing. We held Jeff Cunningham and Michael Taylor, their two best players, to only 6/20 shooting for 16 points which makes all the difference in the world. Sure Changa Hendricks only scored 2 points but he held Taylor to only 4 points of his own.
Dallas Mavericks 38-36
We’ve now leapfrogged three teams to move up to seventh, equal with the Lakers but having won that game we have won the season series.
As much as I’m getting ahead of myself we are running blind at the moment, just taking a game at a time and hopefully the team isn’t getting lofty ideas in their heads. Because when we come crashing back to earth like in our 107-86 beatdown at the hands of the Magic it won’t bother them. We shot a woeful 31% from the field as Lats, Steve and Changa combined to go 11/47 in a very one sided affair. One of my old favourites Antoine Martin led the way with 20 points off the bench.
Dallas Mavericks 38-37
We’re still above the Lakers for seventh spot but coming up against the very good Wizards I’m not confident. We surprised everyone in this game, getting out to a 18 point lead and were heading for home. That was until the Wizards rattled off a 47-27 massacre of a last quarter to steal the win from right under our nose 136-128. DeShaun Worley was wonderful with 21 points and 17 assists while Rowan Taylor looks to have shed the ‘bust’ label this season with 29 points and 5 rebounds. Shawn Latimer and Victor Jones put up 20 points apiece while Tristan Thompson had 16 points and 9 rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. Washington are looking really good and should make some noise in the playoffs over in the East.
Dallas Mavericks 38-38
Those two losses have pushed us back down to eighth, one and a half game in front of Seattle for the last playoff spot with six games to go which includes one against New Orleans.
This stretch of games is a nerve racking as an NBA Finals series but we held our nerve and kicked the Thunder to the curb with a 36-16 last quarter (again, final quarter kings) to win 123-96. Steve Anderson was amazing with 26 points while David Forney must have been hopped up on something (NBA officials, I’m writing to say that he did not take illegal substances) with 15 points in only 12 minutes of game time. OKC had six players in double figures but Mike Bickerstaf’s 15 points was the top and that just isn’t enough.
Dallas Mavericks 39-38
Great, just great. We lose to San Diego 122-108 as Jimmy Forrest east us alive for 30 points and 6 rebounds and if that isn’t enough both Lats and Changa go down with sprained areas (Lats toe, Changa hamstring) and will probably be out of the starting line-up for a week which is the rest of the regular season. Shawn had 28 points and 8 rebounds in a great performance even with a sprained big toe. Let’s hope our depth can take us over the line.
Dallas Mavericks 39-39
Neither Shawn Latimer nor Changa Hendricks played against the 10-69 Hawks but it really didn’t matter against such a terrible team as Brian Jenkins had 15 points filling in for Lats and Kemba Walker put up 5 points and 7 assists filling in for Changa. He is still in the team after a few of the other players vouched for him so I didn’t end up cutting him. Victor Jones put on a show with 25 points on 12/15 shooting. Chris Jones was the lead man for the Hawks with 21 points and 6 assists.
Dallas Mavericks 40-39
This is the game I’ve been dreading as we are only a half game ahead of ninth placed Seattle and we play the 54-26 Hornets. We need to win this game as we only have three games left in the season every win is necessary. To nobody’s surprise we get smashed and fall to equal eighth 121-88. The Hornets are just way too good for us as Hillar Petrauskas led the way with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals in the win. Brian Jenkins was our best with 23 points but when Victor Jones and Joe Duggins combine to go 3/16 we aren’t winning anything.
Dallas Mavericks 40-40
The Sonics won the next night so they leapfrog us to 41-40 but we have two games to play to their one so if we can win one and they lose their last one we should be eighth because of our season series win. Going into Utah we needed a win and even though Steve Anderson went 13/23 for a whopping 35 points we were no match for Mark Lewis’ 26 points and 8 rebounds, losing our second last game 118-104. I thought we might have a chance but with Lewis and Favors still on the team they are still a force.
Dallas Mavericks 40-41
Damn, it all comes down to the last day of the season and I don’t know how we will go. We have the Spurs at home but in Seattle’s last game they host the 10-71 Hawks which will most likely be a win for the Sonics. It’s a win for us 127-123 in a very tightly contested game as Steve Anderson took the team on his shoulders with 26 points and 11 rebounds but the Sonics won by nearly 50 points to punch their ticket to the playoffs. As I said, damn.
Dallas Mavericks 41-41
Western Conference Final Standings
1 – Minnesota Timberwolves – 56-26 (.683)
2 – Portland Trailblazers – 50-32 (.610)
3 – Nevada Neon – 49-33 (.598)
4 – Golden State Warriors – 48-34 (.585)
5 – Houston Rockets – 44-38 (.537)
6 – Los Angeles Lakers – 43-39 (.524)
7 – San Antonio Spurs – 43-39 (.524)
8 – Seattle Supersonics – 42-40 (.512)
Last – Denver Nuggets – 25-57 (.305)
Eastern Conference Final Standings
1 – New Orleans Hornets – 56-26 (.683)
2 – Toronto Raptors – 53-29 (.646)
3 – Cleveland Cavaliers – 53-29 (.646)
4 – Orlando Magic – 47-35 (.573)
5 – Washington Wizards – 46-36 (.561)
6 – New York Knicks – 46-36 (.561)
7 – Boston Celtics – 45-37 (.549)
8 – Philadelphia 76ers – 45-37 (.549)
Last – Atlanta Hawks – 10-72 (.122)
Dallas Top Points
Jack Dawkins – 17.3
Victor Jones – 16.8
Shawn Latimer – 15.5
Dallas Top Assists
Changa Hendricks – 7.2
Kemba Walker – 4.5
Jack Dawkins – 4.4
Dallas Top Rebounds
Joe Duggins – 7.3
Victor Jones – 6.1
Steve Anderson – 6.0
League Top Points
Tiburcio Tommasini (POR) – 29.6
Ledaryl McMillian (GSW) – 28.9
Jimmy Forrest (SDR) – 27.0
League Top Assists
Darcel Settles (SAS) – 10.6
Luke Owens (MIA) – 10.2
DeShaun Worley (WAS) – 9.7
League Top Rebounds
Mark Lewis (UTA) – 10.5
Anthony Davis (NOH) – 9.9
Jared Arenas (PHI) – 8.8
League Top Blocks
Anthony Davis (NOH) – 4.0
Andre Drummond (PHI) – 3.0
Bismack Biyombo (CLE) – 2.5
League Top Steals
Paul Orvis (TOR) – 2.7
Jay Warren (HOU) – 2.7
Raoul Dumas (MIL) – 2.6
Victor lost the field goal percentage win by a tiny, tiny, tiny 0.1% from Phoenix's Emmett Emerson, 64.4% to 64.3%. We just can't catch a break.
Rookie Top Points
Mike Bickerstaf (OKC) – 19.6
Jack Dawkins (DAL) – 17.3
Terry McKenzie (NYK) – 14.2
Rookie Top Assists
Chris Jones (ATL) – 6.3
Cort Majishun (MEM) – 6.2
Jack Dawkins (DAL) – 4.4
Rookie Rebounds
Terry McKenzie (NYK) – 7.5
Mike Bickerstaf (OKC) – 5.3
Joe Moore (DET) – 4.8