Been there, done that

Playoff experience is telling factor for three Game 4 winners

During Sunday’s NBA playoff action a TV ad kept popping up for a new street-racing movie called 2 Fast, 2 Furious.

It was strangely appropriate. After all, the Lakers, Kings and Sixers all won big games Sunday to even their respective series at 2-2. Deuces wild, right?

Sunday’s action certainly had the exhilarating feel of a high-speed ride with the windows rolled down. Whether it was watching the Indy cars (Kings-Mavs), the stock cars (Lakers-Spurs) or the demolition derby (Sixers-Pistons), the games were white-knuckle intense. These combatants clearly are running even as they head down the straightaway.

But all three games Sunday had one element in common: The racer’s edge went to the team with more playoff experience. The Lakers, Kings and Sixers all have been at least as far as the conference finals in the past two years. At critical moments in Game 4, they were the teams able to keep their hands on the steering wheel.

0 American-born frontcourt players starting Game 4 of the Mavericks-Kings game. Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Eduardo Najera (Mexico) and Raja Bell (Virgin Islands) went up against Sacramento's Hedo Turkoglu (Turkey) and Vlade Divac and Peja Stojakovic (Serbia). "We know Kobe is a superstar. The guy certainly doesn't need any help. I just wish they'd let us play." -- Spurs forward Bruce Bowen, on how the officials have called the game while he guards Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. Shouldn't Rick Carlisle have yanked Chauncey Billups sooner?

Consider the following checkered-flag/yellow-flag moments from Sunday’s games:

Lakers-Spurs

Why the Lakers got the checkered flag: They trailed much of the game, but found a way to keep it close. Then, down 95-93 with 1:31 left and with their coach, Phil Jackson, at home recovering from heart surgery, the Lakers didn’t panic. Instead they came up with two huge defensive stops, then hit their foul shots at the other end to steal the victory.

Why the Spurs got the yellow flag: Instead of taking the big shot himself, Tim Duncan tried to hit a cutting Stephen Jackson with a tough bounce pass in the paint, resulting in a key turnover late. Then, Tony Parker threw away his team’s final chance by neglecting to call timeout and instead tossing an inbounds pass right to Kobe Bryant.

Pistons-76ers

Why the Sixers got the checkered flag: Knowing how hard it is to play catch-up against the Pistons, the Sixers got on top early and made sure not to let Detroit get back in the game. Philly committed only eight turnovers (the Pistons had 18) and its starting frontcourt had more points (34-14) and rebounds (26-20) than did Detroit’s.

Why the Pistons got the yellow flag: After keeping Allen Iverson in check all season with a team concept on defense, the Pistons too often left Chucky Atkins alone in Game 4. Meanwhile, rookies Tayshaun Prince and Mehmet Okur found out it’s tougher to score in the playoffs when the opponent adds you to the scouting report.

Mavericks-Kings

Why the Kings got the checkered flag: Determined to not let the Mavs build on their double-OT comeback win in Game 3, the Kings blitzed Dallas early in Game 4. Sacramento upped the intensity on the defensive end, holding the hot-shooting Mavs to just 37.9 percent shooting. It’s a lesson the Kings learned the hard way last year against the Lakers.

Why the Mavs got the yellow flag: As they showed against the Blazers in the first round, the Mavs can’t seem to stand prosperity. They came out Sunday in Game 4 looking like they were content to get a split at Arco and get back to Dallas. Meanwhile, the last-minute ejections of Dirk Nowitzki and Raja Bell indicate Dallas needs to keep its emotions in check.

	AP Stud: Kobe Bryant, G, Lakers Bryant overcame early foul trouble to lead the Lakers' rally from 16 down, pumping in 35 points and making a key steal to thwart the Spurs last try at tying the score.		Bruce Gossage/Getty Images/NBAE Dud: David Robinson, C, Spurs The Spurs' big man fouled out in 16 minutes and was held scoreless in Game 4. To add insult to injury, he got his final foul when his only crime appeared to be taking an elbow to the face from Shaq.
	Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images Stud: Vlade Divac, C, Kings Less than 24 hours after missing two key foul shots and getting ripped by Mavs reserve Walt Williams, Divac responded with his best game of the playoffs. His 16-point, nine-rebound effort came on efficient 6-of-9 shooting, and his distribution keyed Sacramento's attack.		Al Bello/Getty Images Dud: Celine Dion, Singer, Canada This year's answer to last season's incessant Witchblade ads is having the game go to commercial and Dion immediately assaulting our ears. Instead of driving all night, she's actually driving basketball fans to their mute button.
	AP Stud: Allen Iverson, G, 76ers The Answer not only riddled the Pistons for 36 points, he also filled the box score with 11 assists, five steals and five rebounds while playing all but the final minute of the game.		Bruce Gossage/Getty Images/NBAE Dud: Chauncey Billups, G, Pistons Billups gamely tried to play Game 4 on his sprained ankle, but gimped his way to a scoreless first half while the Pistons fell behind and was a spectator for most of the second half.

Once again the Lakers enjoyed a huge advantage at the foul line in Game 4, hitting 35-of-45 foul shots compared to 20-of-26 for the Spurs. In Friday’s Game 3, L.A. hit 33-of-40 foul shots, while San Antonio made 20-of-24. Paul Pierce is banged up (strained leg muscle) but the Celtics are hoping their pride will carry them through Monday night in Game 4 and help them avoid a sweep to the Nets. Maybe now that the pressure is off, a few more of Boston’s outside shots will fall. The NBA isn’t waiting to see if the Celtics get swept before disciplining Antoine Walker for allegedly pushing a Fleet Center patron at the end of Game 3, is it? After all, the league didn’t wait to suspend all those Knicks and Heat players a few years back.

Marty Burns covers pro basketball for SI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.

 

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