Warriors’ tricks don’t work this time
勇士的魔法失靈了
Eight months later, Mavs have adjusted to Nellie’s game
八個月後，小牛開始習慣了老尼的比賽
12:00 AM CST on Thursday, January 3, 2008
Now you know why I picked the Mavericks to beat Golden State in five games.
現在你知道了為何我會說小牛能在五場比賽內打敗勇士。
Now you know why Don Nelson kept saying his team didn’t have a chance.
現在你會知道為何老尼說他的隊伍一點機會也沒有。
The Mavericks’ 121-99 win over the Warriors was the game people expected to see in the playoffs and never got. It shows what would have been if the Mavericks hadn’t buckled under the weight of their own expectations and matched the intensity of Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson instead of backing down.
世人原本預見小牛以121-99大勝勇士的這種比賽會出現在去年的季後賽，但卻沒有。 早知如此，小牛就不會屈服在他們的期望，看管好Baron Davis與Stephen Jackson而不會輸掉系列賽。
The phrase better late than never comes to mind.
晚做總比不做好。
“This is how we’re supposed to look against them,” Mavericks guard Devin Harris said. “Points in the paint. Ball movement. Interior defense.”
「我們老早就應該這樣打了，」小牛後衛Devin Harris說。「在禁區裡得分。球的流動。禁區防守。」
You mean all those things the team failed to do when it mattered most?
你的意思是這些東西在最重要的時刻裡並沒有出現嗎？
“Yep,” he said.
「是啊XD」他說。
The Mavericks have had eight long months to think about what the Warriors did to them in that series. Opponents have thrown Golden State’s defensive scheme in the face of Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks in the sometimes rocky start to this season.
小牛有八個月的時間回想勇士怎麼在系列賽中擊敗他們的。在球季初時，小牛的對手把之前勇士守Dirk的那招在搬到抬面上，然後小牛就經歷了一段難過的開場。
Wednesday night’s win was a strong indication that the Mavericks have begun to adjust.
週三的比賽已經強烈的證明小牛開始適應這一切了！
It all starts with Nowitzki.
這都從Nowitzki開始。
The Warriors cover the Mavericks star with the smaller, more athletic Jackson and send another defender his way the moment the ball goes into the post. Golden State sometimes flies a third defender at Nowitzki if he puts the ball on the floor.
勇士用比較矮，但活動力較強的Jackson去守Nowitzki，然後派令一個擋住他到禁區的球路，甚至有時候派第三的去防他下球。
Nowitzki didn’t give the Warriors a chance to do that Wednesday. The first time Golden State double-teamed him in the post, he kicked the ball outside to Josh Howard for a 3-pointer.
Nowitzki週三並不給勇士這樣的機會。勇士第一次包夾他時，Nowitzki傳給在外線等待的Josh Howard，投進三分。
Nowitzki either made his move in the post or made the pass before the second defender could close. He had more assists (three) than shots (two) in the first quarter as the Mavericks jumped to a 13-point lead.
Nowitzki硬擠到禁區或是等到第二協防者過來前就傳球。他在第一節就傳出了比他投球球數多的助攻，讓小牛以13分領先。
Nowitzki finished with 29 points and six assists. He looked to score when only one defender was on him and moved the ball when he drew a second defender.
Nowitzki終場得到29分6助攻。他面對一個防守者時進攻為先，吸引到第二個防守者時，就傳球。
“He’s been working on his passing all year because of some of the difficulties we had, and tonight you saw the benefits of all of the drills,” Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said.
「他一整年都在練習這個，這是我們遇到的難題，今天晚上你可以看到他苦訓精鍊的成果。」小牛總教練小將軍說。
The criticism Nowitzki absorbed after the team’s playoff failure was justified. But the Warriors constantly ran two and three players at Nowitzki in that series. They often ran two in Howard’s direction.
去年季後賽Nowitzki遭受到的批評是很公平的。但勇士總是以兩到三個人去守司機，他們也常包夾小豪。
That means the Mavericks had a lot of players open, players who failed to capitalize on their opportunities.
這表示小牛有更多的球員是沒人防守的，他們卻沒有好好利用這個機會。
That wasn’t an issue this night. Six players scored in double figures. Harris and Erick Dampier, the center who didn’t play well enough to stay on the court in that first-round series, combined for 30 points and went 10-of-15 from the field.
不過這樣的情形已經沒了。比賽結束後，六個球員得分超過10。Harris與Erick Dampier， 這位沒辦法在去年首輪季後賽好好表現的中鋒，他與Harris合力拿下30分，而命中率更是投15中10的超水準表現。
“It hurts when you have your dream shattered,” Mavericks guard Jason Terry said of the team’s ignominious first-round exit.
「當美夢不再時是很受傷的，」小牛後衛Jason Terry說談到關於去年第一輪救被掃地出門時的可恥表現。
“We’re ready to take that next step in our season and show everyone the team that’s assembled this year is the real Mavericks now. It takes a game like this at the start of the new year to kind of get you going.”
「今年我們已經準備好要向前行了，還要告訴大家這才是真正的小牛。新年的一開始用像這樣的一場比賽開始！」
