Phoenix Vs. Dallas: Game of The Year

Games that receive the kind of hype that Phoenix/Dallas Part III got usually never manage to live up to it. Usually. Last night, the Mavs and Suns played in the kind of game that makes you happy that you're a basketball fan. Below, I have broken down the game into three bite-sized segments.

The Good:

The atmosphere in Dallas: the fans treated it like a playoff game, and they definitely got their money's worth.

Dallas' ability to slow Phoenix down for 47 minutes.

The sound of Avery Johnson's voice in the team huddle.

These teams play again on April 1st in Phoenix.

The Bad:

Dallas' inability to put the clamps on the Suns for the full 48 minutes.

Jason Terry's turnovers: he is a big reason why Dallas lost a very winnable game.

How little credit Shawn Marion (15 and 12) and Jerry Stackhouse (33 points) will get for their efforts in this game.

The Amazing:

The Nash three to force the first overtime when it looked like Phoenix was dead in the water.

Jason Terry hitting a three of his own (in Nash's grill) to force a second overtime.

Steve Nash: he made it very difficult to argue against a third consecutive MVP after last night's glorious performance (32 and 16 assists, and too many great plays to count). Dirk had himself a great night (30 and 16), but in a game that could play a big role in determining who the MVP of the regular season is, Nash got the edge.