The pounding continues. At the end of three quarters in Dallas, the Mavericks have pushed their lead out to 24 points. The Lakers actually had a decent opportunity to get back into this game when the Mavs' offense stalled out at the beginning of the third. They scored just two points on their first 10 possessions. But the Laker attack couldn't take advantage: in a span of 90 seconds, Derek Fisher missed two open threes and an open layup, empty trips that pretty much eliminated any hope of a stirring comeback.
With 7:07 to play, Ron Artest missed a fast-break layup of his own. When Dallas got the ball back, Jason Terry hit his seventh three-pointer of the game. He'd soon add his eighth and ninth, and as the fourth period begins he's tied the playoff record for threes in a game.
The last 12 minutes of the Phil Jackson era are upon us.