The Portland Trail Blazers might not have won a championship during 2010-11's season, but as history shows, they did earn a badge of honor that stands to this day: a competitive six-game series that some have deemed to be the toughest of the Dallas Mavericks ' title run.
During his recent sit-down with Bleacher Report, former Mavericks star Jason Terry took a trip down memory lane, chronicling thoughts and anecdotes from Dallas' journey. Along the way, he offered praise in Portland's direction after their Western Conference First Round warm-up.
Below are a few thoughts and quotes from that 25-minute mini-documentary:
Portland Trail Blazers guard Brandon Roy is welcomed back to the bench during a timeout against the Dallas Mavericks in the second quarter of game three of the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs at the Rose Garden. Portland defeated Dallas, 97-92. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
30-point performances and game-winning shots can be found all throughout Brandon Roy's highlight reels in Portland threads, but if you were to ask an observer of that time to name their favorite memories from No. 7's run, it wouldn't be long before one came about.
April 23, 2011. A 24-point takeover from Roy that both tied the series at two games apiece, and nearly rewrote the narrative on whom experts believed would win the series. In giving Roy his flowers, here's how Terry explained it:
"Yeah, buddy. The greatest player to come out of Washington State, Brandon Roy, In that Finals run, this was our toughest matchup and it was in the First Round. And I just hate it was against us, that he had one of his greatest moments, but it was a battle. We could not stop him."
"Literally, we were up 23 or something in the first half, and I was cooking. I was having a great game. It was like, 'Oh, we're about to finish these boys off. The series is over.' And then, B-Roy just turned back the clock, like you see we had multiple defenders. Everybody got some of it. I guarded him. Shawn (Marion) guarded him. Tyson (Chandler) switched out, and we could not stop him. So like, I don't know what was going through his mind. In our mind, it's like, 'We've got to double team, we've got to change the strategy, do something.'
And Coach (Rick) Carlisle is saying, "No, guard him, Guard him." And we're like, "We're trying. He's ... you can't guard him right now, he's cooking. And we still had a chance, like I still had a chance to win so I was disappointed in that."
The end result: a hard-fought 84-82 win that turned the tide. Roy's box score was as brilliant as experienced. 24 points (in 24 minutes), alongside four rebounds, five assists, and a +16 plus-minus. The efficiency: a near-perfect finish (9-of-13) and two 3-pointers. An unforgettable final signature on his Rip City run.
Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki drives in the first quarter of game five past Portland Trail Blazers center LaMarcus Aldridge of the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images
Given the tear that Dallas went on thereafter - two wins against Portland, followed by a sweep of the defending-champion Lakers - it's arguable that Roy's offensive firestorm is exactly what awakened the Mavericks' title-winning spirit.
Terry said in the aftermath that it became the "longest film session in the history of basketball," with Rick Carlisle forcing them to rewatch the final half, and every one of Roy's buckets, for a second time.
"That's when the media started talking locally like, 'Okay, these are the same 'ol Mavericks, they're about to get backdoor swept. Portland's going to come back and beat them. And we're just like, 'Nah, the time is now. That's not happening."
It, indeed, didn't happen; Portland would battle valiantly, but fall 93-82 in Game 5, and then have a furious Game 6 rally go unrewarded in a 103-96, series-ending loss.
The series did, though, elevate the legacies of many in Portland colors. Alongside Roy, it helped springboard LaMarcus Aldridge's reputation a few rungs higher. In his first-ever postseason as the alpha dog, he averaged a team-high 20.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, building public, Hall of Fame-caliber acclaim that guided seven All-Star appearances over the next eight seasons.
Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Kidd (left), guard Jason Terry (center), and forward Dirk Nowitzki (right) watch as the NBA championship banner is raised before the game against the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The last 20-minutes of the documentary weren't necessarily Blazers-related, but they were of great intrigue from a pure basketball fan's perspective.
Terry - the "Robin" to Dirk Nowitzki 's "Batman" during the 2011 title run, discussed stories of Kobe Bryant's ruthlessly-competitive mindset and trash talk, the upstart KD-Westbrook-Harden-led Thunder, and the process of how the Mavericks helped fuel the high-profile collapse of LeBron James and the Miami Heat "Big Three" in Year 1.
Over that 21-game title run, he averaged 17.5 points on 48-44-84 percentage splits, helping captain what some have referred to as the NBA's "heaviest ring," given the loyalty factor, Dallas' penchant for timely runs, and the lack of a superstar, free agency-built team.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/trailblazers/onsi as Jason Terry Recounts Mavs' 2011 Title Run, Deems Trail Blazers "Toughest Matchup" .
