just watched the part of the game on my Tivo when the Warriors came back from 7 down to 9 up in the fourth quarter, climaed with Baron's miraculous three. just wanted to sleep well with some memorable moments from that game. shut it off after that. Damn, they played so well. Alley-oops, swarming D, and unconscious from three.

Unfortunately, the three's are what cost them down the stretch. They just became so dependent on them that when it came time to counter Dallas' desperation run, they forgot to penetrate. We were so hot from downtown, that the Mavs would have bought any pump fake and we should have been driving the lane and drawing a foul.

Although there were some questionable calls, gotta give credit to the Mavs. Dirk, who was unexplicably non-existent during the entire second half (2 shots before his consecutive three's, are you kidding me?), may have rediscovered himself and showed and the worst of times why he is the MVP of his team ('bout freakin' time). As much as I despise him, Devin Harris came to play, and seemed to get to the basket with ease in the fourth quarter. The Mavs took this game (with a little help from the Dubs).

All in all, we should be proud that our team showed the nation once again how much heart we do have. Coming back from 21 points down against a team that was clearly determined to make a statement. And if any of you hae the courage to watch the fourth quarter again, it was some of the best basketball the league has presented this season (unfortunately, it was followed by reminders of the Warriors during the middle of the season - standing around, doing nothing).

They pretty much choked. Things were going way too easy, and they weren't mentally prepared to handle Dallas' last run, which they should've expected, and that's a damnn shame. One things for sure: if they get a lead like that in Oaktown, this thing ain't going back to Dallas.

They key to game 6 will be the first 6 minutes. They need to do whatever it takes to erase the momentum Dallas has right now. They need to avoid a Dallas run that would give them an early 6 or 8 point lead. I really think they should try to jump on Dallas as quickly as possible to make the last 3 minutes of game 5 a distant memory.

I sure hope this happens, because a lost series would be tough to take.

I agree that the Warriors exceeded our expectations, by barely making in the playoffs as people have said, but you know what?  We're here now.  We shouldn't settle for just making the playoffs, we should be here to WIN. By showing that the #8 Warriors can beat the #1 Mavericks IN the playoffs and all will know... that 300 Spartans gave their last breath to def-... errr whoops, wrong quote!  But yeah, aim for the best.

just one more.

if i were in richardson's position, i would be pissed too after getting fouled taking that three and not having 3 shots at the line.

(in a deep rough tone)"Coming on stage...put your hands together to clap for...DIRK "DIGGLER" NOWIIIIIITSKI!!!"

Despite the choke, I think they will be proud of the ir 30 point swing and they have to be thinking if not for so many botched layups in the first quarter(when the Mavs were making their run) this would have been a blowout.

So I think offensively they should feel good. Defensively they should be able to correct their end game mistakes.

Baron & Jax are going to be fired up.

Warriors win by double digits Thursday.

All you guys lucky enough to witness the action at the arena, REPRESENT the rest of us watching from their homes, at sports bars, and slingboxes worldwide!

GO WARRIORS! BRING IT THE HOUSE DOWN ON THURSDAY NIGHT!

That said, all the national media types thinking Dallas has some life now have no idea what they're talking about.  I think Reggie Miller had it right - Dallas needed to blow us out tonight, assert their dominance somehow.  Their complete inability to keep that 21 point lead is why we've got the edge going into game 6...

Oh sure they had a 9 point lead with about 3 mins. to go, but Dirk got hot and the Warriors wilted under the pressure.  They shot a couple of 3s when they didn't have to.  They should've got the ball the Baron or Jax.

Also, they got a couple of rotten calls by the refs against them.  I couldn't see where Baron fouled Jason Terry and JRich got hacked on the arm but no call.

Finally, Charles Barkley needs to eat his words with one more Warrior victory.  We'll be ready for the Mavs on Thursday.

• how the League handles the Jax situation.  it was a very questionable ejection, i agreee.  at most, if i were the ref, i'd throw a T if warranted. but i can't figure out the basis of the ejection.  the refs gotta keep their heads in the game as well, b/c this now makes it 2 ejections, and puts Jax in a precarious position.
• that's a tough call on Baron.  i understand how refs can call those in the heat of the moment.  but if so, then they gotta call the foul on the other end on the Dub's 3 pt shot as well.
• the League's gotta look at Terry's elbow/throw down on Baron as well.  whatever Jax was called for seemed to be based on clapping.  Terry's foul was a physical act of aggression.  at the very least, both of these cases need to treated fairly and objectively.  
• personally, i'd like to see EVERYONE kept in the game for both teams, cuz it's  been a heck of a series and Game 6 (and 7, if necessary) will be altered due to these calls.  if Stern is going to consider past incidents, then i believe that Terry and Jax were both assessed technicals in prior games, i think?....go fine them several hundred thousand if that's the case, but to take out any players from either team in this series...the League better have a very strong case for it.
• Nellie and the Dubs gotta lay it all out on the line in Game 6.  It's time for ALL of the Dubs (even Azebuike, Sarunas, etc.) and Warrior Nation to step it up to the fullest!  Show the Mavs and the rest of the country what Warriors basketball and the 'Bay is all about!
• (If necessary, Game 7 will be the ultimate gut check in the greatest series I've seen in many years. We might not even need it! so that's for another time to talk about.)  

However, this game illustrated several key items for the future of this GSW franchise who will no doubt have serious title aspirations next season:

1. We have no half-court offense. None, zero, zilch, nada. Up by 9 with 3+ minutes to go we tried to milk the clock. Bad move. BAD, BAD, BAD move. As composed right now we are a run-and-gun team and the half-court is not our friend. I love the up-tempo, small-ball, Nellie style team, the problem is that when you start to milk the clock you need to be able to get into a play with 6-10 seconds left and we just don't have that as part of our game. Thus we REALLY DO need to get a low post offensive presence. I love Al Harrington and Pietrus but if the two of them could somehow become a real power forward in the offseason (KG, Gasol, Jermaine O'Neal, Brand, Kenyon Martin, Zach Randolph, Kirilenko?) that would really solidify us for next season and prepare us to eventually face the likes of Duncan in the Conference Finals.
2. We NEED to re-sign Matt Barnes. That dude has ice-water in his veins. Is he related to Robert Horry or something? Because he is clutch and as we continue to build for the future he is a vital part of the direction we need to go.
3. OK, now don't get me wrong on on this one: I LOVE STEPHEN JACKSON. He is everything that Shawn Marion is with a toughness that just wills victories. In several games down the stretch of the regular season he carried this team to the win on his back. I've been a Stephen Jack fan since he was with the Spurs (disclaimer: I am a massive Spurs fan as well) and I've always hoped for better for him than the Pacers. Having him on our team is a dream come true for me. That said, he has a little switch in his head that goes off and he becomes a complete head-case. I fully support Nellie in publicly calling him out and saying that Jack would be getting a massive fine directly from the coach. Jesus Christ, this is Game 5 of a playoffs and the officials have already tossed the best player in the entire post-season for clapping/mocking them 3 games earlier. You just don't do that. Besides, he was mocking them for calling the 6th foul on BD with the Warriors down by 1 and 21 seconds left. I personally was jumping up and down in front of my TV screaming "FOUL HIM!!! FOUL HIM!!!". If I'm an official I call a foul when Baron even gets close. SJ needs to grow up or Nellie needs to bring down the hammer on him...HARD!
4. One more off-season will do wonders for Monta and Andris. They both look a bit overwhelmed in this series. Both are missing shots in the paint and in the regular season they simple didn't miss in the paint...ever. These two are going to get some time to do some reflecting (and time for Monta to work on his mid-range jumpshot) and will come back next season as veterans. That's what the playoffs do to you, the make you a VETERAN. The regular season is fine and dandy, but the steel in your resolve get's tempered by going through the fire and this playoff series is one of the hottest fires we've seen. I am really looking forward to seeing how these two progress.
5. That brings me to the potential of this team. I am SOOOOOO EXCITED about where this team is going. I honestly think that we could be raising banners (plural) at the Oracle in the years to come. However, frankly I think that the sky is the limit...RIGHT NOW! Once they win on Thursday and then take care of Houston (or Utah, but I just don't see them winning in Houston) the next true test will begin. If the Suns somehow beat the Spurs in the 2nd Round then we will all be in for the treat of our basketball lives. I believe that we can outgun the Suns and then we would DOMINATE any Eastern Conference team (either Detroit or Chicago, Cleveland has no chance). On the other hand, if the Spurs beat the Suns (and I believe that they will in 5), we could be in trouble. As I said earlier, we need a real PF to contend with Duncan and to score in the half-court.  

Going in to Game 6 we're still in the drivers seat.  Harrington and Ellis played better and will allow Nellie to buy Baron a couple minutes on the bench.  I think his minutes last night are what made the Dallas double team so effective.  We have seen their wrinkle on defense and I would fully expect us to get a couple easy buckets when they go to the same game plan Thursday.  Also, we should never let the ball get into Pietrus hands in a key situation, he is a bad shot waiting to happen.

For many lesser players, that would have totally destroyed their confidence.  But not SJax.  Near the end of the game I caught him looking at a fan in the first row and holding up 3 fingers on one hand and 2 on the other.  Yeah, sucka as*d Bandwagon Mavs fan, we still got the lead.

This claiming probably had a hand in his baffling ejection.  But it does show that SJax is a cold blooded competitor who a close out game 6 in front of a ridiculously loud Oracle Arena crowd is made for.

But all in all, the Warriors didn't execute and we can't blame others for losing yesterday. The Warriors choked. i just hope the 9 point lead with 3 and a half left doesn't come back to haunt us.

Here's hoping it doesn't come down to game 7.

The posters above have made some excellent, wise points.  I can not add anything more intelligent on a strategic level.  I'll just say this will be a test of the Warriors heart.  I think they have it.  Let's show Dallas fans how we love our team and how we have stuck with them through thick and thin and how we don't hate.  Dallas is a good team, a well-run organization with some ballers (Terry and Howard, at least).  But they will fall because

WE BELIEVE!!!!

I will be shocked if Dallas can deal with the Oracle in Game 6. We've had a great run up here with the Raps, over 20,000 every night and loud, but at least you guys got it right by picking a t-shirt colour that the visiting team doesn't wear! Go get that win!