Based on what Dallas coach Avery Johnson said after Game 1, his Mavericks who meet the Hornets in Game 2 on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Arena, and will attempt to attack Chris Paul and make him work harder on defense.
Hornets coach Byron Scott is looking for the Mavericks to bring stronger traps against Paul the way they did in the second half of last Wednesday's regular-season finals.
How much do the coaches really worry about what the other team might do differently anyway?
"I worry about that about 40 per cent," said Scott., favored to win the NBA Coach of The Year award. " I worry more about us still doing some of things that we talk about doing a little better. I know they will make some adjustments."
Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic, who has been through a lot more playoff wars than his teammates, knows the Mavs will be throwing different looks at his team. But he's not worried about the Hornets' relative playoff inexperience.
"They're young, but they're pretty mature and pretty responsible," said Stojakovic. "They're going to be there and they understand the importance of the second game."
The Hornets also will make adjustments.
"We'll change strategy, too," said Paul. "We need to get better in transition defense, but we'll come out in the first quarter, see what they change, and then make adjustments.
The Hornets played some mean defense in the series opener. The Bees harassed the Mavs into shooting 28.1 per cent from the field for the final three quarters of Game 1.
The Hornets scored only four fast-break points in the final 36 minutes as the Hornets accomplished what they set out to do: make the Mavs try to beat them in the half court.
"In the first half, they really got a lot of fast-break points, second-chance points and were on the free-throw line a lot," said Hornets center Tyson Chandler. "In the second half, we came out and made the adjustment. We were flying back on defense and making them set up in a half-court set, and they struggled, That's what we're going to have to do the whole series.
"It's hard to stop guys when they're running at you full speed. I think the key was that we started scoring some baskets, and they were taking the ball our rather than rebounding and getting the ball to Jason Kidd and pushing it. When we did miss a shot, we sprinted back and built a wall and kept them from penetrating and getting easy buckets.
"Coach Scott wants us to focus on the opportunity we have in front of us. Every possession is valuable. You gotta seize the moment. The moment is now and it the time for us to step up as a team and become one."
NFL OWNERS FEELING PINCH ON WALLETS
A rookie salary cap could curtail spending by NFL teams. The NBA has a rookie salary cap. First-round picks receive a four-year contract, and the club has the right to exercise the option for a fourth season. For example, the No. 1 pick receives a base salary of $4.01 million, then it moves to $4.32 million, $4.62 million, and up to a 30 per cent increase for the fourth season.
The top three picks in the 2007 NFL draft signed contracts that totaled $174,5 million. Several owners have complained that spending that much is hurting the game, especially when players don't have an immediate impact. JaMarcus Russell, last year's No. 1 pick by Oakland, played three games after signing a six-year contract for a rookie-record $68 million. By contrast, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, the seventh pick and the NFL's rookie of the year, signed a five-year deal worth $40.5 million.
The NFL grossed an estimated $7 billion in the fiscal year that ended March 31.
For the fifth consecutive season, paid attendance increased at NFL stadiums, and the average salary increased to $1.7 million. With the NFL draft only four days away, owners and some players agree on one thing. They believe the large sums spent on rookie salaries needs to slow down. Not for the veterans, but for the rookies.
PELINI BRINGS PASSION BACK TO NEBRASKA
Off the typewriter...
Former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini has brought passion back to Nebraska football. The new Huskers coach staged his spring game last Saturday before a crowd of 80,149. Fans paid as much as $125 for single tickets to feel the passion of Nebraska football again...Former LSU football stars Early Doucet and Jacob Hester both posted slow times in the Combine and Pro Day and it likely will cost them where and when they are drafted in this weekend's draft. Doucet is no longer a lock for the first round. In fact, he may not go until the third round, because his times were poor. At LSU's Pro Day, he posted 40-yard dash times of 4.59 seconds, 4.60 and 4.64 seconds. Cal's DeSean Jackson posted a 4.35 time. The Sporting News' mock draft has Hester going to the Bears in the seventh round His best 40 time at the Combine was 4.59, while the top 10 running back times in Indy were all below 4.50.
Soundbites...
Verge Ausberry, LSU associate athletic director, on problems facing the Tigers' new basketball coach: " He told us he recruited a player he couldn't get into Stanford who went to Harvard. And another one who went to Cornell. He's not quite going to have that problem at LSU."
Jacob Hester, former LSU running back, who is awaiting the NFL draft: "Every team I've talked to has said I could play fullback or I could be a running back on third-down situations and do different things on the goal line. Everyone seems to think I could play both like I did in college. That's what I like. I'd play water boy if they want me to."
NFL Draft: Saturday and Sunday. TV: ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network.
ELI HONEYMOONING IN MEXICO
Eli Manning and his bride, Abby McGrew, kicked off their honeymoon the past Sunday
The Super Bowl-winning quarterback and his bride began their day having breakfast with many of the 60 guests, who witnessed their Bajam, Mexico, wedding on Saturday.
But after saying goodbye to friends and loved ones, the newlyweds pulled a surprise. They had originally planned to stay at the Mexican resort for a few more days, but changed their minds at the last minute. They checked out of their wedding night suite and guests said they were heading off the honeymoon at a secret destination.
Eli's older brothers, Cooper and Peyton, served as best men. Cooper, wearing a white fedora, was mum about the couple's whereabouts as he escorted wedding guests to autos that whisked them to the airport.
The couple said their vows at sunset along the Sea of Cortez as crashing waves accompanied their "I dos."
The wedding capped three days of fun in the south-of-the-border sun for the newlyweds and their closest friends and relatives.
FOWLES LEADS U.S. TO ROUTE
Former LSU All-American Sylvia Fowles scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the U.S. Women's national team to a 92-56 victory over South Korea on Monday in Beijing, China.
Fowles, who ended her career at LSU with a school and SEC record 86 double doubles, has recorded back-to-back doubles and has led Team USA (2-1) in scoring the past two games. On Sunday, Fowles scored 25 points, pulled down 18 rebounds and blocked 6 shots against Cuba.
"We watched film this morning and coach Anne Donovan told us to utilize our height and make sure the bigs run the floor and our point guards get the ball into us.," said Fowles. "We took advanatge of that tonight."
Fowles and the U.S. national team will take a break until Wednesday when Team USA faces New Zealand,and then will close out the tournament against China on Thursday.
MILES ON FOX SPORTS THURSDAY
LSU coach Les Miles will be featured on Fox Sports South on Thursday night as part of the network's In My Own Words programming.
The Miles feature airs at 9:30 p.m.. Fox Southwest will carry the feature on May 12 at 7:30 p.m.
In My Own Words is a 30-minute first-person feature on different personalities in the sports world. In My Own Words has also featured Bobby Bowden, Joe Paterno as well as numerous sports stars.
The Miles spotlight was filmed back in March on the LSU campus and covers topics as leading the Tigers to the 2007 national championship, defending himself against rumors that he was leaving LSU for Michigan, and Hurricane Katrina and how LSU lifted the spirit of a state that was devastated by the storm.
