Crown Royal said:
THAT'S how you use that massive frame to defend Duncan. He should remember that next year.
Diop key at crunch time
[SIZE=+1]Fill-in center has huge overtime after other big men foul out [/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]
SAN ANTONIO – It was a long night for Mavericks center DeSagana Diop.
His pride was hurt when he was benched in favor of Erick Dampier to start Monday's Game 7.
Then, when Diop got into the game, coach Avery Johnson and veteran guard Darrell Armstrong yelled at him for not showing enough energy.
With Dampier and Keith Van Horn fouled out, Diop suffered a broken nose on the first play of overtime while guarding Tim Duncan.
Diop survived it all and made several key plays in overtime of the Mavericks' 119-111 defeat of the Spurs at AT&T Center.
"Hey, I broke my nose, and I got a W, that's good," said Diop, who finished with seven points, four rebounds and two blocks in 10 minutes.
Johnson started Diop for a good portion of the regular season and the playoffs.
But with the season on the line, Johnson benched him for the veteran Dampier, then used Van Horn as the first big man off the bench.
"First quarter seemed long to me," Diop said. "I guess because I wasn't out there until after the first quarter. I thought it was halftime."
In the second quarter, Diop hit a basket to push the Mavericks' lead to 60-41. Then he had a block on Duncan and later two offensive rebounds.
Armstrong helped get Diop started.
"I told him to get that look off his face," Armstrong said. "When he walked out there he looked like he messed up, and we told him get yourself together and we need your energy."
Diop played four minutes in the first half and had four points, one block and two rebounds.
At the end of regulation, Diop hit Duncan's arm, and Duncan failed to get off a shot. Dirk Nowitzki also defended as the buzzer sounded.
In overtime, Diop suffered a broken nose when Duncan's elbow went flying into his face. But Diop didn't seem affected.
He blocked a Duncan shot, then scored on a two-handed dunk, off a feed from Jason Terry, to give the Mavs a 108-106 lead.
Diop grabbed one of the biggest rebounds of the game when Terry rushed a long jumper with one second left on the shot clock. Diop snatched the offensive rebound, was fouled and after making one of two foul shots, the Mavericks led 115-110.
At the end of the evening, Diop's physical presence on Duncan was noted not only in the box score but in the locker room.
Duncan went 1-of-7 from the field in overtime while Diop ended up with three points, two rebounds, a block and a broken nose.
"Diop came in and gave us big minutes," Johnson said
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