NBA Playoffs 2011: 5 Reasons the Mavericks Took out the Lakers in Game 1

As Dirk Nowitzki goes, so go the Dallas Mavericks.

And on Monday night in L.A., Dirk was fantastic as Dallas grabbed a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.

While the Mavs came out strong early, leading by two at the end of the first quarter, the Lakers came back to outscore Dallas 30-19 in the second quarter.

But the Mavericks didn't give up. They closed the gap to seven points at the end of the third quarter and then outscored the two-time defending champs 25-16 in the final period.

Here are five reasons why the Mavs beat the Lakers in Game 1.

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/688813-nba-playoffs-2011-five-reasons-why-the-mavericks-took-out-the-lakers-in-game-1

Mario Chalmers Dwayne Wade Brian Wilson Eli Whiteside Mike Fontenot Brett Pill