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2012 NBA Playoffs, Mavericks Vs. Thunder: Dallas Loses 103-97

If you needed any more evidence for Tyson Chandler's Defensive Player of the Year Award, the fourth quarter of the Dallas Mavericks season-ending loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder showed just how much the defending NBA champions missed their defensive anchor at the rim.

With Rick Carlisle stubbornly sticking to his ancient perimeter duo of Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, there was an open lane to the front of the rim for James Harden, who orchestrated the Thunder's offense throughout the fourth quarter.

Harden finished the night with 29 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists on 11-16 shooting, none bigger than the lay-up he scored with 11 seconds left and Dallas down 3.

On the other side of the ball, Dirk Nowitzki turned back the clock to 2011, with 34 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on 10-25 shooting.

But with the most important member of his supporting cast now in New York, the Mavericks couldn't get a stop when it mattered.

For more news and analysis wrapping up this series, stay tuned to the SB Nation Dallas storystream as well as Mavs Moneyball.

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.