Season 58 Playoffs...SemiFinals Game 1...Dallas at Los Angeles

DALLAS 75, LOS ANGELES 66

DEMONS DOWN HICK-LESS L.A.

LOS ANGELES -- The very first roll of the dice in the Season 58 playoffs was disastrous for Los Angeles, as the fans of the Big One watched Hall of Fame point guard Vicious Hick go down to a 3-game injury, seriously damaging the team's hopes for a championship run.

L.A., with usually reliable guard Donnie DuPons in for Hick, hung in there for most of the contest...even leading at the end of the first and third quarters, before coming apart in the fourth to lose to the six-time-defending champs from Dallas, 75-66.

The Demons, who came into post-season riding a 6-game winning streak, avenged an 80-58 shellacking by L.A. that kicked off the campaign, as they held the number one shooting percentage team (60.6 percent) to just 45 percent accuracy. Dupons came up small in that department, going just 3 for 12 from the floor.

Dallas was forced to play rookie forward Fashion Boy Vuitton for the better part of the game when Demons' forward Nick Kenpoop sucker punched Phillip Mianus of L.A., leading to a brawl and the ejection of Kenpoop.  

The home team could not capitalize on a 10-rebound advantage, and as the game slipped away late in the fourth, Los Angeles coach Naceg Gecan, with red-faced frustration, laid into the referees, leading to a technical foul with 6 time units remaining.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

26 GVP...Hall of Fame guard JUZAN DJINN took control of the game in the fourth quarter like he has so many times in the past for Dallas. The All-MBA stud did not have a great shooting day, going just 3 for 12 (1 for 4 from deep and 6 for 6 from the foul line), but contributed, as usual, in many other ways in this win. He led everyone in assists with 6, tied for team rebounding honors with 4 and  blocked a game-high 3 shots. His man, Pinky Toe, did not score in the second half and fouled out of the game.

AND

26 GVP...Djinn's running mate at point guard MINI CARFARTT led everyone in scoring with 23 points, going 11 for 16 from the floor, including 1 for 4 from deep, 2 rebounds and a steal that ended with a slam dunk by the 5-10 thief. Los Angeles came into the series boasting the best guard combo, but Djinn and Carfartt demonstrated their potency in this game. Carfartt pretty much destroyed DuPons.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

23 GVP...Los Angeles center Otzi "The Frozen Hunter" Bolzano...13 points...8 rebounds...2 assists.

22 GVP...Los Angeles power forward Grand Demur Fuyacho...14 points...7 rebounds...1 block.

20 GVP...Los Angeles shooting guard Pinky Toe...12 points...5 assists...3 rebounds.

NEXT UP: Game 1 of the Semis with Sacramento at Philadelphia...two teams that finished last place in the previous season return to the post-season after long absences.