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The Dallas Mavericks looked poised to fire a huge shot at the top-seeded Phoenix Suns last night. For most of the first three quarters, the Mavs played with a sense of urgency.

Then the rains came.

Or in this case, the Suns.

With Steve Nash resting comfortably on the bench, triple-double well in hand, Jimmy Jackson led a 9-0 charge to open the final period of play. As a result, Phoenix went from one down to lead 85-77 - before the Mavericks knew what hit them. Dallas did manage to cut the lead to four, but that simply cued Mike D'Antoni to insert his star point guard.

From that point on, the Mavs were served a nonstop diet of screen and roll. Dallas' bigs, Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier, continued their struggles in defending the play. Nash and Amare Stoudemire were allowed to stroll in and out of the paint with little resistance and the Suns were never really threatened after that.

In Dallas, the sting of losing Game 3 still looms. After getting the split in Arizona, Avery Johnson's troops fell flat on their face and Phoenix won going away, recapturing homecourt. If the Mavericks manage to win Friday night, winning the finale at America West will be no small feat.

All-time, the home team is hitting at roughly 82 percent in seventh games.

May 13th will be etched in the mind of Mark Cuban and his club if they bow out to the Suns. Not only because of the date itself happened to fall on a Friday. Dallas let a golden opportunity slip by. Instead taking charge of the series and putting the pressure squarely on their opponent, they played perhaps their most uninspired basketball of the season.

Avery Johnson was spot-on when he chided his team for its inability to handle prosperity.

Of course, Dallas came to play on Sunday, retying the series at two-all. But now they sit a game down with only two to go and one loss away from summer. Alas, those are the breaks. The Mavs might want to quiz the Houston Rockets about such fortune. Their first-round opponents know a little something about squandering opportunity. No time for smelling roses in the postseason. And there's even less margin for error now if you're Dallas.

On the flip-side, much credit must go to the Suns. Obviously, Steve Nash has been nothing short of brilliant. The Suns have stepped up admirably since losing Joe Johnson last week. As Game 3 may end up haunting Dallas this summer, it may also end up being a pivotal point in Phoenix's quest for a title.

That said, this series is still winnable for the Mavs. Dallas is extremely capable of sending this one back to the Valley.

Personally, I enjoy the do-or-die scenario. It's why the playoffs are so great. You find out things - about a team, about a player or players. It's all about pressure. And for that reason, I wouldn't mind at all seeing the Mavs take the next one.

This series must go seven. It simply must. My continued study of human nature depends on it.

Email Spangler at scott55@insidehoops.com (remove the "55").