Rotowire

For Week 7’s Game of the Week, viewers were treated with a battle featuring one of the biggest rivalries in the league between Mavs Gaming and Celtics Crossover Gaming. This rivalry dates back to the league’s inaugural draft where these two squads held the first and second picks (Dimez and oFab), and the bad blood has continued over the past two seasons. Unlike other campaigns, the Celtics entered Friday in unfamiliar territory as the only team that’s yet to notch a series win. At 7-3, Mavs Gaming would be playoff-bound if the season ended today, and it would seem that the one-dimensional attack of oFab and the Celtics would have no chance against the Mavs and Dimez, whose move to shooting guard has only amped up his numbers when he faces off against a non-lock-down defender. The series ended with the Celtics staring at an 0-9 record, as the Mavs swept them, 2-0.

Game 1 was all Mavs, as they jumped out to a 24-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. Dimez took a back seat as Sherm and PeteBeBallin spurred on the offense. The Mavs never gave up the lead in the entire contest, as oFab continued to lack the support he needed from the rest of the lineup. In their hunt to nail down a reliable 3-point threat to relieve oFab, they only converted 30 percent of their eight shots from long range. The Celtics’ woes continued throughout the game, and they succumbed to an 84-51 blowout. Sherm led the Mavs with 26 points, four assists and four steals and PeteBeBallin owned the paint with a 20-point, 10-rebound. oFab remained the one-man show for the Celtics with 22 points and nine assists.

As expected, the Mavs got hot quickly in Game 2 as Sherm put up 10 quick points by himself to take a 10-2 lead. The Celtics were giving the Mavs multiple looks from beyond the arc and they took full advantage in the early minutes. The Celtics charged back, however, as oFab got some much-needed help from MEL EAST to help balance their lop-sided offensive scheme. It was PeteBeBallin who made the biggest splash in the first half, as he racked up a 10-point, 12-rebound in the first half to give the Mavs a 38-30 lead at halftime. Although the third quarter didn’t result in a lopsided lead for the Mavs, they led by nine going into the final frame and it looked like CTX was destined for another depressing end. It’s not over until it’s over, and CTX took that to heart in the fourth, as they made an impressive charge to pull within one possession at one point in the final minutes, but the Mavs ultimately prevailed 66-60. Dimex bounced back with a 16-point, five-steal effort, but Sherm (22 points) and PeteBeBallin (14 points, 18 rebounds) led the way once again for the Mavs. oFab (22 points) got some much-needed perimeter help from MEL EAST and Bulleyy, who went for a combined 7-for-10 from beyond the arc in a losing effort.

The Mavs (8-3) will face Blazer5 Gaming in Week 8, while Celtics Crossover Gaming (0-9) will continue their quest for their first win against Bucks Gaming next week.