Much ado has been made over the Dallas Mavericks' playoff experience — or decided lack thereof.
The Jazz, though, had a postseason neophyte of their own in Saturday's Game 1 of the opening-round series between the Western Conference's No. 4 and 5 seeds.
Starting small forward Donyell Marshall's six seasons with Golden State were all complete before this time of year, when the NBA's real season (as ridiculously long as the regular one) gets under way.
That much was evident from the opening tip Saturday, when Marshall's shake wasn't exactly a celebration shimmy.
Welcome to the playoffs, son.
"I was very nervous when the game started," Marshall said immediately after Utah's 88-86 victory over the Mavs, a team playing in its first postseason game since 1990.
"I think I was pretty nervous until halftime, actually," he added. "After I went in, the guys told me to 'settle down and just go out there and play; just be aggressive,' and I think I was able to settle down a little bit."
Now that he has, Marshall has sent an eviction notice to that butterfly bunking in his belly.
He expects it long-gone by the start of tonight's Game 2 at the Delta Center.
"I think I got the nervousness out," he said later, the excitement of a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double having settled in. "Now, it's just like starting a whole new season again.
"I think the first-game jitters are done," Marshall added. "I know it's time for me to come out here and play, and I know I'm going to have to be a lot more aggressive than I was (Saturday)."
Marshall shot just 1-of-5 and had only 2 of his 12 points in the opening half of Game 1. He missed a layup, goofed up a dunk, got blocked by 7-foot-6 Mavs center Shawn Bradley — and that was all before the break.
What really got his dander, though, was a third-quarter jam that got rejected — by the back of the rim.
"I think I was just trying to dunk it too hard," he said.
A couple minutes later, though, Jazz point guard John Stockton touch-passed the rebound of a Karl Malone miss to Marshall for a monster slam over a wincing Bradley. This one went in, and Marshall made the free throw that followed.
Welcome to the playoffs, son.
"The intensity in the playoffs is way different than in the regular season," Marshall said. "Actually, it's just a better intensity than the regular season. I felt good to be out there."
The jitters, though, don't go away after just one nice play.
With the Jazz leading 87-86 and just 3.3 seconds to go Saturday, Marshall recovered Malone's strip of Dirk Nowitzki. Fouled by Juwan Howard, the ex-Warrior went to the line for two huge free throws.
The last time Marshall stood at the stripe feeling this much pressure, Florida was playing his University of Connecticut Huskies in the 1994 NCAA Tournament. With the game on the line, he missed both freebies.
Florida went on to the Final Four. The Huskies went home. Marshall went pro.
On Saturday, when Marshall missed his first, a flashback was inevitable.
"I was kind of nervous on that, as well. There was a similar situation when I was in college, and actually I missed both free throws (then)," he said. "I was just trying to make sure (this time) that I made at least one of these two and (gave) our team the best chance of winning."
A question to referees from an official at the Jazz's home-court scoring table resulted in a delay before his second shot Saturday.
Iced by his own house.
To melt the tension, one of the Jazz's playoff vets made a funny.
"Stockton is laughing at me, just telling me to loosen up and stuff," Marshall said. "I think that was able to help me relax when I took the shot."
Marshall's shot went in. The Jazz went on to win. And that butterfly went looking for a new home.
Welcome to the playoffs, son.
E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com