Utah Jazz (1-2) at Dallas Mavericks (2-1)
Early-season winning streaks can often determine late-season success and playoff positioning.
The Dallas Mavericks know that as well as any team in the NBA, after battling uphill a season ago from a 2-7 start to a 50-win season. Now the Mavs, winners of two straight, hope to run their winning streak to three against the Utah Jazz at home Tuesday night before a divisional road test Wednesday night in New Orleans.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Slowing down Deron Williams is Dallas' top priority
"Tonight we're going to have an extremely motivated team coming in here, and we're going to have to be ready," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the team's morning shootaround. "We're going to have to play like we did the last couple of games in L.A. and carry that into tonight. Anything less and we're going to be in trouble."
"(The Jazz)are good in all areas. They're a very good transition team. They rebound the heck out of it. They're one of the top two or three every year in second shots and second chance points, so there are a lot of challenges."
Dallas is catching Utah on the back end of a back-to-back, after the Jazz lost 113-96 at home to the Houston Rockets on Monday night. Coming off of the lost, Carlisle expects the Jazz to be playing with a lot of energy and effort when they touch the American Airlines Center floor. The Mavericks were just in the same position following a season-opening loss to Washington at home before consecutive wins in Los Angeles against the Lakers and Clippers.
"We kind of can look at this as them being in the same position that we were in, losing at home and then going out on the road," Kidd said.
The first challenge will be slowing down Jazz point guard Deron Williams. The lead guard is one of the best scoring and assists combination guards in the league, and is deadly when Utah runs its patented pick-and-roll offense. The responsibility of stopping Williams will first fall to Jason Kidd, with Quinton Ross likely seeing time on the former standout from The Colony.
"Deron Williams is one of the best players in the game, so it's going to take a total team effort," Carlisle said.
"For us, Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur are all talented," Kidd said. "So we're going to have our hands full tonight."
Dallas hosts Utah tonight at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on FSN Southwest.
The Mavs have also introduced the “MavsU” program, designed to offer college and university students an opportunity to attend Mavs games at a discounted rate. The Mavericks and Genghis Grill have teamed to offer discounted tickets to students for many upcoming games.
To purchase any MavsU ticket and receive a coupon for a free bowl at Genghis simply call 214-747-MAVS or visit Mavs.com.
Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
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