Mavericks-Rockets Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/23/09)
Dallas Mavericks 98 Houston Rockets 94

With the regular season opener just four days away, the Dallas Mavericks entered Houston with the goal of playing the preseason finale with regular season intensity.

Against the Southwest Division rival Houston Rockets, the Mavericks also wanted to send a clear message to a team that Dallas will see four times during the season. The message: The 2009-10 Mavericks are more athletic and a better defensive team than seasons past.

The message was sent and received, as the Mavericks escaped Houston with a 98-94 victory with toughness and clutch plays in the fourth quarter. With the win, Dallas finished the preseason with a 5-2 record.

"We are trying to establish a style and a disposition," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We will take this effort and in three days the ball goes up for real."

(Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)

Though the athleticism was on display in the first half, the defensive intensity was lacking.

With Erick Dampier away from the team (personal reasons), the Mavericks started a lineup of Drew Gooden, Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Quinton Ross and Jason Kidd. Marion returned to the lineup after missing 10 days with a mild strain to his right calf.

Behind 10 early points from Nowitzki, the Mavs jumped out to a 15-12 lead midway through the opening quarter. After Houston battled back to overtake Dallas for the lead, Marion's transition score plus the foul off the feed of Jason Terry gave Dallas a 27-24 advantage at the end of the first.

Nowitzki finished the quarter a perfect 6-for-6 for 14 points.

The second quarter started with a Kidd-to-Marion alley-oop connection. It was a sign of things to come.

"It was good to see Shawn back on the court," Kidd said. "He will make it easy and a lot of fun for us this season. I'm really glad to have him with us."

Marion's baseline drive and dunk with 6:42 remaining in the half gave the Mavs a 35-31 edge. The two teams then exchanged blows and the lead, with Houston taking a 45-43 advantage on a Trevor Ariza 3-pointer at the 3:13-mark.

After Nowitzki knotted the game at 45-all, the Rockets closed the half on an 11-3 run to take a 56-48 lead at the break.

Houston outshot Dallas 50 to 42 percent in the half, though the Mavericks owned the rebounding edge 26-18. Nowitzki and Marion kept the Mavs in the game with 32 combined first half points.

Resting and icing his nagging calf injury, Marion sat out the second half as J.J. Barea joined the four starters. With Barea in the game, the Mavs started the third quarter on a 10-2 run, tying the game at 58-all.

Gooden's bank shot with 7:47 remaining in the quarter gave the Mavs the lead, followed by a three-point play in transition from Nowitzki, and a technical foul conversion giving Dallas a 64-58 advantage.

By the end of the third quarter, it was clear that Dallas' defense had caught up with the offense, as the Mavs outscored the Rockets 33-20 in the period to take an 81-76 lead into the fourth quarter.

"In the second half our intensity was teriffic. In the first half our intensity was spotty. Houston took it to use in the second quarter and we got with it in the third quarter but we weren't where we want to be," Carlisle said.

In the final period the game looked like a rivalry, as things got testy when Gooden and the Rockets' Pops Mensah-Bonsu got into an altercation earning a double technical foul call with Dallas up 81-80 and 8:19 remaining in the game.

Gooden was originally told by the replacement referees officiating the game that he had been ejected. That decision was later reversed, around the same time that the news broke that the regular NBA referees had ended their month-long holdout, likely returning in time for the season opener.

"That was the first time that has ever happened to me," Gooden said of the incident. "I heard the music and was told I was gone and headed to the locker room. The refs must have figured they had missed something. I'm happy our refs reached an agreement. I wondered when I came back on the court if the fans would cheer me but they booed me instead."

The quarrel lit a fire in Dallas.

"It was good to see the intensity we played with. We had kind of missed shots and turned the ball over but it didn't affect our defense and that was a big key," Kidd said.

Kidd's bank shot with 4:21 remaining gave the Mavs an 88-85 lead. On the next possession Nowitzki's night ended early when the star picked up back-to-back technicals for arguing a foul call.

(Photo by Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nowitzki scored a game-high 32 points before an ejection in the 4th

Nursing an 88-87 lead, Carlisle called a 20-second timeout with 1:21 left. Out of the timeout, Kidd banked a long two-point shot with 1:01 remaining, leading to a Houston timeout.

Kris Humphries' 17-footer with 39.0 seconds remaining put the finishing touches on the win. After Carl Landry brought Houston to within three, Kidd secured the victory at the free throw line.

Dallas finished the game shooting 42 percent, holding Houston under 41 percent at the other end. The Mavs owned the glass as well, with a 50 to 40 rebounding edge. Both teams committed 18 turnovers.

Nowitzki finished with a game-high 32 points in 32 minutes before his ejection. Marion added 14 points in his first half action, and Kidd looked to be in midseason form with 14 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Gooden added a double-double in the paint with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Landry led Houston with 22 points.

"We really wanted to come out and win this game," Terry said. "We wanted to end the preseason on a positive note and get our confidence as high as possible for the start of the season. Houston played hard but we wanted to stay on top of them."



With the preseason now in the rearview, the Mavs turn their attention to the season opener on Oct. 27. Dallas opens the season at home against the Washington Wizards and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on FSN Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT.

Dallas has 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.

Mavericks-Rockets Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/23/09)
Dallas Mavericks (4-2) at Houston Rockets (4-3)

After a grueling Training Camp and six preseason games, the exhibition season comes to an end Friday night in Houston for the Dallas Mavericks.

Fittingly, the preseason concludes against the Houston Rockets, a Southwest Division foe and a team that the Mavericks will meet four times in the regular season.

(Glenn James/ NBAE via Getty Images)
Mavs end preseason play against the Rockets, before four games in the regular season

To the Mavs’ benefit, Dallas will have an opportunity to scout Houston up-close and personal, as the Rockets figure to play a different brand of basketball this season with center Yao Ming possibly missing the entire 2009-10 season with a foot injury. The Rockets’ up-tempo team should feature the return of Tracy McGrady and newcomer Trevor Ariza, who signed as a free agent with Houston this summer after winning an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“They’re going to play a little faster without (Yao Ming) and yet they’re still going to be a very persistent defensive team,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “If you look at their scores, they’ve had some very high-scoring games, so the three-point shot is going to be key. It‘s never going to be a picnic playing those guys.”

Dallas will also be inducting a newcomer into the lineup, as high-flyer Shawn Marion is expected to return to game action after missing 10 days with a mild strain to the right calf.

“There looks like it’s a pretty good chance he could play. So that will be good,” Carlisle said.

“Once I get loose, I think everything will be a lot easier and free-flowing,” Marion said about coming back from the nagging injury. “The adrenaline of the game will probably help loosen everything up, but other than that, I’m alright.”

With Marion coming back into the fold, and swingman Josh Howard targeting a possible return by the season opener from rehabbing after ankle surgery, the final preseason game is the last time the Mavs will have an opportunity to iron out their preseason wrinkles before the games count in the standings.

“We just need to get the little kinks out and get everything going so we can be ready for Tuesday,” Marion said in preparation for Dallas’ season opener on Oct. 27.

“We just need to use these last couples of days to do some fine-tuning,” Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki said. “The preseason is too long for us players anyways. We’re ready and looking forward to Tuesday.”

The Mavs and Rockets meet Friday night, with the game airing on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 7:30 p.m CT.

The regular season tips for the Mavs at home against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 27, and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS.

Dallas has 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.

Mavs Practice Report (10/22/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/22/09)
Mavs Practice Report

It’s been a mystery all preseason long, but in Thursday’s practice it became a reality.

For the first time the projected starters for the Dallas Mavericks were all together, as both Josh Howard and Shawn Marion joined Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier in the team’s scrimmage. It was also the first time the team got a glimpse of how explosive the lineup is in actuality and not merely on paper.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Marion could be flying high for Dallas again Friday night

“We’ve got a lot of weapons out there on that floor,” Marion said. “It’s just a matter of everybody just playing off of each other and just playing and having fun with each other.”

“We have a lot more options out there (with Marion and Howard both in the lineup). We’re very big and very athletic, and we’re going to be a very good defensive team this year. With everybody pressuring the ball a little bit more, getting active with their hands out there, you can see it.”

Howard has recently returned to practicing after off-season ankle and wrist surgeries, and Marion missed 10 days with a mild strain to his right calf.

While the goal is still for Howard to return to game action by the season opener on Oct. 27, Marion says he is ready to go and he expects to see time in Dallas’ final preseason game against the Houston Rockets on Friday night. Though practice is one thing, the two former All-Star players with resembling attributes may be learning how to play together on the fly once the regular season tips.

“Those guys are going to be playing a lot together this year and it’s work,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “From what I saw today, it’s definitely something that we can be successful with for periods of time, but it’s hard evaluating it on just one day.”

“Guys need to play together to get a real feel for each other, but we have a veteran team and these guys all have a pretty good feel for the game and what they can all do individually. We’ll make it work. I’m extremely optimistic and we’re just sorting out our health issues.”

For now, the sight of both Marion and Howard in a Dallas uniform is just a pipe dream as the Mavs prepare for there final preseason test.

After resting the key rotation players against Cleveland in a 30-point slashing Tuesday night, the Mavericks are expected to play all of their healthy players against the Rockets in a final tune-up before the season opener.

“We’re trying to win the game. There’s one left before the regular season and I’m sure Houston will be trying to win it as well, so it will be a good test for us,” Carlisle said.

Not looking pass Friday night’s contest, Nowitzki is hoping the team can put forth an impressive showing with the season and home opener on the horizon. After getting off to a 2-7 start to last season, the Mavericks’ leading scorer says the final exhibition game could be key to getting off to a quicker start.

“Obviously, we would love to have a good game tomorrow and get everybody involved and have everybody feel good about themselves. But Tuesday is when it starts and that’s when we have to be sharp. I think it’s good that we’re are starting at home to get the home crowd into it,” Nowitzki said in anticipation of the season opener.

The Mavs and Rockets meet Friday night, with the game airing on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 7:30 p.m CT.

The regular season tips for the Mavs at home against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 27, and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS.

Dallas has 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.

Mavericks-Cavaliers Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/20/09)
Mavericks 66 Cavaliers 96

With the regular season just a week away, if the Dallas Mavericks were going to run their preseason winning streak to five it would be without their probable starters come the season opener.

The Mavs' traditional starters and marquee names were not in the rotation, as Dallas fell 96-66 to the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday night. With Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and sixth man Jason Terry sitting out to rest, and with Shawn Marion and Josh Howard rehabbing before the season opener, to say that Dallas was shorthanded would be an understatement.

"It’s tough to play, especially when you’re short-staffed," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We didn’t have a lot to work with. Cleveland had a couple of good runs and that made it tough.”

(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kris Humphries posted 20 points and grabbed nine points in the loss

Starting a lineup of J.J. Barea, Matt Carroll, Quinton Ross, Drew Gooden and Erick Dampier, the Mavericks got off to a slow start at the Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Cleveland, playing their full compliment of players including reigning MVP LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal, jumped out to an early 8-2 lead in the opening quarter.

Midway through the quarter the Mavs climbed back to within one, down 11-10, but the Cavs finished the first up 25-18 after Dallas connected on just 5-of-19 shots from the floor in the period.

The Cavs' lead grew to 13 in the second quarter on a Daniel Gibson 3-pointer with 8:46 left in the game, but the Mavs stuck around behind the play of Carroll, Gooden and Kris Humphries.

Gooden's reverse layup with 5:13 remaining in the half trimmed the deficit to 38-31. Still the strength of the Cavs' starters was too much, as James' fadeaway jumper with 29.5 seconds left, followed by a Mo Williams jumper with 2.1 seconds left in the half gave Cleveland its largest lead at 51-34 headed into the break.

Dallas shot just 32 percent in the first half, while Cleveland connected on 45 percent. Carroll led all scorers with 12 points in the first 24 minutes of play, while James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas paced the Cavs with 10 points, respectively.

The Cavs started the second half much like the start of the game, on a 20-2 run (18 unanswered) to take a 71-36 lead. All told, Cleveland led by as much as 39 in the third and outscored Dallas 32-16 in period to take an 83-50 advantage into the final period.

Despite outscoring Cleveland 16-13 in the fourth, the Mavs were unable to avoid the 30-point loss.

“We dropped our heads when our shots weren’t going down. But when we look at it, on a positive, we won the fourth quarter," Carlisle said.

The Mavericks shot just 34 percent in the loss, while the Cavaliers knocked down 46 percent at the other end. Dallas also lost the rebounding edge 50-41, while struggling from behind the three-point arch by shooting 4-of-18 from long range.

“We didn’t play all that well tonight, but these games are good for the regular season and we know that," Ross said. "We didn’t make a lot of shots tonight, but we’ll be good to go for the season.”

Humphries finished with a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds, while Carroll added 17 points. Gooden was the third Mav in double-figures scoring, with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Ilgauskas and Williams led the Cavaliers with 16 points apiece.

Dallas finishes the preseason Friday night on the road against the Southwest Division rival Houston Rockets, with the game airing on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 7:30 p.m.

The regular season tips for the Mavs at home against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 27, and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS.

Dallas has 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.

Mavericks-Cavaliers Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/20/09)
Dallas Mavericks (4-1) at Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3)

Certain games are statement games.

Certain games are measuring sticks.

Though it is just the sixth preseason game, the Dallas Mavericks’ matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers is the ladder. Facing a lineup that figures to contend for an NBA title, the Mavs are looking at Tuesday night’s Cavs game as a precursor to the regular season opener on Oct. 27.

“It’s preseason, but then again it’s a team that you could see in the Finals,” Mavs sixth man Jason Terry said about the Cleveland game. “So you definitely want to go out and play your hardest, trying to tune up and get ready for that 27th. That’s the big day.”



Despite defeating the Cavaliers 93-82 Saturday night at home on the American Airlines Center floor, the Mavericks know they didn’t face a truly formidable opponent with Cleveland superstars LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal out of the lineup.

Now the Mavs are gearing up to see both James and O’Neal, while also using their second to last preseason game as an opportunity to play key rotation players major minutes with the regular season just a week away.

The Mavs have won four straight in the preseason, but with just one preseason game remaining after Tuesday night, the team has begun to make the transition from the exhibition season to games that will count in the standings.

“Playing against Cleveland tonight gives us the opportunity to compete against a top team and get better,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the team’s morning shootaround.

The Mavs meet the Cavs at the Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. The game will air on HD NET at 6:30 p.m. CT. Dallas finishes the preseason on the road on Oct. 23 against the Southwest Division rival Houston Rockets, with the game airing on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 7:30 p.m.

Dallas tips-off the regular season at home against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 27, and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS.

Dallas has 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.

Mavs Practice Report (10/19/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/19/09)
Mavs Practice Report

In preparation of the team's rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night, a business-like Dallas Mavericks squad took the practice court Monday.

Expecting to see a much different Cleveland team than the one Dallas beat 93-82 Saturday night, the Mavs are looking at the second matchup with the Cavs as a regular season tune-up. Cleveland is expected to have their full lineup in action, including reigning MVP LeBron James and new addition Shaquille O'Neal, after many of the Cavs' key contributors sat out of Saturday's loss.

"I'm pretty certain Cleveland will have all their guys, based on my conversation with (Cavs coach) Mike Brown," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "They're a top team either way, so it's a great test for us."

Even if the Cavs play their full rotation, the Mavericks are very confident that they can claim a victory and run their streak of consecutive preseason wins to five. One reason for Dallas' high spirits is their overall team depth and the play of the Mavericks' bench this preseason.

One of the top scoring reserve units in the NBA a season ago, the Mavericks may have even more depth than last season with the acquitions of Drew Gooden, Kris Humphries, Rodrigue Beaubois and Quinton Ross to play alongside reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry and key reserve J.J. Barea.

Now the Dallas second unit is solidified, providing multiple skilled players at every position.


(Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
J.J. Barea and the Mavs' bench are proving to be a strength for Dallas this season

"When we get in the game, we just try to make plays and play with a lot of energy," Barea said of the bench play. "I think we have one of the best benches in the league."

The contributions off of the bench and the team's versatility has eased the tension of a mild strain to Shawn Marion's right calf, and it has allowed both Josh Howard and Tim Thomas to take their time rehabbing from surgeries this past offseason.

"We've got a lot of guys that can play a lot of positions, so we're constantly tweaking lineups during practice. There are some guys that play both perimeter and post positions, and those guys are having to get a lot more reps than the rest of them," Carlisle said.

While Carlisle and his coaching staff are encouraged by the four straight wins in the exhibition season, when the coach looks at the big picture he still sees a lot the team has to work on before the regular season opener on Oct. 27.

"Look, we're winning the games but these are exhibition games. So you have to look at how you're playing whether you're winning or losing. You can't fall into the trap of if you win a game all is well, because that's not the case. You have to be honest and self-critical and study the things you can do better even when you win. That's what we've been doing."

The Mavs will try to continue to get better when they meet the Cavs at the Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. The game will air on HD NET at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Mavs finish the preseason on the road on Oct. 23 against the Southwest Division rival Houston Rockets, with the game airing on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 7:30 p.m.

Dallas tips-off the regular season at home against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 27, and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS.

Dallas has 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.

Practice Report 10/18/09

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/18/09)
Mavs Practice Report

The Dallas Mavericks will be the first to tell you that Saturday night’s 93-82 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers was a mirage.

With the Cavs resting LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal and eight other key rotation players, the Mavs were still strongly opposed by Cleveland reserves. The full Cavalier lineup will be in action when the two teams meet again on Tuesday night on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, giving Dallas the test of stopping a team expected to contend for the Eastern Conference championship and possibly an NBA title.

“Cleveland is going to have their whole team on Tuesday,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “(Cleveland coach) Mike Brown told me that before the game. We’re hopeful that we have our team, or as many guys that are available. They were tough to beat without those guys (James, O’Neal and the Cavalier supporting cast). So, it’s the kind of test we need.”

Carlisle is merely hopeful that his squad has as many players available for Tuesday’s game because it is the team’s second to last preseason matchup, the game that most coaches decide to play their starters and key reserves extended minutes before resting the final exhibition game in preparation for the season opener. It is a luxury that Carlisle doesn’t know if he will have as Shawn Marion (calf), Josh Howard (ankle) and Tim Thomas (knee) continue to rehab.

“As the preseason goes along and you get down to the last couple of games, normally you start looking at what your rotation is going to be and stretching those guys out to a few more minutes than you had been playing them,” Carlisle said.

“Being mindful of it being a 181-day season, three or four games a week, and I’d like to have everyone playing full-board today. But when that’s not the case, you just have to piece it together. You have to get the guys healthy that have injuries. You just have to work towards getting it all in place.”

(Glenn James/ NBAE via Getty Images)
One guy that will be ready to go regardless of whether he starts or plays just a handful of minutes in the game will be forward Kris Humphries, who has shown a high propensity to score, rebound and take care of the Mavs’ grunt work in the paint.

“He’s been pretty steady. I’m greedy, I want him to play better and better. He needs to be an energizer guy for us off the bench. He’s going to give us really quality depth at the big positions,” Carlisle said of the former Minnesota standout.

“You’ve got a handful of guys that shoot the three really well. You’ve got guys that penetrate and distribute the ball. Then you have guys that are going to have to run the floor, dive on the floor, rebound and bring a little extra that sometimes guys that play a lot more minutes have a tougher time doing night in and night out,” Humphries said referring to himself as the ladder.

Humphries said Saturday’s game was a hard game to play, citing the difficultly in game-planning against players for Cleveland that Dallas hasn’t seen before. He does however expect Tuesday night’s matchup to have more of a regular season feel and physicality.

“If you look at this game, there’s not going to be anything that’s the same,” Humphries said comparing the Cleveland lineup from Saturday to the one Dallas expects to see Tuesday. “The intensity. If they play their full rotation of guys, I’m sure we will probably do the same.”

The Mavs and Cavs meet on Tuesday night at the Petersen Events Center. The game will air on HD NET at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Mavs then finish the preseason on Oct. 23 in Houston against the rival Rockets, with the game airing on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 7:30 p.m.

Dallas tips-off the regular season at home against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 27, and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS.

Dallas has 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.