Mavericks-Clippers Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/31/09)
Dallas Mavericks 93 at Los Angeles Clippers 84

After getting perhaps the most impressive win of any team in the young season on Friday night, it would have been easy for the Dallas Mavericks to take the Los Angeles Clippers lightly just one night later.

Instead the Mavericks looked to make themselves right at home at the Staples Center for the second straight night, after a 14-point defeat of the Lakers one night earlier on the same floor. Though it wasn't easy, Dallas escaped L.A. with another notch in the win column after squeaking out a 93-84 victory against the Clippers on Saturday night.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Jason Terry, bench scoring pushed Dallas to the 93-84 win


"Our concentration and attitude was great coming into this game," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We knew this was going to be a tough game. The Clippers are a much better team than their record reflects."

"Everybody knew that last night was last night, today was a big game," point guard Jason Kidd said. "We found out that we could play great defense, we were able to carry that over tonight and with that we were able to win."

For the third straight game, Carlisle went with a starting lineup of Kidd, Quinton Ross, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier. The Mavericks' bench would be just as important as the starters by night's end.

The Mavs were without big man Drew Gooden after the forward suffered a muscle strain to his right rib cage in the win over the Lakers. Gooden will have an MRI done when the team returns to Dallas on Sunday.

Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Dallas came out with tired legs and the Clippers capitalized behind the play of Chris Kaman and Eric Gordon. Midway through the opening quarter the Clippers owned a 16-10 lead with 14 combined points coming from Kaman and Gordon. The Mavericks found their "second legs," tallying eight unanswered points to take the lead.

L.A. surged back on top when backup point guard Sebastian Telfair entered the game and ignited the Clippers' bench, as the quarter ended with L.A. up 27-23. The Mavs' fatigue was evident, as Dallas hit on just 7-of-22 shots in the period.

The two teams exchanged blow for blow to start the second quarter, but Dallas' depth began to show its strength when J.J. Barea and Kris Humphries' two-man game started to take effect. The back and forth continued until the final minutes of the first half.

Dallas closed the half in horrible fashion, with consecutive turnovers. The first turned into an easy transition score for Baron Davis. The next time down, Kidd's Hail Mary pass was stolen and taken in for a three-point play by Kaman after Kidd committed a blocking foul.

The Mavs were then bailed out by the Clippers when Telfair fouled Jason Terry on a 3-point attempt. Telfair then earned a technical foul for arguing the call. Down four, Dallas connected on all four free throws to tie the game at 55-all heading into the halftime break.

Although L.A. out-shot Dallas 49 to 42 percent, and won the rebounding edge 25-19, the Mavs stayed in the game by forcing 11 turnovers while only having four giveaways of their own.

Kaman led all scorers with 19 points in the half, while Nowitzki and Marion led the way for Dallas with 12 points apiece.

Looking for more offense, Carlisle went with Terry instead of Ross at the shooting guard spot to start the second half. The threat of another scorer on the court seemed to be enough, as Dallas' high-tempo offense from Friday night returned to push the Mavs to a 66-62 lead midway through the third after a Kidd-to-Dampier alley-oop connection. That was followed by a Terry steal and breakaway dunk at the other end on the next possession.

All told, Dallas outscored L.A. 25-16 in the third, holding a lead as large as 12 in the period before taking an 80-71 advantage into the fourth quarter.

The Clippers started the final period on a 7-2 run (10-2 from the end of the third) , prompting a timeout from Carlisle after Telfair found Gordon on the wing for a 3-pointer with 9:38 left and the Mavs' lead dwindled to four. The Clippers run continued, as L.A. knotted the game at 82-all, but Terry's 3-pointer with 5:06 remaining quieted the hometown crowd.

The Mavericks' defense then came to life, as Kidd took an offensive foul from Gordon square in the chest, leading to a Terry score to put Dallas up three (87-84) with 2:56 left.

Kidd connected on another highlight reel play with Dampier above the rim, putting Dallas up by five and the Mavs never looked back. Back-to-back offensive rebounds from Kidd allowed Dallas to run valuable time off the clock, while L.A. committed consecutive costly turnovers in the final minute. The Mavs then turned to their former league MVP to ice the game, and Nowitzki came through, sinking a fadeaway jumper with 29.5 seconds left. Despite only scoring 13 points in the fourth, the Mavericks held on for the 93-84 win.

"The home team is always going to make runs, but its important to keep your composure. The game came down to the fourth quarter and we got 11 stops of the last 12 possessions. That shows us that we have what it takes to win games," Carlisle said of the team's ability to close out the win.

All three starting frontline players for Dallas scored in double figures, as Nowitzki scored a team-high 24 points, Marion added 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Dampier came up big in Gooden's absence with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Dampier also defended the paint with three blocks. Kidd's 10 assists benefited Dampier the most.

"If he sees an opening he throws it there," Dampier said of Kidd. "He keeps our team going, if a player is open he will find them."

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year was also the beneficiary of Kidd's vision. Picking up where he left off last year, Terry finished with 16 points off the Dallas bench. The Maverick reserves outscored their Clipper counterparts 34-18.

Kaman led the Clippers with a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Dallas finished the game shooting 42 percent to offset L.A.'s 43 percent. The Mavs hit just 3-of-14 from 3-point range, but Dallas won the battle on the glass by out-rebounding L.A. 44-42. The Mavs also forced the Clippers into 18 turnovers off 11 steals, while only committing 11 turnovers of their own.

"Our defense was the key tonight. It wasn’t as good as last night’s game, we will be working on that for the next couple of games," Dampier said.



After going a perfect 2-for-2 on their Southern California road trip, the Mavs improved to 2-1 on the season. Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center and face the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night 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.

Mavericks-Clippers Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/31/09)
Dallas Mavericks (1-1) at Los Angeles Clippers (0-3)

Though it was only Game 2-of-82, the Dallas Mavericks made a statement with their 94-80 road win over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers Friday night.

With little time to celebrate, the Mavericks hit the court again Saturday night to meet the Lakers' co-tenants, the L.A. Clippers. After grabbing their first win of the young season, the Mavs may have established an identity as a tough-minded, defensive-oriented, transition-scoring ball club.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Mavs hope to sweep their 2-game L.A. trip

"It is just a win, and game two, so if it helps us confidence-wise then we know we can play with the best," point guard Jason Kidd said after the win over the Lakers. "We have another one Saturday night in this building, so we have to prepare now for the Clippers."

Though it will only show up as just one win in the standings, the confidence the Mavs can take from the win will never show up on the stat sheet. Now the Mavericks have to avoid a letdown against the team that received the No. 1 overall pick in June's NBA Draft.

While that draft pick, former Oklahoma standout Blake Griffin, will be out of action for up to six weeks with a stress fracture of his left kneecap, the Clippers still possess a potent scorer in Baron Davis and great post players in Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman.

If Davis can remain healthy and Griffin returns to display his top-notch ability, the Clippers are expected to be a much-improved team from a squad that won just 19 games last season.



Still Mavs coach Rick Carlisle saw enough Friday night to convince him that this Mavericks team can compete with anyone because of their team chemistry and desire to be the best.

"I have great belief in these guys," Carlisle said. "I know how much they want to win, I know how much they love to win, and I know how much they love playing together. We just have to keep working on the mindset. That’s the biggest thing."

Dallas plays its second consecutive game at the Staples Center on Saturday night against the Clippers, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 9:30 p.m. CT.

Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Lakers Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/30/09)
Dallas Mavericks 94 at Los Angeles Lakers 80

If the Mavericks were concerned about a carry-over effect from their season-opening loss at home to Washington then the Los Angeles Lakers couldn't tell.

The Mavericks, who had lost six straight to the defending champions at the Staples Center, served notice to the Lakers and the rest of the league that Dallas can play with anyone, on any night, with a 94-80 road win.

"It feels great," Dirk Nowitzki said after the win. "We have not won in this building in it feels like forever, so for us to come in and play well, especially after we lost the season opener at home. We took that pretty hard. So it was great, we came together and played hard together, we played well defensively and competed.”

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Dallas' defense kept Kobe Bryant quiet all night

After criticizing his team's energy and effort on the defensive end following the Washington loss, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle saw a completely different squad take the court Friday night, as the Dallas defense kept superstar Kobe Bryant under wraps and held the Lakers to just 35 points in the second half.

"I just liked the way we played from start to finish," Carlisle said. "Our activity defensively was superior to what it was the other night at our first game. We just had a real determined collective mindset tonight and it showed in how we played overall. It's big. Every game is going to be tough in the West -- every game, home or away. So every win is precious and we certainly needed it."

Modeling their new alternate road uniforms for the first time, the Mavericks once again started a lineup of Jason Kidd, Quinton Ross, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier. It was the same lineup that began the season-opening 102-91 loss to the Wizards, but the lineup played with much more energy the second time around.

"The ball is not always going to go in the basket. It didn’t go in the basket the first game. If we played with this kind of attitude in the first game, it could’ve been a different outcome. The first game was a lesson learned and we just have to continue to build," Carlisle said.

With L.A. struggling to knock down shots to start the game, the Lakers stuck around due to the Mavs' inability to defend L.A.'s length and rebounding ability in the paint. L.A. grabbed six offensive rebounds in the quarter, but Marion scored in the lane seemingly at will early to push Dallas to a 15-12 lead midway through the opening period.

After the Mavs turned defense into easy offense on their way to a 24-18 advantage, Lakers guard Jordan Farmar connected on a 3-pointer with 4.0 seconds left in the quarter to cut the Dallas lead to three at the end of one. Dallas held L.A. to under 35 percent shooting in the quarter while hitting on better than 44 percent on offense.

In the second quarter the Mavericks began to solve the rebounding problem that kept the Lakers in the game.

"I think what helped us were the rebounds, we started making sure we got the rebounds," Marion said. "From the second quarter on we just focused on getting points."



The Maverick reserves gave the team a boost early in the second quarter, after a James Singleton 3-pointer and Kris Humphries jumper put Dallas up 31-23 with 9:15 left in the half.

"We went deep in the bench tonight and everybody gave us good minutes and I thought that was the key as well," Carlisle said.

L.A. responded with a 9-2 run to knot the game at 33-all. But Dallas wasn't about to lay down, as Nowitzki sent a message to the Lakers when his screen in the backcourt sent Shannon Brown to the floor.

The play energized the Dallas bench and later in the period Kidd found sixth man Jason Terry in the corner for a 3-pointer, lifting the Mavs to a 40-37 advantage and putting the reigning Sixth Man of the Year into double-figures scoring in the half.

Nowitzki's first field goal of the half came with just 2:26 left, but his driving score over Lamar Odom gave Dallas a 46-39 lead. The half ended with the Mavs up 52-45.

With both teams shooting around 42 percent in the half, Dallas surged ahead by getting to the charity stripe, knocking down 15-of-18 at the foul line and taking 13 more free throws than the Lakers in the first 24 minutes of play. The Mavs' defense suffocated the Lakers on the perimeter, holding Bryant to just 11 points in the first half and stifling L.A. to 4-for-13 from 3-point range.

"We were very aggressive and it showed in the number of times we got to the free throw line, in the number of deflections we got defensively. This is going to be the key to our success if we’re persistent, particularly at the defensive end and execute," Carlisle said.

"It was a team effort and it was something we had been working on in Training Camp and we played great team defense tonight," Kidd said of the defensive execution.

The Dallas energy level picked up in the third and the Lakers began to unravel.

With the Mavericks up nine early in the third, Kidd's defensive pressure in the backcourt forced an offensive foul on Ron Artest. It was Artest's fourth personal foul, leading the combustible forward to argue the call and pick up a technical foul. With the Lakers out of sorts, Nowitzki began to come alive with back-to-back jumpers to give Dallas a 60-47 advantage with 8:39 left in the third.

Dallas continued to own the third quarter when the lead ballooned to 19 on a Terry 3-pointer with 3:44 left in the third. The Mavs led by as much as 22 before taking a 78-60 advantage into the final quarter. Dallas outscored L.A. 26-15 in the third quarter, with eight points in the quarter coming from a rejuvenated Nowitzki.

From the end of the third into the early stage of the fourth, the Lakers used a 10-0 run to cut the Mavs' lead to 12, capping with a dunk-tip putback from Brown with 9:39 remaining.

Knowing that Bryant would be looking to take the game over in the fourth, Carlisle and the Mavericks went to a zone on defense to throw multiple bodies Bryant's way. The strategy worked.

"I think we did a decent job with Kobe, I think in the fourth we knew he was going to try and take the game over and we zoned him up a bit and that really helped," Nowitzki said. "He couldn’t go to his spots he usually wants to go to make his shots, so that was a great call by coach."

With the Mavs struggling to score on offense, Kidd and Marion took charge.

First the veteran point guard penetrated and found a cutting Marion for a running floater in the lane. The next time down the court, Kidd picked up assist No. 11 on an alley-oop feed to a baseline-cutting Marion for the spectacular finish. Marion picked up a tip-in off a Barea miss before his fourth straight score, a runner off the feed of Barea, put Dallas up 88-71 with 5:07 left.

As Dallas seized control, both teams emptied their benches late and the Mavs secured the 14-point win.

The Mavericks shot 41 percent in the win, while holding the Lakers under 40 percent. After struggling on the glass early, Dallas won the rebounding battle 46-40.

After a 1-for-6 first half, Nowitzki finished with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds. It was his 27th straight game with 20-plus points, which is the longest streak of its kind in the NBA.

Marion finished with 18 points and six rebounds, while Terry posted 16 points and Barea added 12 of the Mavs' bench. Bryant led the Lakers with 20 points, but shot just 6-of-19 in the loss.

"We’re getting into the habit of playing hard and playing persistently on the defensive end and we’re going to keep working on it," Carlisle said of the effort his team displayed in the win. "The first game was extremely disappointing but in the big picture, I have great belief in these guys. I know how much they want to win, I know how much they love to win, and I know how much they love playing together. We just have to keep working on the mindset. That’s the biggest thing."

"It is a big win character-wise for this team, because we kind of had a flat game at home so this is a confidence booster for us," Kidd said. "But it is just a win and game two so if it helps us confidence-wise then we know we can play with the best. We have another one Saturday night in this building so we have to prepare now for the Clippers.”

Dallas now makes its second straight appearance at the Staples Center, playing the L.A. Clippers on Saturday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 9:30 p.m. CT.

The Mavs return to the American Airlines Center on Nov. 3 to face the Utah Jazz 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.

Mavericks-Lakers Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/30/09)
Dallas Mavericks (0-1) at Los Angeles Lakers (1-0)

Getting a road win in the NBA is never easy.

It becomes especially difficult when you are attempting to claim a victory on the road against the defending NBA champions. So is the case for the Dallas Mavericks (0-1) when they head into the Staples Center Friday night to meet the Los Angeles Lakers (1-0). It is the first of two games on back-to-back nights for Dallas in the arena, as the Mavs meet the L.A. Clippers on the same hardwood floor on Saturday night.

But first things first for the Mavericks, as Dallas may be facing its most formidable opponent on the schedule in the Lakers, albeit in the second game of the young season. After showcasing strong execution and a high-tempo offense to produce a 5-2 exhibition season, the Mavericks struggled to rekindle that success when they fell 102-91 in their season opener against the Washington Wizards. The team will try to get back to that winning formula against the Lakers, starting with better effort and harder play.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Mavs' effort and defense must pick up against the Lakers


"Playing hard is about habits," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We worked very hard in the preseason on the habits that translate to consistent hard play, consistent strong disposition, consistent physical presence and playing with a physical disposition. We took a step back in the Washington game. That was disappointing but you have to learn from it and get better. That's where we are."

"We have to go to L.A. and compete. We definitely have to play harder at both ends of the court," forward Dirk Nowitzki said. "Making some shots usually helps. So we'll see how that goes."

Shooting under 40 percent, the Mavericks' inability to knock down shots proved to be their downfall against the Wizards. Once the jump shots were not falling it affected both the Dallas defense and all-around game plan.

As the Mavs struggled to get back in the game late, Washington used Dallas' over-aggression against themselves. Over-rotating and getting out of position allowed the Washington scorers to see open look after open look. Nowitzki said that can not be the case, neither against the Lakers or going forward in the season.

"We blew some coverages defensively and we were all over the place. Even when we got the coverages right, we didn't execute the way we normally can. We just have to pick up our energy and our bench has to come in and change the rhythm for us if the starters are not going well. So I think as a team we have to collectively play better," Nowitzki said.



The Mavs and Lakers meet on Friday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD and nationally on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. CT. Dallas then plays the Clippers on Saturday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 9:30 p.m. CT.

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Nov. 3 to face the Utah Jazz 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.

Mavs Practice Report (10/29/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/29/09)
Mavs Practice Report

Slowing down arguably the NBA's best player and the league's best team was impossible for all of the 29 other squads last season. The Dallas Mavericks were no exception.

The Mavs failed, as did everyone else, in their efforts to contain Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers last season, as the "Lake Show" went on to when the NBA title and claim championship banner No. 15. The Lakers swept the Mavericks last season en route to the championship.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)


If the Mavericks are going to enter the Staples Center and escape with their first win of the season, making things tough for Bryant and forcing other members of the defending champions to step up will be key in doing so.

"You want to take away the really clean, wide-open looks," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said is the secret to keeping Bryant's impact to a minimum. "He's so good at just raising up and getting a shot that you have to try to put him under some duress. And you have to try to have some help ready. At certain times of the game, he's going to look to take the game over and you don't want him to beat you single-handily."

"He's as good a player that we have in this league, and they're the World Champions, so it's a tough game but it's also an opportunity for us to play better and we're also trying to get on the board with a win."

A successful night for Dallas may fall in hoping to merely contain Bryant's output, while trying to force the other Lakers to when the game.

In addition to Bryant, new Laker Ron Artest is another player that Carlisle and the coaching staff is hoping to key in on. Carlisle may know Artest's game better than most in the league after coaching the combustible, yet versatile, forward when the two were with the Indiana Pacers.

When the coach studied film of his former player, he noticed that Artest has been a willing and able facilitator of the basketball, though he still possesses the ability to score and rebound with the best in the league.

"Artest is a great passer. He's a tremendous inside player. He's a very good shooter out to three. He can play the total game. He's going to be able to do a lot of different things for them," Carlisle said.

Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki echoed Carlisle's sentiments.

"He's a tough guy," Nowitzki said of Artest. "He can shoot, take you off the dribble, can post some and he's a great defender. He's one of the best all-around players we have at the three (small forward) position. He definitely adds to that team that was already World Champions."

Still, the coach and No. 41 both know that relying on off nights from Bryant and Artest will not lead to a win. If the Mavericks are to be successful against the Lakers, Dallas must be clicking on all cylinders.

"The key is we're going to have to play at our highest level, in terms of our physical capacity. We're going to have to play smart and tough. We're going to have to screen well. We're going to have to get back and we're going to have to rebound well. You can't have any weakness in your game playing the Lakers. You're going to have to be good in all areas to beat them," Carlisle said.

"We're just going to go in there and hopefully play a little harder, play a little better, make some shots and go from there," Nowitzki said.

The Mavs and Lakers meet on Friday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD and nationally on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. CT. Dallas then plays the L.A. Clippers on Saturday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 9:30 p.m. CT.

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Nov. 3 to face the Utah Jazz 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.

Mavs Practice Report (10/28/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/28/09)
Mavs Practice Report

The Dallas Mavericks are doing everything in their power to keep history from repeating itself.

Last season the Mavericks got off to an early 2-7 record before righting the ship. After falling 102-91 at home on Tuesday night to the Washington Wizards in the season opener, getting on the winning track and not experiencing another dreadful start is of utmost importance. To do so, the Mavs have to learn how to win games when they aren't knocking down jump shots, as was the case against Washington when Dallas shot under 40 percent.

"Looking at the film, we've got to play better at both ends of the floor," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after Dallas' practice on Wednesday. "We're not going to shoot well every game, and when we don't we have to hang in the game. We're going to have to do it defensively. We were poor last night defensively when we needed to be good."

Things aren't going to get any easier for the Mavericks in their next game when they travel to Los Angeles to battle the defending NBA champion Lakers, the first game of a back-to-back in L.A. with the Clippers hosting Dallas on Saturday. Last season the Lakers swept the Mavs.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Dallas will have to contain Bryant to avoid an 0-2 start


If Dallas is going to change its early-season fortune and avoid an 0-2 start it will take the Mavericks changing their identity from a jump-shooting team to a defensive-oriented, rim-attacking juggernaut.

"You gain your identity in the regular season. The preseason is insignificant. Any identity established in the preseason means nothing unless you do it in the regular season. We took a step back last night, but we're going to have to be better because our schedule is getting tougher," Carlisle said after the Mavericks failed to display the same high-tempo attack on Tuesday night that the team showcased in the preseason.

To recreate the same attacking style, the Mavs went a little harder in Wednesday's practice. The team's intensity level returned after a stagnant showing in front of the home crowd against the Wizards.

"It was a good practice we had today," forward Shawn Marion said. "Everybody was competing and we did more in here today than we did last night. As veterans, we have to get this going and make sure we sustain it. You're going to make mistakes out there, but as long as you sustain the energy and effort everything else will take care of itself."

Dallas will need all of its energy and effort to slow down Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Bryant won the Finals' MVP award last season.

"Hopefully we come back on Friday and get a win," swingman Quinton Ross said. "(Bryant) will be tough. We just have to try to make him have to work for all of his baskets."

Ross figures to see a lot of time defending Bryant.



The Lakers have also added Ron Artest to the same core group that won last season's title and advanced to their second consecutive Finals, leading many around the league to expect the Lakers to be contending for the Larry O'Brien trophy once again.

The Mavs and Lakers meet on Friday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD and nationally on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. CT. Dallas then plays the L.A. Clippers on Saturday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 9:30 p.m. CT.

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Nov. 3 to face the Utah Jazz 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.

Mavericks-Wizards Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/27/09)
Washington Wizards 102 at Dallas Mavericks 91

Poor shooting and lackluster defense are always the ingredients to losing basketball. The Dallas Mavericks' cold-shooting and lack of defensive execution proved to be the recipe to a loss in the team's season opener Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards.

Despite a 34-point night from Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks shot under 40 percent and failed in their efforts to slow down Wizards' star Gilbert Arenas, eventually falling 102-91 on Dallas' home floor.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Nowitzki and Arenas battled in Dallas' 102-91 loss


"Washington played a very intelligent game, they played well and you know, it is disappointing," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "This is one of those nights when we are not shooting well and you have to hang in the game with your defense and we just weren’t able to do it."

The Mavericks came out of the gates with a sense of urgency early as the season commenced.

Starting a lineup of Jason Kidd, Quinton Ross, Shawn Marion, Nowitzki and Erick Dampier the Mavs found themselves in a dogfight early. After Marion welcomed the home crowd with a personal address, he then welcomed them with his play. Ross got the Mavs on the scoreboard first with a fadeaway jumper, tying the game at 2-all, then Nowitzki and Marion took control, lifting the Mavericks to a 13-7 lead midway through the opening period.

The Wizards didn't go away quietly, storming back behind three consecutive dunks from Brendan Haywood. Arenas' jumper with 3:26 remaining in the quarter tied the game at 15-15.

After Washington briefly went ahead, Nowitzki brought Dallas even at the foul line to close the quarter with both teams knotted at 21-21. Nowitzki and Marion combined for 15 of the Mavs' 21 points in the first. Dallas connected on just 6-of-16 shots in the period.

The athletic frontline for the Wizards gave the Mavericks trouble early in the second quarter. Consecutive three-point plays from Andray Blatche gave Washington a 32-27 lead.

"You know Blatche hurt us in the exhibition game we played against them and he played well last year. You know, those guys just make shots. In talking about their team, we didn’t want to let him get going. He was able to hit his first shot and when he is able to hit his first shot, he is always tough," Carlisle said.

The Mavs answered with their own spark plug, J.J. Barea, who cut the lead to one (32-31) with a driving finger-roll score with 8:57 remaining in the half.

Once the Wizards pushed their lead to six, Barea continued to keep the Mavs close with a 3-pointer and a transition feed to Dampier for a dunk, but Washington clinched on to a 41-40 advantage midway through the second period.

"We need to come off the bench with energy and we didn't today," Barea said. "I think we need to come out with more passion and play like we do in practice. We've practiced harder than we played tonight in the game."

Once again the Wizards responded, this time with an 11-3 run concluding with back-to-back jumpers from Arenas to give Washington a 52-43 lead and prompting Carlisle to take a timeout with 3:07 left in the half.

"We were a little stagnant out there at times and a little confused on what to do and what not to do. It showed," Marion said.



After the Mavericks trimmed a Washington 12-point lead to six, both the Wizards and Arenas thought the sharpshooter's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Wizards a 59-50 lead heading into the halftime break. The shot was reviewed and waived off, giving Washington just a six-point edge heading into the second half.

"We were fortunate to get into halftime only down six and then we needed to make a stand in the second half and we never really were able to sustain anything long term," Carlisle said.

Nowitzki and his 18 first half points (on 3-of-12 from the floor) kept the Mavs close, though the Mavs shot just under 43 percent in the first 24 minutes of play. Meanwhile, Washington shot near 53 percent, led by Arenas' 15 points in the half.

Dallas looked for instant offense in the second half, starting Terry in place of Ross to start the third quarter. Even with Terry playing next to the starters, the Mavericks couldn't combat the potent Washington offense. The Wizards held a 67-60 lead when Carlisle called a timeout with 6:19 left in the quarter to adjust to Washington's two point guard lineup, with Arenas and Randy Foye playing alongside each other.

Once again Carlisle came back with Barea, who knocked down a jumper and then drew an offensive foul on consecutive possession to bring the Mavs to within four (69-65). It was quickly answered at the other end by Arenas' three-point play.

With the Mavs down eight, Nowitzki came alive late in the third quarter. No. 41's 3-pointer off a Terry feed pulled the Mavericks to within three (77-74) with 36.7 seconds left in the third. The quarter ended with Dallas down by that same margin.

The Mavericks started the fourth quarter cold, and Washington capitalized by taking an 85-77 lead on a Fabricio Oberto hook shot with 6:59 remaining in the game. The lead quickly grew to 10 on an Arenas scoop and score, but Nowitzki's 3-pointer kept Dallas in contention.

"It seemed like we tried to battle in the second half, but every time we'd try to make a little run they'd make a big shot, Nowitzki said. "You have to give them a lot of credit."

As Nowitzki and the Mavs continued to claw at the deficit, the Wizards continued to find the bottom of the net. Arenas' jumper with 4:00 remaining gave Washington a 94-84 advantage, leading Carlisle to put in his best perimeter shooters.

With the Mavericks down nine, Nowitzki's missed lay-in and Butler's fadeaway in the lane with 37.9 seconds left put the finishing touches on the Wizards' win and sent the Mavericks into their home locker room with their first defeat of the season. Washington outscored Dallas 25-17 in the final period.

Washington out-shot Dallas on the night 46 to 39 percent, while winning the rebounding edge 46-42. Dallas struggled from the three-point arch, going 4-of-18 from long range.

"We had a bad shooting night and that's going to happen, but I know that's going to come. We just need to play harder," Barea said.

"Sometimes the offense just can't get anything going, and it seemed like nobody really had a decent night," Nowitzki said. "It was the kind of night that we just have to find a way to win, especially at home. That's what the great teams do. Those are the kind of games that the good teams find a way to win and we didn't."

Nowitzki added a team-high nine rebounds to his 34-point night. Marion added 16 points, while Barea and Terry combined for 25 points off the Mavericks' bench.

Arenas led the Wizards with 29 points, while Blatche poured in 20 off of Washington's sideline.

"We were double-teaming him (Arenas) most of the game and he is one of those guys that is able to keep his dribble alive and create contact and you know, he made a lot of great plays," Carlisle said. "We obviously didn’t do as good of a job as we wanted to do, but look, he’s the kind of guy that can easily go for 30 or 40 points and her had 29 and he played a great game for them."

The Mavs return to action Friday when the team plays back-to-back games in Los Angeles. First Dallas meets Kobe Bryant and the defending champion L.A. Lakers on Friday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD and nationally on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. CT.

Dallas then plays the L.A. Clippers on Saturday night, with the game airing locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 9:30 p.m. CT.

"We have to play better basketball. We have to make more shots and be able to get the ball inside more. Get the ball penetrated more and we are going to be able to have to get stops. It is as simple as that. At this point that is kind of where we are," Carlisle said as the Mavericks move forward in the season.

After the L.A. trip, Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Nov. 3 to face off with the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on FSN Southwest.

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 Pregame Report: One-on-One with Coach Carlisle

Mavericks-Wizards Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/27/09)
Washington Wizards (0-0) at Dallas Mavericks (0-0)

The journey to an NBA title starts with a grueling 82-game season. The first of that 82-step expedition comes Tuesday night for the Dallas Mavericks.

Dallas opens the regular season at home against the Washington Wizards, a team widely expected to be one of the most improved teams in the NBA in the 2009-10 season.

"I think we're all excited," Mavs point guard Jason Kidd said after the team's morning shootaround. "We had a great Training Camp and a good preseason. Everybody feels good, so we're excited about getting this marathon started."

One reason for the anticipated improved Wizards squad is the return of one of the league's most deadly scorers, sharpshooter Gilbert Arenas. Arenas has been plagued with injuries the past two seasons.

(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kidd, Mavs will have a tough time slowing down Arenas


"I think he's right there, considered as one of the best point guards in this league. He's so talented, can get to the basket and can score. Nobody talks about the way he runs the offense, but I think he does a great job of getting guys going," Kidd said of his counterpart at the point guard spot.

"After a year off, I'm know he's probably real excited to get things going and I'm just happy to see him back and healthy."

To slow Arenas down, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle is prepared to show the scoring assassin different looks from the Mavericks' defense.

"Different guys and different defenses if we need to," Carlisle said when asked how he will try to defend Arenas. "He's one of the unique perimeter players that we have in the NBA. He can beat you with major scoring, or he can beat you with play-making and just the overall impact that he has on the game. He's a load and we're going to have to be ready."

After battling Washington to a 123-115 road victory in the preseason, the Mavs learned how lethal Arenas and the Wizards' offense can be. Though Washington will be without forward Antawn Jamison (shoulder), the combination of Arenas and Caron Butler equal a potent duel for any team to defend.

Dallas' main objective will be pushing the tempo leading to transition offense while trying to get back at the other end, attempting to slow Washington's transition game to a minimum.

"Butler and Arenas can score with the best of them, so we have to be able to pick our spots when we want to run and we have to pick our spots to run the half-court offense and make them play defense," Kidd said.

"We have to get back on defense no matter what, make or miss. Especially against Washington, because those guys can get out and run."



The Mavs and Wizards tip off at the American Airlines Center Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on FSN Southwest.

Courtesy of ESPN 103.3 FM and ESPN Deportes, 1,033 limited edition Shawn Marion t-shirts (100 of which will be signed by Marion) will be thrown to the crowd during the game.

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 (10/26/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/26/09)
Mavs Practice Report

Last season, the Dallas Mavericks were behind the 8-ball early.

The Mavs had to battle uphill the entire season after a 2-7 start. Although the Mavericks went on to have a ninth straight season of 50 wins and a trip to the Western Conference semifinals, the rough start may have limited how far the team could have advanced.

A year later, a new-look Mavs squad is back at square one, focusing on starting the season on a better note. The new makeup of the team, and the team chemistry, has the Mavericks optimistic that things will be different in 2009-10.

“Our chemistry is a lot better going into this year,” Mavs sixth man Jason Terry said. “We feel good about what we’ve done in Training Camp, and we’re definitely tired of beating up on each other. So we want to play against some teams that are going to poise a threat for us, and we want to open up at home and get off to a good start.”



After a 5-2 preseason record, the Mavs feel like they are a more cohesive unit than last season’s squad. Dallas hopes that chemistry will reverse its early season misfortune right away, with the season and home opener on Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards.

With the exhibition season now in the past and Opening Night just a day away, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle says getting off to a quick start Tuesday at home is especially important this season with many tough road test ahead early on the schedule. Dallas plays 10 of its first 18 games on the road.

“This is where you find out where everything is at,” Carlisle said. “The chemistry, execution, intensity and disposition. All those things. We’re all very eager to find out, but we feel good about it.”

“We feel like the guys that we added compliment our core players. (The 2009-10 Mavericks squad) is a team that we feel is a better team than last year, but now we have to go out and prove it.”

In addition to better team chemistry this year, the Mavs believe they are a more physical squad with the addition of Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden and Kris Humphries. Though Marion grabs all of the headlines, Gooden and Humphries are called on to do the dirty work.

“We hope we’re more physical than last year. With Marion at the three, with Gooden and Humphries, they’re both physical players. They’re taller than the guys that we had previously in those positions. Now’s the time to start finding out,” Carlisle said.

Being the physical enforcer is a role that Gooden is relishing.

“That’s been a role that I have played on a lot of teams,” Gooden said. “A lot the fans see that and my teammates know it, and that’s why they brought me in -- to be a monster out there.”

“I’m a competitor first and a basketball player second. I always like to compete out there, whatever it takes to win or get the ball, I’m going to do it. I know this is an important year for us and we have a goal, and in order for us to reach that goal I’m going to have to play that role in this situation.”

Gooden hopes to exhibit that physical nature on the court, when the Mavs tip off the season against Washington at the American Airlines Center Tuesday night.

Tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on FSN Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT.

Courtesy of ESPN 103.3 FM and ESPN Deportes, 1,033 limited edition Shawn Marion t-shirts (100 of which will be signed by Marion) will be thrown to the crowd during the game.

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 (10/25/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (10/25/09)
Mavs Practice Report

A 5-2 preseason record is impressive, but it won't get a team to the playoffs and it certainly won't win an NBA title.

The Dallas Mavericks understand that, so the team went back to work Sunday on the practice court in preparation for Opening Night on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards.

After ending the exhibition season with a 98-94 win against the Houston Rockets on Friday night, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said it's time for the real work to start with the season opener on the horizon.

"The only way to do it (be successful) is through hard work," Carlisle said. "The last week or so we've had some inconsistencies. It's troubling but we've address them today and we'll address them again tomorrow."

One reason for the inconsistencies that Carlisle referenced was the Mavs' injury situation. As Josh Howard (ankle) and Tim Thomas (knee) inch towards 100 percent, Dallas has also had Shawn Marion in and out of the lineup with a mild strain to his right ankle.

When Marion has played, the Mavericks have exhibited a high-tempo, defensive-oriented squad. When Marion has been out, Dallas has sorely missed his athleticism and intangibles.

(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Shawn Marion hopes to be 100 percent by Tuesday night

"(Marion) has made progress with his calf. He seems to be doing okay. We had a hard practice today so hopefully he got some more conditioning. Hopefully by Tuesday he'll be where we need him to be and where he wants to be," Carlisle said.

"I'm just trying to get my wind up and get clicking on all cylinders," Marion said. "I'm still not clicking on everything I want to be clicking on, but at the same time I'm still just trying to get my wind back. I was out 10 days -- 10 days of not running, jumping or just playing basketball is tough. But other than that, everything will take care of itself."

For precautionary reasons Marion missed the second half of the Houston win, mainly because Marion's conditioning prohibited him from playing extended minutes. That is not expected to be the case Tuesday against the Wizards, a team Marion scored a game-high 26 points against on Oct. 9.

Despite a 123-115 win in Washington this preseason, the Mavericks know that the Wizards will be a much-improved team this season. With a healthy Gilbert Arenas teaming with Caron Butler, Washington can score with the best teams in the league. The Wizards will be without former Mav Antawn Jamison, who will be out with a shoulder injury. Jamison sored 19 points in the preseason meeting against the Mavs.

"It (Dallas' gameplan) doesn't change," Carlisle said of Jamison's absence. "We're still going to have the same approach from an intensity and disposition standpoint. It means that the ball is going to be in Arenas' hands more frequently and Butler's, and those two guys are both great players. It's no picnic."



Dallas squares off against Washington at the American Airlines Center Tuesday night and tickets remain available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on FSN Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT.

Courtesy of ESPN 103.3 FM and ESPN Deportes, 1,033 limited edition Shawn Marion t-shirts (100 of which will be signed by Marion) will be thrown to the crowd during the game.

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.