Mavericks-Raptors Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Toronto Raptors 101 at Dallas Mavericks 129

Injuries can derail a season for any NBA team. Due to injury, a gaping hole was missing early this season from the Dallas lineup thanks to the void left by the absence of Josh Howard.

Though they are still not at full strength, the Dallas Mavericks took a step in the right direction Saturday night with Howard's return. With No. 5 back in the starting lineup, Dallas showed just how potent they can be when healthy, scoring a season-high number of points in their 129-101 runaway win over the Toronto Raptors.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Howard looked like the Howard of old in the blowout win

"It felt pretty good, you know getting back in the swing of things," Howard said after his first game. "Trying to be out there for my team today, that was it. I had a good time out there."

"Of course I'm fatigued and I have to work through the process of getting back to 100 percent, which I am not. But, I'm just glad to get out there and play with my team and give them some kind of effort and I am working on that."

After battling back from a nagging ankle injury, which he had off-season surgery on, No. 5 finally hit the hardwood in a game situation. Howard's entrance into the lineup came at the perfect time, with Quinton Ross (bruised lower back) playing limited minutes and Drew Gooden (strained rib cage) out while he rehabs.

Now with Howard back on the court, the next step began for the star as he made the transition from small forward to shooting guard.

"Those (smaller) defenders have to learn how to guard a three-man (small forward). It's not me changing up my game," Howard said.

Howard stepped into the starting lineup immediately, joining Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier. Wearing the team's alternate royal blue uniforms, the Kidd-to-Howard connection looked rusty early as the point guard missed on an opening alley-oop lob pass to the returning former All-Star on the first possession.

On the team's third possession, Howard earned his first point of the season at the free throw line (1-of-2). Howard continued to be aggressive early in the period, and the team continued to call No. 5's number as he matched up with Toronto rookie DeMar DeRozen.

"Josh was aggressive, which he is, its his nature," Carlisle said. "I thought the best thing to do was to start him. He’s going to be one of our stars and one of our best players. I thought the guys playing with him did a good job of understanding the situation, of looking to get him opportunities to attack and do some things and get to the free throw line."

With Howard on track, the team began to get Nowitzki and Marion into the flow, but their inability to slow down Dallas native Chris Bosh in the paint prompted Carlisle to call a timeout at the 5:20-mark in the first quarter with Dallas down 17-13. Bosh had just moved into double figures with 10 of Toronto's 17 points.

Out of the timeout, the Mavs went to a "small ball" lineup, bringing in sixth man Jason Terry to play along with Kidd, Howard, Marion and Nowitzki, but the Raptors' success from behind the 3-point arch answered every Maverick score.

With the period coming to a close, Dallas made a run. Howard's jumper in transition off of Terry's outlet pass, followed by Nowitzki's spin and score in the lane, put Dallas up 26-25 at the end of one.

"It was good to have Josh back out there tonight and he helped us
out tremendously," Terry said. "He gives us another scoring option and you get to look at the lineup that everyone wants to see -- myself, J. Kidd, J-Ho (Howard), Shawn Marion at the four and Dirk as the five. That is a dangerous lineup for us."

Howard and Nowitzki combined for 15 of Dallas' 26 points in the period. In a virtually even quarter, Dallas connected on 10-of-22 while Toronto hit on 10-of-23 from the floor.

"I don't want to lose that job (as the go-to scorer in the first quarter)," Howard said. "I know one person beside myself that does as great job in the first quarter and that's LeBron James. To be considered in that category as one of the best, I have to keep working at it and keep doing what I've been doing."

The Mavericks' defense picked up early in the second quarter, as Dampier sent Amir Johnson's shot into the seats with a block shot. Dampier then sent away Bosh's dunk attempt later in the period.

Dallas' offense then began to follow suit, as Marion's baseline drive and feed to James Singleton for a corner 3-pointer gave the Mavericks life. Back-to-back-to-back Nowitzki scores gave the Mavs a 41-37 advantage with 7:12 remaining in the half.

The Dallas faithful then got a glimpse of vintage Howard, as he spun baseline for a finger-roll layup to give the Mavs a 47-42 lead with 3:13 on the clock. The run-and-gun Mavs then dazzled the crowd on a fastbreak score started by a spinning no-look Kidd pass to Howard and ending with a Terry jumper.

After Terry's layup rimmed out, Dallas took a 55-48 lead into halftime. The Mavs outscored the Raptors 29-23 in the second quarter.

Nowitzki led all scorers at the half with 16 points, while Howard shook of the rust for 13 first half points. Bosh led Toronto with 15 points, but Dallas out-shot Toronto 52 percent to 38 percent.

The second half started the same way the game began, with Dallas looking for Howard in the half-court offense, as his jumper gave Dallas a nine-point advantage early in the third. The lead later grew to 12 as Kidd found Nowitzki for a 3-pointer.

Consecutive scores from Marion pushed the lead up to 15, forcing Toronto to take a timeout with 7:48 left in the third. The Mavericks then went into the penalty just 10 seconds later, which would have allowed the Mavericks to pad their lead at the charity stripe.

But Marion and Nowitzki extended the Mavs' lead the old fashion way, as the two powered Dallas to an advantage as large as 20 in the quarter. While Marion scored at will in the paint and on a thunderous transition throw-down, Nowitzki's 3-point barrage widened the gap.

After missing his first two shots of the night, Marion connected on a stretch of nine in a row, mainly on easy buckets in the third.

"Shawn’s game was terrific. He’s starting to really get his conditioning now after missing those 10 days toward the middle part of training camp. That was something that set him back a little bit. He’s playing a little bit different style of play, especially with that first group, and I think he’s starting to adapt to it a little bit better. We’re just going to keep working on that stuff," Carlisle said.

"We called some plays and got me going down there," Marion said. "He saw something that we really liked and took advantage of it. It opened everything else up as well."


Meanwhile, Nowitzki posted 13 points in the third quarter, as Dallas outscored Toronto 30-22 in the period to take an 85-70 lead into the fourth.

While the Raptors went with their starters at the beginning of the fourth period, Nowitzki played next to the Mavs' reserves and helped lift the team to an 100-78 lead after Terry nailed a corner 3-pointer off of J.J. Barea's sixth assist with 8:09 remaining in the game.

Both teams emptied their benches soon after, as Dallas had the blowout well in hand. But the win wasn't complete until Barea found rookie Rodrigue Beaubois above the rim for a two-handed flush, putting the cap on the night.

"That's the first game I think everyone was clicking on the same cylinder. It looked good and felt good. We have to keep it going, keep improving and everything else will take care of itself," Marion said.

Nowitzki finished with a game-high 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Marion added 18 points and eight rebounds, while Howard debuted with 16 points in 25 minutes. Off the Mavs’ bench Terry scored 19 points and Singleton added 10 of his own. Barea finished with a game-high 12 assists.

Bosh led the Raptors with 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Andrea Bargnani added 22 points.

The Mavericks shot a staggering 62 percent, while holding the Raptors to 44 percent at the other end. The Mavs shot 74 percent for the entire second half, efficiently scoring 74 points in the second half. Dallas also out-rebounded Toronto 42-39.

"We played well and shot the ball well. We have not had this kind of a shooting night yet, and so the thing that we have to be cautious of is feeling like since we shot 62 percent and won by a big margin that all is hunky-dory heading into next week, where we play five in eight days," Carlisle said.



The Mavs return to action Tuesday night when the Houston Rockets travel up to the American Airlines Center, with tickets still available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on KTXA 21 and KTXA 21 HD at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Mavericks then play four straight on the road beginning with the rival San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.

"Houston right now is probably playing harder than any team in the league," Carlisle said. "We know that, and so we're going to have to prepare the right way. Not only from a strategic standpoint but mentally because that's going to be an 'in the trenches' type game."

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-Raptors Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Toronto Raptors (3-2) at Dallas Mavericks (3-2)

It's been a long-awaited sight, but Saturday night it could become a reality.

After missing the entire preseason and the first five games of the regular season (ankle), Josh Howard could return to the Dallas Mavericks' lineup against the Toronto Raptors. The swingman will be counted upon instantly with Quinton Ross (bruised lower back) questionable and Drew Gooden (strained rib cage) likely out of the game.

"It's great to have Josh Howard back tonight," sixth man Jason Terry said. "He's probable. In the NFL, there's questionable, probable and doubtful. He's not doubtful, so you can take the other two, probable and questionable. Hopefully he'll be out there tonight, and if he is, then that's going to be the lineup that we've been looking to see since Training Camp."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Josh Howard is expected to make his season debut against the Raptors


"We're looking to get healthier, we're working to get better," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We've got three or four guys that are hurt right now, so we're going to continue to work on getting those guys feeling better and work on getting our game better."

Though the Mavs coaching staff is keeping it secret how much game time Howard may see, No. 5's impact has been sorely missed. After the team gave away a late lead and eventually lost in overtime to the New Orleans Hornets in their last game, the squad could use Howard's ability to create easy offense back on the court. The Mavericks are hopeful that Howard's insertion into the lineup takes the sour taste of the last loss out of their mouths.

"It was a tough lost to swallow. I haven't really slept too much the last couple of nights. But tonight's a great opportunity, here at home," Terry said.



Tonight the Mavericks matchup with one of the most versatile and offensively-driven lineups in the NBA. The Toronto Raptors are controlled by Jose Calderon at the point, and then bolstered by Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh running an inside-outside post game.

"He (Calderon) doesn't make mistakes," Terry said of the point guard. "For a guy that's still primarily young in this league, he does a great job of running his team. They look to him. He's their leader, but I think we have a pretty great leader ourselves with Jason Kidd. That's going to be a great matchup tonight."

The Raptors have also added newcomer Hedo Turkoglu to the team, a do-it-all forward that was a key contributor for the Orlando Magic last season when they made a run to the NBA Finals.

"He (Turkoglu) just gives them another play-maker that's 6-9 or 6-10. He can put it on the floor and make threes. He can get guys shots. He's a weapon," Carlisle said.

Dallas host Toronto at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night, with tickets still available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on KTXA 21, KTXA 21 HD and HD NET at 7:30 p.m. CT.

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 Practice Report (11/06/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs Practice Report (11/06/09)

The Dallas Mavericks must have a sudden case of convenient amnesia if they are going to rebound from their 114-107 overtime loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.

Dallas' poor execution and failure to knock down game-clinching free throws proved to be their downfall, after having a chance to close the game in regulation. But that must be out of their memory now, as the Mavs prepare for a versatile and athletic Toronto Raptors squad.

"It's a long season," Mavs center Erick Dampier said. "It's a game that we've learned from and hopefully we don't make those mistakes again."

Hopefully for Dallas' case, the 7-footer is correct.

(Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Nowitzki-Bargnani matchup could decide the game

With forward Drew Gooden (missed Thursday's practice) still questionable for Saturday's matchup with Toronto due to a strained right rib cage, Dampier figures to play a big role for the Mavericks against Toronto's frontline. The Raptors feature two of the most interchangeable big men in the league, with both Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh capable of scoring on the low block and behind the 3-point arch.

"Obviously, those guys are going to hit some shots, we've just got to contest some of their shots. We still have to go out and play good defense on those guys and stay with the defensive plan, and just make them make shots over contesting hands," Dampier said about defending Bargnani and Bosh.

"We're just going to foul them every time," Dampier said jokingly about defending the two bigs for Toronto outside the paint. "We're not giving them any shots. We have enough guys on this team that we could foul everybody out."

If Gooden is unable to go, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle is prepared to experiment with his lineup, maybe playing "small ball" with Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion possibly seeing time at the center position. Marion could also see more time at the power forward spot if Nowitzki plays at center, as the Mavericks' defense tries to slow down the Raptors' frontcourt.

"Those things (Marion and Nowitzki at center) are possibilities," Carlisle said. "Kris Humphries and James Singleton will have to be ready to guard those two guys (Bargnani and Bosh), and Marion is a possibility. We'll see where it goes, but they're always difficult to guard no matter what your situation is."

"They both shoot the ball really well. They both put the ball on the floor. It's an awareness thing. If you're a big guarding those guys you have to be ready to close out away from the basket and then be ready to move your feet when they put it on the floor. It's tough. It's one of the toughest matchups in the league, because they both shoot the ball so well. They both drive the ball so well."

Perhaps none of the Dallas scouts know Toronto as well as Marion. The forward started all 27 games he played for the Raptors last season, before coming from Toronto to Dallas in a four-team trade this offseason. There are no bad feelings between Marion and the Raptors, the forward said, though he is looking forward to playing against his former teammates.

"They're some great guys there," Marion said about playing against his former team. "It was just a situation that happened. I almost ended up going back there, so it's not like I left on bad terms or anything like that. But at the same time, I'm a Dallas Maverick right now, and that's in the past."


Dallas host Toronto at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night, with tickets still available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on KTXA 21, KTXA 21 HD and HD NET at 7:30 p.m. CT.

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-Hornets Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (11/04/09)
Dallas Mavericks 107 at New Orleans Hornets 114

One night after Dirk Nowitzki put the Dallas Mavericks on his back with a historic fourth quarter, the team was unable to return the favor with the star fouling out and watching helplessly from the bench.

Winners of three straight, the Mavericks entered New Orleans riding high but knowing that a win against the Southwest Division rival Hornets would require a better shooting night than the one Dallas put out just a night before, when the Mavs overcame a 16-point deficit behind 40 points (franchise record 29 in the fourth) from Nowitzki to take home the win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, despite Dallas shooting under 40 percent.

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
Chris Paul scored at will against the Mavs Wednesday night


By the end of the night, Nowitzki would be seating with six fouls and the Mavericks would be on the losing end of a 114-107 overtime loss after an inability to close the game at the foul line late in the fourth quarter.

"The opportunities were there," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We didn’t play a particularly pretty game, but we really battled, and did what we had to do to put us in a position to win. But NBA basketball is 48 minutes -- on consecutive nights, strange things can happen if you don’t make plays. Dirk fouling out was a very difficult break for us."

With Quinton Ross out of the lineup with a bruised lower back, Carlisle inserted rookie Rodrigue Beaubois into the starting lineup at shooting guard, playing alongside Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Nowitzki and Erick Dampier.

The decision immediately proved to be a good one, as the rookie scored the Mavs' first nine points, taking Dallas to an early 9-7 lead.

After the Hornets used a 14-3 run to take a nine-point lead (23-14), Dallas found themselves down 25-17 at the end of one. The shooting slump continued for the Mavs, as Dallas hit just 7-of-18 in the opening quarter. Visa versa the Hornets hit 50 percent from the floor, shooting 11-for-22 from the field.

Early in the second quarter the Hornets' lead grew to 12, as the Dallas reserves went through a stretch of missing 9-of-10 shots. The Mavericks rallied when Kidd re-entered the game, as the point guard connected on a 3-pointer and then found Kris Humphries in the paint for a three-point play.

Kidd's corner 3-pointer cut the Hornets lead to 35-32 with 6:12 on the clock. The Mavs climbed within two (39-37) when Nowitzki drew a foul and scored (goal-tending). On the next possession, Nowitzki took an offensive foul from Emeka Okafor square in the chest, leading to J.J. Barea's 3-pointer to give Dallas a 40-39 lead with 4:32 remaining in the first half.

After Chris Paul brought the Hornets back ahead, Nowitzki's fadeaway jumper with 13.2 seconds left put Dallas up one. Paul answered right back with a 3-pointer over Kidd's out-stretched hand with 2.3 seconds left to take New Orleans into the locker room at halftime up 50-48.

The Hornets shot lights-out in the first half, hitting on 55 percent from the field, while the Mavs connected on 42 percent. Dallas stayed in the game from behind the 3-point arch, knocking down 5-of-12 from long range.

To start the third quarter, Carlisle continued to play Beaubois with the traditional starters. The rookie's job was to slow down and defend the perennial All-Star Paul.

While the former French League standout held his own, Paul and the Hornets sprinted out to a 62-54 lead midway through the period behind the low-post scoring of David West.

Dallas charged back to within one, when sixth man Jason Terry subbed in for Beaubois. The Mavs tied the game at 64-all on a Humphries score in the paint off the feed of Nowitzki, but it was immediately answered when the Hornets' Bobby Brown got into the lane and scored at the other end. Paul then began to try take the game over as the fourth quarter neared. Dallas countered with a three-guard lineup of Kidd, Terry and Barea.

"You just have to keep putting different guys on him (Paul) and keep changing schemes. It’s extremely difficult," Carlisle said of trying to slow down Paul.

After Paul turned up the tempo and pushed New Orleans out to an eight-point lead, James Singleton's 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds left in the third cut the Hornets' lead to 74-69 heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter started with Nowitzki on the bench with four fouls, so Terry stepped in and stepped up. Back-to-back Terry jumpers brought Dallas within one, before Humphries gave Dallas the lead at the free throw line (75-74). Terry gave the Mavs 12 unanswered points with a 3-pointer from the wing to give Dallas a four-point edge with 9:58 remaining.

After a defensive stop, Terry took the run up to 15-0 with a three-point play on a driving finger-roll lay-in plus the foul, as Dallas held an 81-74 lead. New Orleans battled back to tie the game with seven unanswered points, but once again Terry rose to the occasion with a corner 3-pointer off the feed from Nowitzki.

"(Terry) shot the ball beautifully. He played a really good all-around game. We needed somebody to have a hot hand. Dirk got some looks, but he didn’t have it going like he did last night. Jet was great," Carlisle said.

The shootout then ensued, as Terry and Paul exchanged blow for blow.

"Chris is always a tough cover," Terry said. "They have been having a rough go so far and you could tell he wanted to get it. He is a great player."

The Mavericks then got much-needed post scoring from Dampier, first on an offensive rebound putback and then on an alley-oop dunk off a Kidd lob to put Dallas up 92-88 with 2:54 left. Just 16 seconds later Dallas lost Nowitzki for the remainder of the night, when the star picked up his sixth personal foul.

Afer West's three-point play cut the Dallas lead to one, Okafor tied the game at 92-all at the free throw line with 1:06 remaining.

As the two had with their play all night, Terry and Paul went one-on-one at the top of the key, with Terry drawing a foul on his counterpart, reaching the foul line where he calmly knocked down 2-of-2 to put Dallas up 94-92.

With Nowitzki watching from the sideline, the Mavericks forced Paul into a miss and went ahead by four after a Dampier tip-in of a Marion miss with 16.5 seconds left. West then cut the deficit in half with a score over Humphries with 14.0 seconds on the clock.

The Mavs then played the free throw game, as Paul fouled Terry, sending the reigning Sixth Man of the Year to the line. Terry went 1-of-2 at the charity strip, giving the Mavs a three-point edge with 13.1 remaining.

As the Hornets inbounded the ball to their star, Barea defended Paul tightly, sliding under the Hornets' point guard to draw an offensive foul.

But the Mavs missed three straight at the foul line with an opportunity to ice the game, leaving the door open for Peja Stojakovic. As he has so often in his career, Stojakovic nailed a clutch 3-pointer, this time over the defense of Kidd with 6.7 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 97-all. Stojakovic was 0-for-7 shooting before the game-tying three.

After a Mavs' timeout, Kidd looked for Terry in the corner for an opportunity to win the game, but the New Orleans defense forced a steal, leading to Paul's desperation attempt at the buzzer that came up short and sent the game into overtime.

In the extra period, New Orleans got out to a quick four-point lead, as Dallas struggled to score with Nowitzki on the bench. With Kidd nearly forcing a steal from Paul, the New Orleans point guard found Brown on the wing for a 3-pointer with the Mavs defense over-rotated and 2:20 remaining on the game clock.

"Everything went wrong that could have gone wrong (in overtime) to lose the game," Kidd said. "It’s a lesson learned. 24 hours ago we get one that goes exactly right for us. That’s just the way the game of basketball can be sometimes. It can be nice. It can be cruel."

After the Dallas defense stiffened, Terry's 3-pointer cut the New Orleans lead to 106-102 with 1:22 remaining.

Once Paul and the Hornets pushed the lead back up to eight, Terry continued to fight, knocking down another three with 11.3 seconds left and the Mavs down 112-107.

The Hornets then turned to Paul, who unlike the Mavericks before, iced the game at the foul line, as New Orleans secured the seven-point victory and handed the Mavs their second loss of the season.

"It's a lost opportunity," Terry said. "It's a game that we wanted coming off of a tough victory last night. I thought we showed a lot of heart and a lot of determination. The key things that we talk about all of the time and the little things --free throws, getting out on the shooters and fouling when we are up three (are important). Those things are what championship teams do. Obviously, we’re not there yet. We’ll learn from this loss.”

While Dallas' field goal percentage was higher than their three previous wins, shooting just under 46 percent, it wasn't enough to combat New Orleans' 50 percent shooting from the field. The Hornets also out-rebounded the Mavericks 44-40.

Doing his best to lead Dallas to the victory, Terry scored 35 points off the bench. The sharpshooter connected on 7-of-10 from 3-point range. In an all-around game, Dampier poured in 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the paint.

Paul finished with a game-high 39 points.


Dallas returns home to host the Toronto Rapters at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night, with tickets still available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on KTXA 21, KTXA 21 HD and HD NET at 7:30 p.m. CT.

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-Hornets Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (11/04/09)
Dallas Mavericks (3-1) at New Orleans (1-3)

The road to a 3-1 record hasn't been an easy hike for the Dallas Mavericks.

After a season-opening loss at home to the Washington Wizards, the Mavericks have battled uphill to three straight wins with defense and persistence. As the team has shot a low percentage in all three wins, the Mavs have learned how to win when they're not seeing the ball go in the basket.

It took a herculean effort from Dirk Nowitzki on Tuesday night to push Dallas to a 96-86 victory over the Utah Jazz. Nowitzki scored a franchise-record 29 points in the fourth period in the win against the Jazz, posting 40 on the night. Dallas enters New Orleans well aware that they must shot better and cognitive of the fact that No. 41 will need help with the scoring responsibilities if the Mavs' winning streak is going to run to four.

"It's something that we put an emphasis on in Training Camp," Mavs sixth man Jason Terry said. "The games last year that we shot 40 to 45 percent, we lost 80 to 90 percent of them. This year we're making it a point that if that shot ain't falling, which it ain't, we have to get it done somehow some way."

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Perhaps the Mavericks have the perfect opponent to break out of their shooting woes against in the Hornets. The division rivals have seen plenty of each other in the past season, playing four times annually and meeting in the playoffs two seasons ago when New Orleans ended the Mavs' season.

"New Orleans is a team that has kind of been a thorn in our side the last couple of year. We're looking to go down there and get a win. They're in our division," Terry said.

The Hornets have struggled this season, after an off-season trade brought in Emeka Okafor from Charlotte for Tyson Chandler. Despite the tough start, New Orleans still features arguably the league's best point guard in Chris Paul, who perennially ranks atop the league's assist charts.

"We know New Orleans is a good team," Mavs center Erick Dampier said. "They have good players on that team. They know how to play the game. They get the ball in the right guys' hands and they're good offensive players."

"It's going to be on us to make up our minds and get the stops and get run outs. We have guys that can put the ball in the basket, but defense is going to be the key for us each and every night."

The Mavericks and Hornets meet on Wednesday night, with the game airing locally on FSN Southwest and nationally on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. CT.



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

Mavericks-Jazz Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (11/03/09)
Utah Jazz 85 at Dallas Mavericks 96

The Dallas Mavericks' record books are scripted with routine big game performances from Dirk Nowitzki, but not even No. 41 had accomplished what the superstar did when the team needed him most Tuesday night.

With the Mavericks down as many as 16, Nowitzki put on his superhero cape once again and took the team for a ride with a team record 29-point fourth quarter to push Dallas to a 96-85 win over the Utah Jazz. The record was the most any Maverick has ever scored in a period, as Nowitzki posted 40 points on the night. In the win, the Mavericks overcame a 39-percent shooting night and 17 turnovers, outscoring Utah 44-18 in the fourth quarter.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nowitzki's legendary 4th quarter lifted Dallas to the win


"Dirk put us on his back and showed us why he's the MVP," sixth man Jason Terry said.

"We just looked for a spark there and we had to get something going," Nowitzki said. "Once I made a couple of shots and got to the line some, the ball was just finding me somehow."

And when the ball find it's way to Nowitzki, he found a way to put the ball in the basket.

The Mavericks saw no need to change things up, once again starting a lineup of Jason Kidd, Quinton Ross, Shawn Marion, Nowitzki and Erick Dampier. That lineup has started all four games for Dallas this season.

The Mavericks fought through an early case of the turnover bug and a cold-shooting start with a strong effort on the defensive end. Four turnovers in the first six minutes of play left Dallas down one (7-6) midway through the period.

Dallas' six total turnovers in the quarter, mostly unforced errors, pushed Utah to a 20-17 lead at the end of the first quarter. Both teams struggled putting the ball in the basket, as the Mavs' 35 percent shooting just edged the Jazz and their 33 percent after one.

The stagnant Mavericks got a boost of energy when J.J. Barea and the Dallas reserves entered the game. After his three-point play tied the game earlier in the second quarter, Barea's 3-pointer with 8:58 left in the half gave Dallas a 26-23 advantage.

The Jazz then turned to Deron Williams, whose back-to-back scores over Barea prompted a Dallas timeout with 5:45 remaining as Utah surged ahead 32-28. The Mavs rallied with Terry playing alongside the starters, minus Ross, but the Jazz went into the half up 37-35 in a low-scoring affair. Ross left the game with a bruised lower back injury in the first half and never returned.

The Mavericks were led by Kidd's eight first half points, while Utah's Andrei Kirilenko led all scorers with nine.

Dallas' 32 percent shooting was just bettered by Utah's 34 percent, as both teams struggled to connected on routine shots. Both squads committed seven turnovers in the first half.

"We were in it defensively all night long," Terry said. "Offensively we struggled and it was getting to us a little bit. We were frustrated, but we didn't let out defensive effort lack and that's what kept us in the game."

The normally reluctant-scoring, pass-first Kidd continued to look for his own offense in the third quarter and the Mavericks continued to stick around due to it.

"I can’t overstate the effect that Kidd has on games as a competitor and as a guy that just knows what winning is about and how to facilitate it," Carlisle said.

But not even Kidd's scoring was enough to keep Dallas close after Utah took a 56-48 lead on a Williams 3-pointer. Marion's thunderous dunk in transition brought life into the sold-out Dallas arena of 19,725 and the Maverick team, but the excitement was very short-lived.

Using a 22-6 run to close the third quarter (starting at the 8-minute mark), Utah took a 67-52 lead in the final period.

The Mavs quickly fell behind by 16 in the fourth, but slowly crawled back into the game at the free throw line and by milking the Nowitzki versus Mehmet Okur matchup. Nowitzki's driving score over Okur cut the deficit to 77-69 with 6:03 remaining. No. 41 was just beginning his heroics on the night.

"The biggest thing that happened was Dirk got us in the bonus early in the fourth," Carlisle said. "That started a chain reaction of plays where stops led to good decisions, which led to aggressive plays, which led to him going to the free throw line time after time after time."

"It was big that we got in the bonus really quickly. When you get in the bonus and get to the foul line, you're able to cut into the lead without losing time. So that was big."

The 7-footer rained in 14 straight Dallas points, after his 3-pointer cut the Utah advantage to 79-76 with 4:41 left. Nowitzki's finger-roll layup tied the game at 83-all, leading to a Jazz timeout with 2:38 remaining.

"Twenty-five years in this, I’ve seen a lot of amazing things happen. To be honest, it wasn’t looking great, but we just needed a couple good things to happen offensively for us," Carlisle said.

Nowitzki's jumper in the lane gave Dallas an 85-83 lead with 2:05 left, and gave the sharpshooter the franchise record for points in any quarter. It was a record that had stood since March 24, 1984, when Mark Aguirre scored 24 points in a period.

"For us, once we saw him (Nowitzki) get rolling we said let's pick up our effort defensively," Terry said.

"We said we weren't going to lose this game," Marion said. "Then he got it going and he couldn't stop going."

With the Mavericks playing stifling defense late, the big man played facilitator, finding Kidd on the wing for a game-clinching 3-pointer, giving Dallas a 90-83 advantage with just 50.7 seconds remaining.

"It was great in two aspect," Kidd said. "It was great to watch Dirk. I had a great seat, and then to watch the team stay together and not fragment and fight. We played well for one quarter and found a way to win."

With the comeback in hand, Nowitzki and the Mavericks finished the game off at the charity stripe. Nowitzki left the game to a standing ovation with 28.2 left on the clock.

All told, Nowitzki scored 25 points during the Mavericks' 36-9 run from the 8:19-mark of the fourth until the end of the game. Nowitzki added 11 rebounds, five blocks and five assists. He lived at the foul line, knocking down 15-of-16 at the charity stripe.

Kidd added 19 points and six assists, while Marion and Terry finished with 10 points. Dampier concentrated on the grunt work, with 12 rebounds and six blcks.



Now, winners of three straight, the Mavericks head to New Orleans for a battle with the Hornets on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday night. The game will air locally on FSN Southwest and nationally on ESPN at 8:30 p.m. CT.

Dallas returns home to host the Toronto Rapters at the American Airlines Center on Saturday night, with tickets still available. For ticket information call (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air on KTXA 21, KTXA 21 HD and HD NET at 7:30 p.m. CT.

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.

Pregame One-on-One with Mavs owner Mark Cuban

Mavericks-Jazz Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (11/03/09)
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.

Mavericks Practice Report (11/02/09)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (11/02/09)
Mavs Practice Report

A quiet confidence is brewing inside the Dallas Mavericks' locker room.

Some may call it a silent swagger, but the Mavs had an extra bounce to their steps when they took the practice court Monday after consecutive wins in Los Angeles over the Lakers and Clippers.

The Mavericks' excitement is centered around the effort on defense in the back-to-back L.A. wins over the weekend. The strong defensive showings helped the Mavs overcome poor shooting nights to improve to 2-1 on the season. Dallas will need repeat defensive performances Tuesday and Wednesday night against two of the top point guards in the NBA.

"Our defense was good both games," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We have to continue with that and we have areas where we can get better defensively as well. Offensively, we need to execute better. We didn't execute as well in the Clipper game as we did in the Laker game, so we're a work in progress. Every day we have to get stuff done and get better, and we will."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Mavs have to slow down Deron Williams Tuesday night


Though Carlisle doesn't plan on relying on it, the Mavericks' zone defense worked well in stints during both wins. The zone could continue to be a staple in Dallas' defensive package.

"We have it. Most teams have a zone, and when it's the right time, we'll use it," Carlisle said.

While Carlisle has been enamored with the defense from the Dallas starters, and not so much their offensive execution, his feelings quickly change when it comes to the Maverick bench. While Jason Terry, J.J. Barea and Kris Humphries have led the charge offensively for the second unit, Carlisle would still like to see more at the other end of the court.

"We have to get better defensively with our bench. We've had some guys play well offensively, but our defensive numbers with the guys off the bench need to improve. I'm mindful of not overreacting to a 3-game set of statistical data, but there's a little bit of a trend there that we have to put a stop to," Carlisle said.

"Intensity and a little bit more energy, get more into the ball," Barea said of what the reserves need to do defensively when they come into the game. "Just play more as a team when we come off the bench. We need that offense and if we get stops with it we'll be a lot better."

One player that should certainly assist the Maverick bench really soon, both offensively and on defense, will be forward Tim Thomas. The versatile big man practiced for the first time on Monday after rehabbing from off-season knee surgery.

While Thomas can stretch the court with his ability to knock down 3-pointers, he is also another body that can defend in the paint if called upon, though there's still no timetable for his return.

"It's progress," Carlisle said of Thomas' return to the court. "He did a little live stuff for the first time, but there's no set timetable."

"The biggest thing is right now I'm kind of getting my legs up under me a little bit," Thomas said after his first practice. "It's the first short step of being back. It felt good, but at some points it felt a little weak. I think it's mind over matter right now. I just have to continue to stay in the weight room, get it stronger and get it back into basketball shape."



Missing in action from the Mavericks practice were Josh Howard and Drew Gooden. Howard, who continues his fight to return from off-season ankle surgery, missed the day with a sinus infection. Gooden underwent x-rays on his strained rib cage, after missing the team's last game with the injury.

"We hope it's not that long," Carlisle said when asked how long Gooden may miss. "He appears to be doubtful for tomorrow, but we'll see where things are at in the morning."

For now, the Mavericks have to move forward with who they have, as the Dallas schedule doesn't get any easier. The Mavericks play their second back-to-back of the young season when Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz travel to the American Airlines Center on Tuesday, followed by the Mavs' trip to see Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday night.

"We're excited. It's another great opportunity at home, and hopefully we get some home court advantage," Terry said. "I kind of like back-to-backs because that means you don't have to practice. We'll take care of this first one, and then we have to see Mr. Paul down in New Orleans."

Dallas plays host to Utah 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.