Mavericks-Wizards Preview

(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (27-14) at Washington Wizards (14-26)

A lot has changed since the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards tipped off the 2009-10 season.

(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Since handing the Mavericks a 102-91 home loss in the Season Opener on Oct. 27, the Wizards have spiralled to the bottom of the Southeast Division and the team has watched the league suspend their leading scorer, Gilbert Arenas. The NBA sent "Agent Zero," who scored 29 points and dished out nine assists in the Wizards' October win, away indefinitely for allegedly bringing guns into the Verizon Center locker room. Since his Jan. 6 suspension the Wizards are 3-5.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks have gone in the completely opposite direction, using defense and fast break offense to sprint to the top of the Southwest Division. Dallas' style of play was on full display for the nation to see against the Boston Celtics on Monday night, when the Mavericks used stellar defense to create transition offense and a 58-40 advantage in second half scoring en route to a 99-90 victory. The Mavericks will look for more of the same when they touch down in the nation's capital for the middle matchup of a five-game road trip, having split the first two games after a poor showing defensively in Toronto.

"I think with this team it starts defensively," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of his ball club. "We did a great job in the second half (against Boston). We just gave up 40 points, forced some shots, stuck with their shooters and our offense finally came to us. But it always starts on the defensive end for us, and that's what won us the game.

"We don't want to grind it out all the time, but for us to play a free-flowing offense, we need some stops and we finally got some stops in the second half. And we were running...We were moving the ball and it was fun to watch."

(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

But the Wizards are 2-0 on their current six-game home stand. If Dallas hopes to disrupt that then they must rely on Nowitzki and point guard Jason Kidd. Nowitzki's 37 points against Boston grabbed the headlines, but Kidd's 13-point, 17-assist night made life easier for Mavs coach Rick Carlisle. The pass-first veteran is quick to point out that his duty is to run the show, and finding No. 41 is always a smart move.

"I mean, Dirk putting the ball in the basket helps," Kidd said. "But just running the pick-and-roll, running the offense, knowing who is going to be there and guys putting the ball in the basket...I felt comfortable in making the right decision."

Against an Arenas-less Wizards squad, the Mavericks will once again try to establish their uptempo play early.

"We want to play uptempo," the coach said. "We want to get up and down the floor, but we don't want to be willy-nilly about it."

Washington will still have forward Antawn Jamison and his 22.7 points per game scoring average on the court, after the former All-Star missed the first meeting with a shoulder injury. Stopping Jamison and his teammate Caron Butler will be a touch task, but Dallas will look to demonstrate a defensive physicality on the perimeter and in the interior, which was a key to the win in Boston.

"Strong defense is something that travels and is something that is a winning formula. We just have to stay with it...We have a physical team. We start a 6-7 two guard and a 6-8 small forward, and both of those guys are strong and athletic. And our point guard is big."

The Mavericks-Wizards matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 6 p.m. CT. It is the third matchup of a five-game road trip for the Mavericks.

Dallas returns home to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 26. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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