Mavericks-Nuggets Preview

(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (32-19) at Denver Nuggets (34-17)

The Dallas Mavericks have already returned to the site of last season's demise, and they won. Tuesday night, they try to do it again.

(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Mavericks journey to Denver to play the Nuggets, the squad that ended Dallas' 2008-09 season with a 4-1 series win in the Western Conference Semifinals. But the Mavs are a confident bunch, having already erased those haunting playoff memories with a 104-96 road win on Dec. 27.

After a disappointing effort in last season's playoff series, the Dallas players dedicated their December victory to Mavs coach Rick Carlisle. Although the win came against a Nuggets squad playing without lead guard Chauncey Billups (strained left groin), the Mavericks certainly did not dismiss the fact that they played well in the Pepsi Center, an arena that tormented Dallas last season.

"I think it was bigger for coach then it was for us," guard Jason Terry said of the win after Carlisle circled the date. "As players, we wanted to come in here and get a win, but for him. We had four close games in here last year that easily could have went the other way. So, he put a big emphasis on the game...It had been marked down on our calender but it's one game. They didn't have Billups, but we came out of (the Pepsi Center) with a win. We had to win that game and we got it done."

Now the Nuggets have Billups back, and the versatile guard has played at an All-Star level. But this time around the Nuggets may be without fellow All-Star Carmelo Anthony. Anthony has missed eight straight games with an ankle injury, but the star says he is probable for Tuesday night's matchup between the Southwest and Northwest Division leaders.

But even if Anthony is on the court, the Mavericks may have the perfect formula for taking the NBA's second-leading scorer (29.7 ppg) out of the game plan. Anthony was sidelined with foul trouble and shot just 5-for-19 in the first meeting between the two teams, finishing with just 16 points.

(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

"We were doing different things (defensively on Anthony)," Carlisle said. "At times we'd guard him straight up, at times we ran somebody at him. But what helped was he was in some foul trouble, so he was in and out of the game.

"He never got into one of those rhythms where he can go out there and get 20 in a quarter. That was fortunate, but we had something to do with him picking up the fouls, too."

After professing that the Nuggets were the more physical team last season, the Mavericks learned in that first matchup that they must match the Nuggets' physicality and energy.

"You know when you come into this building they're going to play a physical game," forward Dirk Nowitzki said. "If you want to have a chance, you have to adjust and play that type of style, rebound the ball and really go after the ball...You have to know coming in that you have to be physical here and I think we did a decent job."

Tuesday night, in Dallas' final contest before the All-Star break, they will try to prove the first game was no fluke.

The Mavs will also look for another offensive explosion. Dallas is coming off of a 127-117 road win over Golden State on Monday night, after the Mavericks outscored the Warriors 37-19 in the fourth quarter.

The Dallas squad also received season-high scoring nights from Terry (36), Josh Howard (25) and Drew Gooden (24). Meanwhile, point guard Jason Kidd recorded his 15th double-double of the season, scoring 17 and dishing out 12 assists.

"Drew gave us a lot of energy off the bench, so he was fantastic. JET (Terry) was outstanding all night long. Josh was fun to watch, attacking and getting to the line. Kidd was open, he was making shots. So, it was a great team effort," Nowitzki said after finishing with 15 points (13 in the second half) in the win.

Now the Mavericks try to seize a 2-0 season series lead over the Nuggets, with the game airing locally Tuesday night on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8 p.m. CT. Dallas will be looking for back-to-back wins heading into the All-Star break.

"It is going to be tough, but we can do it," Gooden said. "We already won once there...We can do it."

For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.