Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Boston Celtics (44-24) at Dallas Mavericks (46-22)
Two teams. Two different conferences. One common goal.
Both the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics consider the season a failure if it doesn't end with a championship. While the Mavericks hope to reach the NBA Finals through the Western Conference, the Celtics have the same mission via the East. The two paths could collide in June, but for now a collision course is set for Saturday night at the American Airlines Center.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
"They've got a great team over there," Mavs sixth man Jason Terry said of the ball club from Beantown. "This is a team you could possibly face in the Finals, so we definitely want to come out and put together a good performance."
The Mavericks are also looking to see how they stack up against the 2008 champs. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle says the Celtics have changed a lot since his team went into Boston and came out with a 99-90 win on Jan. 18.
"(The Celtics) have gotten themselves healthy, healthier than when we played them last," Carlisle said. "They've made a trade and injected some new blood into their situation. They've been playing well and winning games pretty handily, so we know they're going to be a tough matchup."
Now the Mavericks try to defend their home floor, as the Southwest and Atlantic Division leaders face off.
Boston has won three straight, including a 94-87 victory over Houston on Friday night. The Mavericks are determined not to let that streak reach four.
"They're playing very good right now. They've got into a good rhythm, especially the last couple of games," forward Caron Butler said.
"We've beaten them up there, but now I know they're going to remember that and come out here and play hard against us here at home," Terry added. "It's a big one. Any time you play against Boston, as you know their history and the story of their franchise, it's always a big game."
Big games are nothing new to the Mavericks, neither are big scoring outputs.
Dallas has scored 100-plus points in eight of its last 11 games. The team has gone 10-1 during that span. Matching up against one of the league's best defenses will certainly be a test.
"This is a team that is going to be tough, physical and they're going to play a playoff-style defense. And offensively they present a lot of challenges...It's a tough matchup, but it's an opportunity we look forward to," Carlisle said.
The Mavs will try to contend with a Boston offense headlined by future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, while also stopping first-time All-Star Rajon Rondo. The Celtics also added former Mav Michael Finley and Slam Dunk champ Nate Robinson via the wavier wire and a recent trade, only bolstering their offensive arsenal. "They're always a dangerous team. Any time you've got Hall of Famers like Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, a great All-Star point guard in Rondo, that's a dangerous team," Terry concluded.
The Mavericks will try to end a four-game home stand with a 3-1 record. The Mavs-Celtics matchup will appear on KTXA, airing at 8 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
For up to the minute news on the Dallas Mavericks, visit Mavs.com. Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
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