Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (46-23) at New Orleans Hornets (33-38)
The Dallas Mavericks can't sit around and think about what they didn't do right in Saturday's 102-93 home loss to the Boston Celtics. There's no time to waste.
After winning their fair share of close ball games, the Mavericks admit that the Celtics were the ones making the crucial plays down the stretch.
"You tip your hat to (the Celtics). They were the better team with two minutes left," Mavs point guard Jason Kidd said after the loss.
"It was a tough loss, because we've been winning close games," sixth man Jason Terry added.
But it is a loss the Mavericks will have to learn from quickly. Now the team has to shift its focus to the New Orleans Hornets for the first game of a back-to-back.
(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Southwest Division-leading Mavericks enter New Orleans Arena in front 2-1 in the season series with the Hornets. Most recently the Mavs claimed a 108-100 home win against the Hornets on Feb. 28. But in that game the Mavericks' owned a 25-point lead, before watching New Orleans fight to cut its deficit to single digits. Though the Mavericks went on to escape the American Airlines Center floor with the victory, it may have started a trend.
In the Mavericks' last two games, late-game execution has been a problem. From watching a 25-point lead end in a 113-106 win over a shorthanded Chicago squad last Wednesday to Saturday night's fourth quarter miscues, execution down the stretch has grown into a concern for Mavs coach Rick Carlisle.
"No excuses. We've got to make plays. It's tough when you are taking it out of the opponent's basket to score...We've got to be better. I'm not going to make any excuses about that," the coach said of his team's play down the stretch of games.
While the Mavericks try to close games better they will also have to contend with the rookie duo of Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton.
With Chris Paul still recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, Collison exploded for a career-high tying 35 points on 15-of-21 shooting in the Hornets' February loss to the Mavs. "(Collison) is a talented, young guy," forward Shawn Marion said of the first-year pro. "(Feb. 28) was the first time we actually got a chance to really see him, without CP3 (Paul) on the floor with him. He's tough. He's something to look forward to."
Thornton added 21 points off the bench, albeit in a loss.
"The two young kids (Collison and Thornton) are energetic," Carlisle said. "They've got a lot of fight in them."
Still, the Hornets are fading out of the playoff picture after losing 10 of their last 12 games before beginning a five-game homestand.
Now the Mavericks try to stop the budding stars while also trying to put together a winning equation. Since owning a 13-game winning streak, the Mavs have dropped two of their last three games. Carlisle says if the Mavericks are to correct their recent play then it will start at the defensive end.
"You've got to be able to get some stops. We didn't get stops (against Boston). That was our undoing," the coach concluded.
In the fourth and final regular season game between the two teams, the Mavs-Hornets matchup will appear nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA, airing at 7 p.m. CT.
The Mavericks then return to the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night to host the Los Angeles Clippers. Back on Oct. 31, the Mavs captured a 93-84 win in L.A. in the first of three meetings between the teams. That game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 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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