Mavericks-Hawks Recap

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 111 at Atlanta Hawks 103

Momentum is a funny thing.

Riding a five-game winning streak, the Dallas Mavericks entered Philips Arena out to avenge an 80-75 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 5. Accompanying the Mavs on the road was the momentum from Wednesday night's 101-96 home win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

In a game of runs, where momentum was everything, the Mavericks used a late change in the tide to claim a 111-103 overtime win Friday night. Thanks to Jason Kidd's first triple-double of the season and veteran headiness, the Mavericks overcame a late double-digit deficit and extended the NBA's longest current winning streak to six.

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

"The performance that (Kidd) had was an all-time great performance, especially for someone who's 36 years old," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "I've never seen a guy have this kind of impact on a game. You don't get winning streaks without special performances, like the one that Jason (Kidd had tonight). This was one for the ages."

For the second straight game the Mavericks were without swingman Caron Butler, after the former All-Star suffered a bad reaction to medication before the matchup with L.A. Once again newcomer DeShawn Stevenson sled into the starting lineup, playing next to Kidd, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood.

"Right now, we have all three guys from the (Feb. 13 trade) playing key roles. Butler's missed a couple of games, so now Stevenson's a starter," the coach said.

The first quarter was very kind to the Mavericks, filled with above-the-rim finishes from Marion off of Kidd's feeds. With Nowitzki's lights-out shooting, the Mavericks overcame early turnovers with a 16-0 run. The Dallas defense made it possible for the team to run, holding the Hawks without a made field goal for the final 6:10 of the quarter. The result was a 29-19 Dallas lead after one. Marion and Nowitzki combined to score 20 of the Mavericks' 29 first quarter points.

Former Hawk Jason Terry kept the good times rolling for the Mavericks early in the second stanza, as Atlanta continued without a made basket for nearly four minutes of game time in the period. But once the Hawks began to connect from behind the 3-point arch, Atlanta was right back in the game. As Joe Johnson caught fire, the Hawks crept closer. Johnson's transition finger roll with 2:54 remaining in the half put the Hawks ahead 44-43. After a stretch of 16 straight misses, Atlanta made 10 consecutive shots. But Kidd's play at both ends, including a steal to pass Scottie Pippen for fifth on the all-time list, helped the Mavs tie the game at 50-all heading into the halftime break.

The Mavericks found themselves knotted at the half despite out-shooting the Hawks 61 percent to 48 percent through the first 24 minutes of play. Atlanta's 5-of-11 from behind the arch and Johnson's 17 first half points erased Dallas' 14-point advantage. Nowitzki posted 16 points through the first two quarters.

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The third quarter was a seesaw affair for the first six minutes. But Josh Smith's do-it-all play helped the Hawks open up a double-digit lead. The Mavericks attempted to rallied behind Nowitzki, but the Dallas squad struggled through a stretch of nine straight misses. With the Hawks outscoring Dallas 26-15 in the third, the Mavericks found themselves down 76-65 entering the fourth.

Kidd attempted to rally his troops in the final period with transition offense. Defensively, the Mavericks took Johnson out of the game with a scrambling zone.

"We threw the zone defense out there to throw the Hawks off a little bit," Terry said. "If you don't practice repetition against the zone, it will cause problems for you, and I think that's what happened to the Hawks tonight. At the same time, the Hawks just didn't hit the shots they were hitting earlier in the game, so it took them out of rhythm a little bit."

Switching to a three-guard lineup of Kidd, Terry and J.J. Barea, the Mavericks sped up the tempo on the offensive end. En route to his 104th (third-most in NBA history) career triple-double, Kidd's play at both ends translated to an 18-3 run to pull the Mavs ahead 92-91 with 2:58 remaining. The future Hall-of-Famer then found himself in a shootout with Hawks point guard Mike Bibby. But not even a brief scrum with Hawks coach Mike Woodson was able to cool Kidd down, after the veteran drew a technical foul on the head play-caller when the two colliding outside of the coaching box.

"I saw him on the court and we needed to get a point somehow," Kidd said of the incident. "He's in a suit, and so I had to make the officials make something happen there...There is a coaching box and some of the coaches do stretch that box."

"I don't know if there's ever been a smarter player in this league than Jason Kidd. There may be a few equals out there -- Magic Johnson, (Larry) Bird, a few others, (Michael) Jordan," Carlisle said of his point guard's awareness.

Kidd gave the Mavs a 99-97 edge with 56.4 ticks left on his third consecutive three. Yet after the Hawks tied the game, both Nowitzki and Kidd missed on game-winning fadeaway jumpers in the final possession of regulation. The Mavericks outscored the Hawks 34-23 in the fourth to send the game into overtime.

"Jason Kidd's leadership and fourth quarter play was the difference tonight," Haywood said.

The momentum was clearly with the Mavericks in the extra period, and it wasn't going anywhere. Already up four, Nowitzki iced the game with 1:06 left on the clock, as the 7-footer's three swished in off Kidd's 17th assist of the night. Late scores from Terry and Haywood put the finishing touches on the win.

"We were down 11 points late in the game, and to come back and get this win is phenomenal. We really needed this win to boost our confidence as we go through the second part of this season," Terry said.

Flying under the radar was Nowitzki's 37 points to lead the way on 15-of-26 shooting. That's because Kidd did everything imaginable. Tallying up 19 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds, No. 2's fingerprints were all over the game.

"Jason Kidd is one of the smartest players I've ever seen play. We have a true point guard in him, and his stat line tonight speaks to that. More than that, he just led us tonight, and led us to a big victory," Terry said of his backcourt mate.

Off the bench, Terry posted 17 points. Marion added 14 points, while Haywood recorded his third double-double as a Maverick with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

"I feel like my job is just to be a force inside and a presence on the defensive end," Haywood said.

Johnson led five Hawks in double figures with his 27-point night.

With the late charge, the Mavericks finished the night connecting on 52 percent from the field. The Dallas defense held Atlanta to just 40 percent shooting at the other end. Much of the credit goes to Dallas' 50-41 advantage in rebounding and 29-19 edge in fast break points.

The Mavericks snatched the win from the Hawks' grasp despite 13 turnovers, compared to Atlanta's seven giveaways.

Now, the Mavs return home and play host to the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night. The Mavericks will look to run their win streak to seven, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. The season series is tied 1-1.

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

Mavericks-Hawks Preview

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (37-21) at Atlanta Hawks (36-20)

The Dallas Mavericks are sky high right now, and they have no plans of coming down any time soon.

Riding a five-game winning streak and coming off of a 101-96 home win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks are certainly on Cloud Nine. The new-look Mavs are tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the NBA's longest current winning streak, giving the Dallas squad all of the confidence in the world.

"We can match up with pretty much anybody. We've still got some work to do. We'll just keep on working," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.

The work continues against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. If the playoffs began today, the two squads would each be in the four spot in their respective conferences.

But the Mavericks have shown an ability to take down playoff-contending teams during their recent stretch, defeating the likes of Phoenix, Orlando, Miami, and most recently L.A.

"We're a veteran ball club and we understand what it takes to win," point guard Jason Kidd said after the win over the Lakers. "We've been playing some really good basketball of late and we wanted to keep it going."

The Mavericks also hope that the equation of Kidd plus Nowitzki plus Jason Terry keeps equalling wins.

(Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)

Kidd is coming off of his 18th double-double of the season, tallying 14 points and dishing out 13 assists against the Lakers. With swingman Caron Butler out of the lineup due to a bad reaction from medication, Kidd found his go-to scorers frequently. Nowitzki's game-high 31 points and Terry's 30 paced the Mavericks to the win. It was the first time two Maverick players scored 30-plus points in a game since March 7, 2009 against Washington, when Nowitzki went for 34 and Terry provided 33.

"Dirk and JET (Terry) delivered big time with 30-point nights. And that's what you need, especially when you are down a guy like Butler," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of the two sharpshooters.

"You know us. In close ball games, we're going to do what he have to do and get the ball in the right people's hands," Terry added.

While big games have become the norm for Nowitzki, Terry has struggled at times while being shifted in and out of the starting unit. Back in the sixth man role that he thrived in last season, Terry broke out in a big way en route to connecting on 10-of-20 shots.

"I wasn't necessarily in a zone, but I got into a good rhythm. Coming out and being aggressive early is the key for me," Terry said.

While Terry will once again look to be aggressive against the Hawks, his former team, the Mavs expect for Butler to make a return to the lineup. The two-time All-Star went through the team's morning shootaround and is listed as a game-time decision.

"(Butler) is one of the best players," Carlisle said. "It was disappointing (not to have him against L.A.) but he's going to be okay. The hope is that he's going to be okay for Friday."

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
But while Butler was unable to cash in off of Kidd's legendary court vision in the Mavs' last game, his teammate Brendan Haywood continued to reap the benefits. Haywood has stepped up with center Erick Dampier (dislocated right middle finger) sidelined. One of the newest Mavs, and a 7-footer having a career year, Haywood has been a "walking double-double" since joining the team via a Feb. 13 trade with Washington.

"(Haywood) is big and long. He's been giving us great minutes. It's a different dynamic, because I don't think he's ever played with a pass-first guard like Jason (Kidd). He's getting a few more opportunities per minute than he had in Washington, probably. That provides motivation for him to run. It energizes him defensively. He's been terrific. We're going to need him to play like this every night," the coach said.

Now Haywood and the Mavericks try to run their win streak to six, while attempting to avenge an 80-75 home loss to the Hawks on Dec. 5. The Mavericks-Hawks matchup will air nationally on ESPN and locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 6 p.m. CT.

"We want to put on a good show," Terry said of playing his old squad.

The Mavericks return home and play host to the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. The season series is tied 1-1.

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

Lakers-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Los Angeles 96 at Dallas Mavericks 101

Wednesday night's machup with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers was built as the Dallas Mavericks' most important game of the season. It didn't disappoint.

After making a seven-player trade with the Washington Wizards on Feb. 13, the Mavericks had the fourth and final regular season game with the Lakers circled on their calender. But after bringing in Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson for the purpose of contending with L.A., the Mavs were unable to unveil their new-look squad in front of a national audience. That's because the Dallas squad was without Butler.

The two-time All-Star was out of the lineup after a bad reaction from medication. Sill, the Mavericks didn't use Butler's absence as an excuse to take the night off. Instead, the squad played inspired basketball, capping the night off with a 101-96 win on the American Airlines Center floor.

"This team has never used excuses," point guard Jason Kidd said after his team performed despite Butler's absence. "We're a veteran ball club and we understand what it takes to win.

"It's a big win. We weren't looking at it as a measuring stick game. It's just we've been playing some really good basketball of late and we wanted to keep it going."

The Mavs certainly did keep the momentum going, claiming their fifth consecutive win and equalling their best streak since Dec. 16. Dallas also knotted the season series with L.A. 2-2.

"It's a great win. Too much will be made of it probably, but we just continue to build on things," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.

In Butler's stead, Stevenson got the nod from Carlisle at the starting shooting guard slot. Stevenson more than held his own with the first unit, keeping Kobe Bryant quiet in the opening quarter.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

"I thought the key guy in the game was probably Stevenson, with the way he started the game for us. He gave us great defense on Bryant. Anytime he was in there, he held his position strong. He played within what we were doing," the coach added.

But the first quarter belonged to Andrew Bynum and the Lakers. Bynum's presence in the post was too much for the Mavs early on, scoring eight points and snagging seven rebounds to lift the Lakers to a 23-20 advantage after one.

The Mavericks found life in the play of sixth man Jason Terry in the second quarter. The hometown crowd also got a rise from rookie Rodrigue Beaubois' stuffing block on Jordan Farmar's driving shot attempt. Dirk Nowitzki even got into the act in the second. But after a late charge by Bryant sparked ten unanswered points by the Lakers, the Mavs used a 10-2 run to close to within 50-49 in L.A.'s favor at the end of the first half.

"When they got up nine in the second quarter, that was the danger time for us and we had used our timeouts," Carlisle said. "We had to keep playing. We went on a 10-2 run to end the half, which gave us great momentum going into halftime."

Terry's 18 points led all scores at the half.

"I wasn't necessarily in a zone, but I got into a good rhythm. Coming out and being aggressive early is the key for me," Terry said.

But the Lakers out-shot the Mavs 51 percent to 44 percent in the first 24 minutes of play. Dallas overcame 10 first half turnovers with a 26-16 rebounding edge. But the most telling stat in the half was L.A.'s 34-16 advantage in points in the paint.

The Mavericks appeared to be on their way to a big quarter at the start of the third, building up a lead as large as five. Haywood began to put the defensive clamps down on Bynum on the inside. But after beginning the game quietly, Bryant came out of the halftime break looking for his own shot. In a quarter with nine lead changes and two ties, it was Kidd's buzzer-beating three that gave the Mavs a 74-72 edge heading into the final period.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
"That (shot) was huge. We were down one, it's a low-clock situation and they're a great defensive team. (Kidd) being able to find an opening, JET (Terry) being able to find him...He knocks in a 28-footer, and coming into that huddle it really helped the spirit," Carlisle said.

The fourth quarter was like the 12th round of a heavyweight title fight. The Mavericks played the role of the counter puncher, answering every Laker jab with an uppercut. As usual, the fourth quarter was Nowitzki and Terry time, and No. 41 and No. 31 were ready for the primetime moment.

"You know us. In close ball games, we're going to do what he have to do and get the ball in the right people's hands," Terry said.

The nine-time All-Star, Nowitzki, gave Dallas an 87-82 lead with 5:52 remaining on a hanging jumper in the lane, plus the foul on Bryant. With Shawn Marion locking up Bryant in the fourth, the Dallas defense stiffened while Nowitzki and Terry poured in the points.

"I just made it hard for him," Marion said of his defense in the fourth on Bryant. "I just didn't want him to catch a groove...I made him take tough shots with my length."

With defensive stops translating into transition offense off of Kidd's direction, the Dallas lead reached eight. But the Bryant-led Lakers had one more run left in them. Bryant's driving score with 57.9 ticks left cut the Dallas lead to 97-94. But the reigning Finals' MVP missed on a game-tying three just 32 seconds later. After a Pau Gasol foul, Terry put a little more distance between the two teams with a pair of clutch free throws with 15.9 seconds left. But Bryant answered with a pair of his own. Nursing a three-point lead, Nowitzki iced the game with a 2-for-2 trip at the charity stripe with 1.8 seconds remaining.

The Mavs finished the night victorious despite being out-shot by the Lakers, 49 percent to 44 percent. With both squads committing 17 turnovers on the night, Dallas' 41-36 edge in rebounding and 23-15 advantage in fast break points became vital.

"We wanted to make it a higher possession game than they like," Carlisle said. "The way to do that is to get stops and get the ball in Kidd's hands and get him running. We had a significant number -- 23 fast break points is a lot against them. They do a good job of getting back. Usually they are taking good shots and getting chances to get the ball back. I thought we pushed it well."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Led by Nowitzki's game-high 31 points and Terry's 30, the Mavericks more than made up for Butler's missing output. The last time two Mavericks scored 30-plus points in a game was March 7, 2009 against Washington, when Nowitzki went for 34 and Terry provided 33.

Meanwhile, Kidd recorded his 18th double-double of the season, posting 14 points and dishing out 13 assists. Haywood's 11 points and Marion's 10 made it five Mavs in double figures.

"We had a lot of guys contribute. Dirk and JET delivered big time with 30-point nights. And that's what you need, especially when you are down a guy like Butler," Carlisle said while praising his squad.

Off the bench Lamar Odom led the Lakers with 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. Bryant finished with 20, hitting on just 9-of-23 from the field. After his huge first quarter, Bynum was quiet the rest of the way thanks to Haywood's defense. The Lakers' big man finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

"In the second half, I was definitely more aggressive," Haywood said of his defensive energy. "My biggest thing is, I was focused on getting through the first quarter with no fouls, because I knew from that point on I had set myself up to finish the game. I think was a little too passive early on, but in the second half I definitely picked up the intensity."

Now, with a workman-like mentality, the Mavericks move on to the next game on their schedule.

"On to the next one," Haywood said.

"We can match up with pretty much anybody," Nowitzki added. "We've still got some work to do...We'll just keep on working."

The next one is a road meeting with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. The Hawks captured an 80-75 road win on the American Airlines Center floor on Dec. 5, the only meeting between the two squads thus far this season. The Mavs will be out for revenge. The game will air nationally on ESPN and locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 6 p.m. CT.

"We want to put on a good show," Terry said of the upcoming matchup.

The Mavericks return home and play host to the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. The season series is tied 1-1.

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

Lakers-Mavericks Preview

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Los Angeles (43-14) at Dallas Mavericks (36-21)

Championships are won in the playoffs, but statements are made in the regular season.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

With that being said, the Dallas Mavericks try to send a resounding message to the rest of the NBA when they welcome the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers to the American Airlines Center.

Riding a four-game winning streak, the Mavs will be out to even the season series with the Lakers. L.A. leads the series 2-1, after the Lakers captured a 100-95 win in Dallas on Jan. 13. It is a game the Mavericks haven't forgotten.

"For us to get a win against the Lakers would be big, for us to have 2-2 against them," point guard Jason Kidd said. "To beat them at their place, and then to come here and protect home would be huge, in that sense. But it's another game for us to try to get a W."

"We're trying to win every game we possibly can, obviously. They're the World Champs, so it's a big deal when they come in," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle added.

The game has added importance, as the Pacific and Southwest Division leaders fight for playoff positioning. L.A. sits at the top of the Western Conference standings, while Dallas is at the four spot and rising.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Mavs know that they will see a Lakers squad at full strength. After missing five games with a sprained left ankle and strained tendon in his left leg, Kobe Bryant returned to the L.A. starting lineup in a big way.

The perennial All-Star posted 32 points (11 in the fourth quarter) and swished home the game-winning three with 4.3 seconds left to down the Memphis Grizzlies 99-98 on the road Tuesday night. Dallas expects to see Bryant at his best once again.

"When you take that amount of time off, you're going to be fresh," Carlisle said. "It's pretty clear that (Bryant's) been working out, and I know that he's been practicing. So, no surprise that he put that kind of game together. We're going to have to be ready for him tonight."

"(Bryant) is going to bring it. I saw Kobe come out there and compete when his back was hurt, finger was injured, ankle, everything, and still was able to come in and hit a clutch shot against these guys to send the Lakers home with a W. So, I know he's going to bring it Wednesday and we've got to be prepared for that challenge," Caron Butler said.

Butler knows Bryant's game about as well as anyone. The two former teammates will see each other a lot on Wednesday night, matching up at the shooting guard position.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks will have their hands full with Andrew Bynum in the paint. Bynum has dominated the Mavs' frontline in the three previous matchups, but the addition of Brendan Haywood will be vital to Dallas' success in the interior.

"It's tough matching up with big Drew (Bynum) down there, because he's talented, he's skilled, he's athletic and he's a load down there when they really give him the ball," Haywood said.

But with center Erick Dampier still out indefinitely with a dislocated right middle finger, Haywood is the Mavericks' only big body that is available to impose a force against the Lakers' athletic bigs. The Mavs' 7-footer is well aware that he must stay out of foul trouble against Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom.

"I have to be smart but I can't play scared," Haywood said. "I can't take a silly foul early on, because they're too big for our backups. But at the same time, I can't just give up layups and inside position, because that will hit us as well."

"The key is (Haywood) has got to be aggressive, on the one hand. But he's got to have the right amount of discretion, and make sure that he's playing defense with his feet and his body and keeping his hands out of it, so we're not picking up any ticky-tack fouls that can lead to him leaving the game early. That's something that we can't have," the coach added.

Still, sixth man Jason Terry says the key to the game is for the Mavericks to simply play "Mavs basketball."

"More importantly than (worrying about individual matchups) is going in with the mind state that we're going to play our style of basketball," Terry said. "They've got to beat us. I think that's the approach we got to have."

The Mavericks play host to the defending champion Lakers on Wednesday night, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD 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.

Mavericks Practice Report (02/23/10)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavericks Practice Report 02/23/10

The Dallas Mavericks have done just about everything through their 57 of 82 games played this season, but Tuesday was still a first for the team. And all they did was practice.

Something as routine as practice has not been a normal sight for the new-look Mavericks, since making a Feb. 13 trade with the Washington Wizards to bring in Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson. In fact, playing five games in seven days, the team had yet to practice together until Tuesday.

"We were able to work on some things that we felt were important," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We cleaned up some things...Every minute of practice time you have is helpful."

Regardless of the lack of time together on the practice court, the Mavericks have still put together their first four-game win streak since five straight wins from Dec. 8-16.

With a much-needed practice and four consecutive wins under their belt, the Mavs are a confident crew heading into their fourth and final regular season matchup with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. The Lakers lead the season series 2-1, including a 100-95 win on the American Airlines Center floor on Jan. 13.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

"They're a great team, we know that," the coach added. "We got beat once bad out there, we beat them once out there and we lost a tight one at home. So, we're trying to win every game we possibly can, obviously. They're the World Champs, so it's a big deal when they come in."

"Tomorrow is just another game on the schedule," point guard Jason Kidd said. "For us to get a win tomorrow against the Lakers would be big, for us to have 2-2 against them. To beat them at their place, and then to come here and protect home tomorrow would be huge, in that sense. But it's another game for us to try to get a W."

But this is a different Dallas ball club than the Lakers have seen this season, thanks to the additions of Butler and Haywood. Both newcomers have made an immediate impact, and both will have daunting tasks come Wednesday.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)
Butler will be asked to contend with former teammate Kobe Bryant. Bryant is expected to return for L.A.'s Tuesday night matchup against Memphis, after missing five games due to a sprained left ankle and strained tendon in his left leg. It is a matchup the 6-7 Butler is eagerly awaiting.

"He's going to bring it. I saw Kobe come out there and compete when his back was hurt, finger was injured, ankle, everything, and still was able to come in and hit a clutch shot against these guys to send the Lakers home with a W. So, I know he's going to bring it Wednesday and we've got to be prepared for that challenge," Butler said.

Meanwhile, Haywood will be asked to go toe-to-toe with Lakers center Andrew Bynum. Bynum has terrorized the Dallas defenders this season, but Haywood is confident that will change this time around.

"It's tough matching up with big Drew (Bynum) down there, because he's talented, he's skilled, he's athletic and he's a load down there when they really give him the ball," Haywood said.

"I have to be smart but I can't play scared. I can't take a silly foul early on, because they're too big for our backups. But at the same time, I can't just give up layups and inside position, because that will hit us as well."

Haywood is coming off of a 13-point, career-high tying 20-rebound night against Indiana in a 91-82 home win.

"As far as the points go, I basically just thank Jason Kidd for those," Haywood added. "If you're active and around the basket, he'll find you."

Kidd's job was lightened slightly in Monday night's win over Indiana. With a double digit advantage, Carlisle gave the veteran lead guard the fourth quarter off. The move has the future Hall-of-Famer energized for the upcoming meeting with L.A.

"It was my first (rest) of the season. It couldn't have come at a better time," Kidd said.

A rested Kidd and the Mavericks play host to the defending champion Lakers on Wednesday night, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD 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.

Pacers-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Indiana Pacers 82 at Dallas Mavericks 91

It's been over two months since the Dallas Mavericks put together a four-game winning streak. That all changed Monday night with the Mavericks' 91-82 home win over the Indiana Pacers.

But the Dallas squad has mixed emotions after the victory.

Matching up against a Pacers team playing without leading scorer Danny Granger (personal reasons), the Mavericks tried to keep their focus on the Central Division's last place team. But with Wednesday's matchup against the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on the horizon, the Mavs didn't play their best 48 minutes. Though the Mavericks secured another notch in the win column, in wire-to-wire fashion, an unsatisfying taste still lingers in their mouths.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"I didn't like the way we played," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said while critiquing his team. "I don't think our players would disagree with that. We played a sloppy game....Obviously, we have to play better Wednesday. You like getting a win. I just didn't like the way we played overall. It wasn't the same kind of basketball we played over the last three games."

"That one wasn't pretty," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of the win. "We didn't play well tonight. Obviously, we'll take the four-game win streak...We don't want to overrate a win over Indiana, without Granger. He's their go-to guy, and we definitely got lucky he wasn't here."

From the opening tip, the Mavericks were ahead on the scoreboard. After Nowitzki began the night scoring the first five points of the game, the Mavericks were off and running. With Brendan Haywood grabbing virtually every ball that came off the glass in the opening quarter, while Nowitzki and Caron Butler handled the scoring responsibilities, the Mavericks quickly jumped out to a double digit advantage. The first quarter was full of highlight reel plays for the Mavericks, including Eduardo Najera's circus left-handed tip to beat the shot clock. By quarter's end, the Mavericks owned a 29-20 advantage, despite 9-for-24 shooting. The reason for the early edge was the Dallas defense, holding the Pacers to just 6-of-23 at the other end.

The Pacers crept back into the game early in the second quarter against the Mavs' second-stringers.

"We didn't make any shots," Carlisle said about the play early on. "If you don't make shots, they'll get out on the break...We didn't make shots, it was the bottom line."

After Indiana cut the Dallas lead to as little as three, Carlisle quickly went back to a mixture of the starters and role players. The move was a wise one, as newcomer DeShawn Stevenson heated up while playing next to the first unit. A late charge lifted the Mavs to a 49-41 halftime lead.

"Our ball movement wasn't crisp, we settled for shots that weren't the best shots. Defensively, we had too many breakdowns," the coach added.

Both squads continued their poor shooting through the end of the first half, as Dallas' 40 percent just bettered Indiana's 36 percent. The Mavericks' low shooting percent and nine first half turnovers allowed the Pacers to hang around. But Indiana's 2-for-13 shooting from behind the 3-point line worked right into the Mavericks' hands through the first 24 minutes of play.

Off the bench, Pacers guard T.J. Ford led all scorers with 10 first half points. Meanwhile, Butler's eight points and Haywood's 7-point, 11-rebound half powered the Mavericks.

"(Haywood) had a lot of rebounds. He gave us a strong presence on the inside. He fits well with our team. He fits well with our personnel. He was a major factor in the game. We're going to need him to keep playing like this," Carlisle said.

Jason Kidd's fadeaway, shot clock-beating jumper early in the third quarter rejuvenated the stagnant Maverick squad in the second half. An 11-3 Dallas run pushed the Mavericks' lead back to double figures midway through the quarter. With the offense going through Nowitzki and sixth man Jason Terry, the Mavericks' advantage went to as much as 16 in the period. But Dallas' sloppy play and inefficiency on the offensive end allowed the Pacers to cut their deficit to 72-61 heading into the fourth.

With Kidd getting some much-needed rest, rookie Rodrigue Beaubois' play-making gave the Mavs a spark early in the fourth quarter.

"It helps tremendously (for Kidd to be able to rest)," Carlisle said. "Jason has really been willing our team to some of these victories. He has driven himself hard. He's driving our team hard. And every minute he plays is at a higher octane than most guys. It's great that he could sit the fourth quarter. It starts to get him recharged for Wednesday.

"I thought (Beaubois) was good...His energy was there. His length and athleticism played a factor. He made things happen when he got (in the game) in the fourth. I like what he did."

While Beaubois dished it off, Nowitzki found a way to put the ball in the net. Nowitzki continued his scoring assault, as the Dallas defense forced the Pacers into seven straight misses. The result was a 15-4 run for the Mavericks. The scoreboard then began to reflect the energy that the Dallas squad was exerting, as the Mavericks ran out to a lead as large as 22. With Haywood protecting the paint on a career rebounding night, the Mavs finished the game off with a stifling defense. Both teams emptied their benches in the final two minutes, as the Pacer reserves made the final score more respectable.

"You don't want to look too closely at a win, but still we've got to play better. We know that," Nowitzki summed up the night.

Despite the rough shooting night and the Pacers' 40-28 edge in points in the paint, the Mavericks still utilized transition offense to hold a 24-13 advantage in fast break points. The Mavericks finished the night out-shooting the Pacers 39 percent to 37 percent. Both teams struggled from the outside, though the Mavericks' 4-for-14 from behind the arch was still better in comparison to Indy's 3-for-23.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
With so many misguided shots, there was an abundance of rebounds to go around. Though most found their way into Haywood's paws.

In addition to his 13 points, the 7-footer finished with a career-high tying 20 rebounds, helping Dallas claim a 53-46 edge on the boards. It is Haywood's second consecutive double-double.

"Both teams didn't shoot very well, so I had a great opportunity to get a lot of rebounds," Haywood reflected. "At the end of the day, it was just attacking the boards, being aggressive and it worked out well for me tonight."

Nowitzki led the way with 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while Terry (14), Haywood and Kidd (10) all scored in double figures.

Off the bench, Ford led the Pacers with 14 points on 3-of-11 from the field.

After the game, the Maverick players could not wait to put the lackluster showing out of their minds so they could focus on the upcoming bout with the Lakers.

"All I know is, going forward, we're focusing in on these Lakers," Terry said. "It's just going to be a great test."

But before facing the defending champs, the new-look Mavericks look forward to Tuesday and going through their first practice as a complete team. The squad hasn't practiced since the All-Star Saturday trade that landed Butler, Haywood and Stevenson in Dallas. With no practice time, the team has played five games, going 4-1.

"We've got to practice," Butler said. "We've got to get a good, hard practice in, develop some rhythm and obviously just continue to ride this momentum."

Dallas then plays host to the defending champion Lakers on Wednesday night. The Lakers lead the season series 2-1, including a 100-95 win on the American Airlines Center floor on Jan. 13. The Mavericks and Lakers will close their regular season series, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 8 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

"It's definitely a measuring stick. You want to see where you're at. Hopefully we'll be able to go out there and play consistent and get a win. If not, you see what you need to work on to get to that point, because there's still a lot of season left," Butler said.

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

Pacers-Mavericks Preview

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Indiana Pacers (19-36) at Dallas Mavericks (35-21)

A three-game winning streak has the Dallas Mavericks seeing things from a new perspective.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)


The Mavericks' first winning streak of 2010, and first since a five-game streak from Dec. 8-16, is certainly a welcomed sight. But the team is taking things one game at a time. That starts with not overlooking Monday night's home game against the Indiana Pacers, even with a date against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers looming.

"We respect everybody we play," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "And I think we've learned lessons over the year that you can't assume anything, being at home or playing a team that's got a lesser record."

"You've got to focus in on the matter at hand, and first is Indiana...It's a nice challenge today and they're going to bring it," swingman Caron Butler said. "We've got to really be prepared for this challenge and not look ahead."

Looking ahead is something the Mavericks certainly don't want to do, after watching the Pacers leave Houston with a 125-115 win over the Rockets on Saturday. But the Pacers will have a large hole to fill against the Mavericks, after forward Danny Granger left the team for personal reasons. Granger takes with him a 22.9 points per game scoring average, 5.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

With the Pacers' top scoring threat out, the Mavericks see Monday's game as even more of an essential win. The Mavs have yet to put together a string of victories at home, making their current three-game home stand that much more important.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)
"(Winning on the home floor) is very important, to establish something special and build some momentum...It's very important to capitalize on these opportunities," Butler said.

Butler and his teammates are hoping that the home-court success begins against a Pacers squad that sits at the bottom of the Central Division. But if the Mavericks are going to run their winning streak to four, it will be because they remained discipline and stuck to the game plan.

"They're going to throw a lot of things at us. They're a basketball team that is a little bit nontraditional, because they set picks with the (shooting guard on the center) or the (small forward on the center), and they're just scattered out everywhere. So, we've got to be prepared for rotations and protecting the paint," Butler said.

The additions of Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson has made sticking to the game plan easy, sixth man Jason Terry said.

"You've got guys that are really concentrating on the game plan and on the scouting report," Terry said. "These guys want to play hard, and that just feeds into our team. We're feeding off of it, and these guys are hunger."

The trio has still yet to go through a full practice with the team, but they did stick around 30 minutes after the team's Monday morning shootaround to go over plays with Carlisle and his coaching staff.

"Getting these guys caught up on all of the offensive stuff takes a little bit of time...Since the trade, we haven't had that much stuff in," Carlisle said.

"I think we're doing a great job of executing our offense, even though we haven't had a lot of practice time," Butler said.

Lack of practice time aside, the new-look Mavs welcome in the Pacers to American Airlines Center on Monday night after escaping Conseco Fieldhouse with a 113-92 blowout road win on Nov. 27.

The Pacers-Mavericks matchup 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.

Dallas plays host to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. The Lakers lead the season series 2-1, including a 100-95 win on the American Airlines Center floor on Jan. 13. The Mavericks and Lakers will close their regular season series, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD 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.