Mavericks-Bulls Recap

(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 122 at Chicago Bulls 116

The Dallas Mavericks are bruised but not broken.

Though the Mavericks are dealing with a possible two-week stint without sixth man Jason Terry (facial surgery), the indefinite timetable for the return of center Erick Dampier (dislocated right middle finger) and big man Brendan Haywood's recent back trouble, the team is still playing winning basketball. Entering Chicago with a 10-game winning streak, the Mavs began a two-game road trip with hopes of battling through the injuries and extending the NBA's longest active victorious stretch.

(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)

Listed as a game-time decision before the game, Haywood was unable to give it a go after still experiencing tightness in his lower back from the Mavs' 108-100 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. Just 24 hours later, the Mavericks traveled to the Union Center to meet the Bulls for the first time this season. With only nine players dressing for the game, the shorthanded Mavs kept the good times rolling, handing the Bulls their fourth straight loss with a 122-116 road victory on the second night of a back-to-back.

"We're not really worried about other teams right now. We're just trying to focus on us getting better. The biggest they is for us to get healthy. We won shorthanded tonight, but that just shows how deep we are. Everybody is focused on one thing and that's winning," point guard Jason Kidd said after the win.

With two 7-footers sidelined, the Mavericks began the game with a "small ball" lineup of Kidd, rookie Rodrigue Beaubois, Caron Butler, Shawn Marion and Dirk Nowitzki. Butler and Nowitzki carried Dallas' offensive attack early, helping the Mavs match the Bulls' energy level. The duo combined to score 19 in the opening quarter, lifting the Mavericks to a 30-26 lead after one.

The Mavs continued their scoreboard dominance in the second stanza, as reserves J.J. Barea and Eduardo Najera secured the second unit in Terry's absence. The Mavericks also did the job defensively, switching to a zone to keep the reigning Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose out of the lane. With Marion cutting to the basket and finishing at the rim off Kidd's court vision, the lead reached double figures. After Beaubois' spectacular block on Bulls big man Brad Miller, the Dallas defense sparked a 12-4 run to finish the half with a 66-55 advantage.

"I think we're loaded," Kidd said. "We have guys who know how to put the ball in the basket, and we all enjoy sharing the ball and being part of a play that's successful."

Thanks to Kidd's 11 first half assists, Butler's 15 points and Marion's 14 led the Mavericks to 59 percent shooting from the field. Despite Rose's 15 points, the Bulls connected on just 47 percent in comparison.

(Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE via Getty Images)
With the team looking stagnant coming out of the intermission, Beaubois tried to stabilize the squad with his silky stroke from the outside. Rose came right back at the Dallas defense, speeding the tempo up and forcing the issue to help the Bulls to a 13-5 run. But Beaubois looked like a veteran in the quarter, putting the team on his back with timely scoring after the Bulls cut Dallas' lead to as little as three. After setting a career-high in the win over the Kings, the Guadeloupe native poured in 18 points in the third with an array of shots to eclipse that mark, while also putting Dallas ahead 94-80 entering the final quarter.

"(Beaubois) played great tonight," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said while praising the rookie. "He had 18 in that third quarter for us, which was a big lift. He hit timely shots for us then, when the Bulls were on a run. We're going to need him to continue playing like that with JET (Terry) out."

"Jason Kidd pushed me saying, 'Just play, just play.' It was going in, so I kept pushing and it was good," Beaubois said of his big third quarter.

The young guard rested early in the fourth after exerting a ton of energy in the third. As Beaubois sat, Rose and Jannero Pargo tried to will their team back into the game. But after the Bulls closed to within 98-94, the Mavericks responded with a jumper from Nowitzki and Butler's three to keep Chicago at bay.

"Right now, with JET out, the ball's going to go through (Nowitzki) a lot," Carlisle said of the fourth quarter strategy. "It's going to go through (Nowitzki), Butler and Kidd."

The two shooting assassins continued to do the job in the period, taking the lead back up to double digits. Despite Pargo's "never say die" attitude, cutting the lead to 121-116 on a three with 46.4 ticks remaining, fittingly Beaubois clinched the game with a rebound after a defensive stand with 12.5 seconds left. The rookie then found Butler, who dribbled out the clock for the Mavs' 11th straight win. The Mavs grabbed the win despite being outscored 36-28 in the fourth.

"Our team played well, particularly in the first three quarters. In the fourth, we did what we had to do," Carlisle said.

The Mavericks finished the night burning the nets to the tune of 56 percent shooting. With the big fourth quarter, the Bulls hit on 52 percent at the other end. The Mavs took turns exchanging bombs from behind the 3-point arch, as Dallas hit on 11-of-27 from long range. Both teams protected the ball well, as Dallas surrendered just seven turnovers and Chicago gave it away nine times.

Nowitzki led five Maverick scorers in double figures with 27 points on 11-of-22 shooting. For the third straight game, Beaubois matched or surpassed his best scoring output, finishing with a career-high 24 points on 10-of-17 from the floor.

"It feels pretty good. I've gotten the opportunity to play, so I'm trying to be aggressive -- just play," Beaubois said of his third straight explosive night. "My teammates have given me good passes. My coaches, everybody, have been helpful...(Kidd) knows everything. He's given me some advice and I really appreciate it."

"(Beaubois) is a talent," Kidd exclaimed. "He's going to be a special player in this league. He's a great student. He has all the tools to be successful. He's working extremely hard. This was his first back-to-back and he got a little tired there. He's a guy that people really don't know, but he can shoot, he has long arms to defend and you can't teach speed."

Butler matched Beaubois' 24-point output, recording his best scoring night since joining the Mavericks. Marion added 18 points, while Najera added 11 off the bench with 3-of-6 from behind the 3-point arch.

"The thing that was good about this game is we had real balanced contributions. I thought our guys on the bench played extremely important roles. Najera came in and hit some threes and was solid defensively," Carlisle added.

Kidd's direction made it all possible, finishing just four points shy of a triple-double. The 36-year-old recorded his 22nd double-double of the season, dishing out 15 assists and snatching 11 rebounds. It is the fourth time the future Hall-of-Famer has collected 10-plus assists and 10-plus rebounds in a game this season. He's the only player in the league to have reached that feat in 2009-10.

"Tonight, I didn't have to score. My guys were knocking down shots," Kidd said.

"We're a motion team that has one of the great all-time point guards running the show. His contribution was huge in helping us play well...Kidd helped us spread the floor and he gets a lot of our guys juiced up. He has helped Beaubois with some of his encouragement and telling him to shoot. He does a lot more for us besides scoring. Everything starts on this team with Kidd and Nowitzki," the coach explained.

Rose led six Bulls in double figures with a game-high 34 points, hitting on 15-of-22.

"(Rose) is scary. He's a great player. We went through this last year with him too," Carlisle said of the second-year guard.

The Mavericks now finish up their mini road trip in Minnesota on Monday night, looking to run their win streak to a dozen. Dallas leads the season series with the Timberwolves 2-1, including an 89-77 road win on Nov. 13. The Mavs and Wolves will meet for the fourth and final time, with the game airing locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7 p.m. CT.

The team then returns to Dallas for a four-game home stand with games against New Jersey, New York, Chicago and Boston. 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-Bulls Preview

(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (42-21) at Chicago Bulls (31-30)

Seemingly everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the Dallas Mavericks, yet the team is still winning.

Friday the team learned that they would be without reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry for 10-14 days after the guard underwent surgery to repair facial injuries. In the first half of the team's 108-100 home victory over the Sacramento Kings, the team also lost center Brendan Haywood (lower back tightness), and this is after Mavs coach Rick Carlisle was ejected for the second time this season. But somehow, some way, the Mavericks collected their 10th straight win.

"We found a way to win," Carlisle said. "There was some frustration, but it was all about holding it together, keeping the composure and bringing up the level of defensive energy...When you are thin like that, you just have to collectively find a way."

Haywood's status going forward is still unclear.

"I would think (Haywood) would be day-to-day. But, he had some stiffness (Friday) morning and then he tweaked it on the jump ball, of all times," Carlisle said.

(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Now the Mavericks try to find a way to continue the NBA's longest current win streak and the team's best stretch in two years. That starts with embarking on a two-game road trip, beginning with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. The Mavs are well aware that the Bulls will be upset-driven.

"When you go on a streak like this,everyone is gunning for you," Carlisle added. "Everybody wants to be the team to take you down. So, you are going to get everybody's best game...The streak is alive. We just have to keep this going as long as we can."

The Mavericks are also hopeful that rookie Rodrigue Beaubois keeps his recent tare going. Beaubois followed up a 17-point outing against Minnesota with a career-high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting in the win over the Kings. The first-year pro will continue to be counted upon to fill the void left by Terry's absence.

"(Beaubois) needs to be in the rotation," forward Shawn Marion said. "The only way he's going to get better is to play. He's showing that he needs to be out on the floor. We need that extra energy he brings to the floor."

The rookie will get another chance to impress against an athletic Bulls squad, likely seeing some time against last season's Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose. Behind Rose's court leadership, the Bulls are contending for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Chicago is certainly a formidable foe, despite dropping their last three games.

"Hopefully we can go out there and get a good win. They've been struggling a little bit, they had a couple of injuries on their team. But they still play hard at home. They're a tough, young, spunky Chicago team," Marion said.

If the Mavericks are going to collect their 11th consecutive victory, then Carlisle says they must get off to a quick start.

"We've had some slow starts, but it is something we have been able to overcome many times. We are working on starting better. But hey, it is a 48-minute game for a reason," the coach said.

The Mavericks try to put together a strong 48 minutes of basketball when they head into Chicago on Saturday night. Meeting for the first time this season, the Mavs and Bulls will tip off at 7 p.m. CT. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

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

Kings-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Sacramento Kings 100 at Dallas Mavericks 108

On the bright side, the news coming from the Dallas Mavericks' front office Friday evening before their matchup with the Sacramento Kings could have been much worse.

The organization announced before the tip that guard Jason Terry would be out of action for 10-14 days, after the reigning Sixth Man of the Year underwent facial surgery to repair injuries sustained in the Mavs' 112-109 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night. Terry missed his first game of the season due to the procedure, after being the only Maverick to play in the team's first 62 games. As they began the journey without their top bench scorer, the Mavericks looked to run the NBA's longest current winning streak to 10 games.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

But Terry's surgery was just the beginning of an eventful Friday night. Also losing their head coach and starting center throughout the course of the night, the Mavericks never skipped a beat. A career night from rookie Rodrigue Beaubois and a clutch performance down the stretch from Dirk Nowitzki willed the Mavericks to a 108-100 home court win, continuing Dallas' longest win streak in two years.

"We found a way to win," Carlisle said. "There was some frustration, but it was all about holding it together, keeping the composure and bringing up the level of defensive energy.

"When you are thin like that, you just have to collectively find a way."

With two wins over the Kings already under the Mavericks' belt this season, the Dallas starters tried to make an early statement in the opening quarter before handing the game over to a Terry-less bench. But the first-stringers found themselves in an early hole. Kings guard Beno Udrih and big man Carl Landry gave the Dallas defense fits early. The Mavericks hung tough with point guard Jason Kidd, as the veteran returned from his one-game resting hiatus. Despite Kidd's early command of the game, the Kings held a 26-24 edge at the end of one.

The Kings' deadly 3-point shooting put some separation between the two squads early in the second quarter. Beaubois' deadly scoring ability kept the Mavs close, as he attempted to fill Terry's void by speeding up the tempo and slicing through the lane to the rim.

"Roddy (Beaubois) played great," point guard Jason Kidd said. "He got the running game going and he knocked down some shots."

But frustration began to set in for the Dallas sideline, as Carlisle drew an ejection after picking up back-to-back technicals for arguing with officials. It was the play-caller's second ejection of the season.

"I just thought there was contact that should have been called a foul on two or three occasions and I had an opinion on it. My opinion was noted, but when you go out on the court, sometimes you get one and sometimes you get two. So, I got two and that was it," the coach said of the ejection.

Without Terry, Carlisle and center Erick Dampier (dislocated right middle finger), the Mavericks became even more short-handed with big man Brendan Haywood ruled out in the second with lower back tightness.

"I would think (Haywood) would be day-to-day. But, he had some stiffness this morning and then he tweaked it on the jump ball, of all times. So, that wasn't a good start," Carlisle said.

With assistant coach Dwane Casey directing the squad, the Mavs battled through the distractions. Beaubois ignited the hometown crowd and the team, sparking a 17-5 run after the ejection to briefly lift the Mavericks in front.

"I don't take credit for (the run)," Carlisle said. "In those situations, you have to get playing better. Whether or not the coach getting thrown out contributes to that, that is up for debate. I doubt it. I think we were due to play better and finally started getting some stops."

"We had to make a stand at some point. When Coach got thrown out, we started to get some stops, make some shots and get the tempo in our favor. We made it a little bit closer than we should have," Kidd added.

Sacramento's late surge put the visitors ahead 53-52 at the half.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)
Coming off of tying his career-high of 17 points in the win over Minnesota, Beaubois recorded 16 first half points. Meanwhile, Udrih led all scorers through the midway point with 17 points on 6-of-8 from the field and 3-for-3 from behind the arch. The Kings out-shot the Mavericks 48 percent to 47 percent in the first 24 minutes. Both teams protected the ball, as Dallas' two turnovers were just better than Sacramento's four giveaways.

The opening score of the third quarter was another highlight reel play from Beaubois, as Kidd connected with the rookie for an alley-oop and two-handed finish. The first-year pro continued to come strong in the period, with Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki lending helping hands. Even Barea and Marion got into the mix, as the Mavs took the third 33-19 before taking an 85-72 advantage heading into the final period.

The Kings didn't easily disappear in the fourth, as rookie sensation Tyreke Evans tried to will his squad back. Nowitzki said the fourth is when the team missed Terry the most.

"JET's usually money down the stretch, so it was a little bit different not seeing him. We better get used to it," Nowtzki said.

After Sacramento climbed to within four, Nowitzki put a brief halt to the Kings' momentum. But the visitors once again rallied, cutting Dallas' lead to 102-98 with Andres Nocioni's score with 2:16 remaining. Evans' finger roll just 40 seconds later made it a two-point game. That's when Caron Butler took over the game with two clutch steals on the defensive end in the final minute. Nowitzki cashed in off of Butler's thievery, calmly connecting on four timely free throws in the same span.

"Just trying to make it difficult for them...I did a good job sneaking back, getting into the passing lane, getting another stop and getting the ball to somebody that can knock down free throws," Butler said.

With a defensive stop and Kidd's finishing touches at the foul line, the Mavs ran their winning streak to double figures.

"We got to do a better job holding on to leads, but at least down the stretch we're finding ways to win. That's what its all about," Nowitzki said of the final moments.

Nowitzki finished leading the way with 31 points and 12 rebounds, posting 15 points in the fourth quarter. Beaubois rose to the occasion off the bench, finishing with a career-high 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

"Beaubois gave us a great lift off the bench," Carlisle said of the rookie.

Both Nowitzki and Beaubois benefited from Kidd's 12 assists, but the lead guard added 17 points for his 21th double-double. Butler and Marion added 12 points a piece.

Landry led the Kings with 21 points, while Udrih and Evans both went for 20.

The Mavericks' 49 percent shooting bested the Kings' 47 percent. But more importantly, the Mavericks capitalized off of second half turnovers, forcing 17 Kings' giveaways by night's end and turning the errors into 24 Dallas points. The Mavs also held a 26-8 advantage in fast break points.

On yet another quick turnaround, the Mavs touch down in Chicago for a battle with the Bulls on Saturday night. With an 11th win on the line, the Mavs meet the Bulls for the first time this season. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

"When you go on a streak like this,everyone is gunning for you," Carlisle continued. "Everybody wants to be the team to take you down. So, you are going to get everybody's best game. We've had some slow starts, but it is something we have been able to overcome many times. We are working on starting better, but hey, it is a 48-minute game for a reason. So, the streak is alive. We get on the plane tonight and head to Chicago and lace them up again. We just have to keep this going as long as we can."

"We've just got to get through this week," Nowitzki said. "Tough one tomorrow against an athletic team."

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

Kings-Mavericks Preview

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Sacramento Kings (21-40) at Dallas Mavericks (41-21)

Life without Jason Terry officially begins for the Dallas Mavericks.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year suffered facial injuries from an incidental elbow in the Mavericks' 112-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. As a result, Terry underwent a surgery Friday afternoon to repair any damage sustained from the incident. It is unclear when he'll return to the court, but it is clear that the Mavericks will have to move ahead without the versatile guard. Riding a nine-game winning streak, Friday night the Mavs welcome in a Sacramento Kings squad that Dallas has already beaten twice.

But without Terry's 17.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game, the Mavericks are missing a big part of their team. While the sharpshooter has been a star in a sixth man role, Mavs Rick Carlisle thinks of him as a first-stringer.

"(Terry) is really a starter. What we've lost is our sixth starter. We'll look at it that way," Carlisle said.

As Terry battles his way back for the Mavs' stretch run, Carlisle will be looking for a committee of players to step in and fill No. 31's output. The list starts with rookie Rodrigue Beaubois, J.J. Barea and DeShawn Stevenson.

"There's a lot of guys that can fill that position...Stevenson is certainly going to play some there, Beaubois can play some there and J.J. can play some at that spot," the coach added. "The different guys that we have available all bring something a little different. Stevenson's a tough, physical defender who plays well in our system. Beaubois can bring us some athleticism and quickness. Barea brings some play-making. All those guys are going to be certainly involved in the thought process, and a lot of them will be playing quickly."

"We're going to miss a great player in JET (Terry)," Barea said. "He'll be back soon, he's a fighter. We can't wait to have him back -- a great off the bench player. He's one of the main guys on this team, so we've got a bunch of guys that's got to step up and play for him."

Still, it is important that the Dallas reserves not try to individually fill Terry's shoes.

"It's had to say that we need one guy off the bench to give us 20 a game. That's hard to do...That collective group is going to have to fill the void with JET out," Carlisle said.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
But while the Mavericks attempt to fill the void, the upset-minded Kings squad come in looking for retribution. Led by Rookie of the Year frontrunner Tyreke Evans, the Kings will be out to end the Mavs' streak dead in its tracks. Stopping Evans is priority No. 1 for the Mavs.

"(Evans) is a terrific young player. He does a little bit of everything. We're going to have to have a lot of guys coming at him, and we're going to have to be ready to double-team him if we need to," Carlisle concluded.

Fortunately for the Mavericks, while Terry will be out, point Jason Kidd will be back on the hardwood after sitting out a game to rest. The 36-year-old has been on a tare since making his 10th All-Star appearance.

"I think it was a great thing for me (to rest). The unfortunate thing was JET getting hit in the face, but that happens. But it was good watching from a different seat," Kidd said.

Now, with the Mavericks' 10th straight win in sight, Kidd and the Mavs look to remain hot while pedaling towards a postseason push. Kidd says the absence of Terry could be a blessing in disguise.

"It's something that we look forward to getting some guys some minutes, and look at it like JET gets some rest because he's been logging a lot of minutes, too," Kidd explained. "It's a two-way street, it gets the other guys an opportunity and it also gives JET a time to catch his breath and be ready to go once the playoffs start."

The Mavs try to run their winning streak to double digits, hosting the Kings on Friday night. The 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.

Mavericks Practice Report (03/04/10)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavericks Practice Report (03/04/10)

There's a bitter sweet feeling in the Dallas Mavericks' locker room right now. That's because there will be a gaping hole in the Mavericks' rotation the next time they take the court.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

Though the Mavericks tallied their ninth consecutive win after Wednesday's 112-109 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, it came with a price. The health of the reigning Sixth Man of the Year was the price tag.

Terry suffered a blow to the face off of an unintentional elbow from Wolves swingman Corey Brewer in the third quarter of the win. Though the Mavs' deadly sharpshooter and unquestioned leader of the second unit returned to the court and finished the game en route to a 26-point performance, the news on Thursday was not good. Terry is scheduled for a surgery on Friday to address facial injuries from the incident. It is unclear when he'll return to game action.

"(Terry) has got some things going on in his facial area," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the team's Thursday practice. "I can't get specific on it, because they're going to check it out when they get in there...We'll know more probably after tomorrow.

"In the meantime, it's definitely a tough loss for us. But (backup shooting guard) is a deep position, and we're going to have to fill it by committee. We're going to have to have other guys step up. It presents opportunity for other guys."

If Terry is out for a substantial amount of time, the Mavs will have to make up for his output. The veteran is the only Maverick that has played in all 62 games for the team this season, averaging 17.0 points, 3.8 assists, 2.0 rebounds and knocking down 36.4 percent from 3-point range.

"It's not easy when you lose a guy of that caliber, but it's opportunity. When you face this type of adversity as a team, how you handle it continues to define who you are. We've got to make the most of this," Carlisle said.

If replacing Terry's production is a duty for a full committee, then J.J. Barea, DeShawn Stevenson and rookie Rodrigue Beaubois are each going to be asked to elevate their games.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)
"There's a lot of guys that can fill that position...Stevenson is certainly going to play some there, Beaubois can play some there and J.J. can play some at that spot," the coach added. "The different guys that we have available all bring something a little different. Stevenson's a tough, physical defender who plays well in our system. Beaubois can bring us some athleticism and quickness. Barea brings some play-making. All those guys are going to be certainly involved in the thought process, and a lot of them will be playing quickly."

"We're going to miss a great player in JET (Terry)," Barea said of his teammate's likely absence. "He'll be back soon, he's a fighter. We can't wait to have him back -- a great off the bench player. He's one of the main guys on this team, so we've got a bunch of guys that's got to step up and play for him."

While the injury undoubtedly is a depressing topic, it does allow Stevenson to crack the rotation. The swingman has seen limited time as a bench contributor, and even started during Caron Butler's two-game absence after a bad reaction to medication. If his number is called, No. 92 is ready to step up to the plate.

"(Terry) has been a real vocal guy for me. I've been trying to crack the rotation, but at the same time Coach has been talking to me. It's hard to get mad when you're winning. As long as we're getting the wins...I've been getting in, sometimes starting, so I've been getting my opportunities. I've just got to go out there and do the things that I know I can do," Stevenson said.

While Stevenson looks for his role with the team, especially with Terry out, point guard Jason Kidd returns to the squad after taking a night off to rest. The 36-year-old Kidd played heavy minutes coming out of the All-Star break, so having the opportunity to watch the team from the comfort of his home allowed the future Hall-of-Famer to see the team from a new perspective.

"I think it was a great thing for me," Kidd said of the much-needed rest. "The unfortunate thing was JET getting hit in the face, but that happens. But it was good watching from a different seat."

Kidd watched as the rookie Beaubois ran the show at the lead guard spot in the fourth quarter. He also looked on as Barea began the game at the point for just the second time in his 18 starts this season. Kidd says the experience for the two cat-quick guards will be valuable as the team creeps towards the postseason.

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

"It was good for my teammates, for Roddy (Beaubois) and J.J. to get some time under their belt...It was great for (Beaubois) to be in a close game, to have to make plays, to have to read and react in a game situation. You can simulate that situation in practice, but with the crowd and understanding what was at stake, I think it was great for him to be in that position," Kidd said.

Now with Kidd back, and Terry possibly on the shelf, the Mavericks focus on the task of playing basketball. That begins with matching up with the Sacramento Kings on Friday night at the American Airlines Center.

"The big thing is we've played with injuries and guys missing a couple games, so this isn't anything new to us," Kidd said. "It's something that we look forward to getting some guys some minutes, and look at it like JET gets some rest because he's been logging a lot of minutes, too.

"It's a two-way street, it gets the other guys an opportunity and it also gives JET a time to catch his breath and be ready to go once the playoffs start."

The Mavs try to run their winning streak to double digits, hosting the Kings on Friday night. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Mavs lead the season series 2-0. 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.

Timberwolves-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Minnesota Timberwolves 109 at Dallas Mavericks 112

When legends are out, budding stars have the opportunity to rise to the occasion.

For just the second time this season, the Dallas Mavericks took the court without point guard Jason Kidd. The first time, the squad more than picked up the slack with a record-setting 50-point win over the New York Knicks on Jan. 24. The Mavericks looked for similar success Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as the 36-year-old sat and rested after logging a mass of minutes during the team's eight-game winning streak. The Mavericks were also out to avenge a 117-108 home loss to the Wolves on Feb. 5, hosting the squad once again at the American Airlines Center. The end result wasn't as lopsided as the win in New York, but yet and still it was a win.

With the future Hall-of-Famer out, rookie Rodrigue Beaubois got an opportunity to shine and he did not disappoint, tying a career-high with 17 points off the bench to help the Mavericks claim a 112-109 victory. The win extended the Mavs' longest winning streak in two years to nine games.

"It was similar to the game in New York," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the win. "Without Kidd, we're in a different territory. So, I thought it went the way it needed to go, all things considered."

"We wanted to win this one, though J-Kidd didn't play. And we did it, so it's good," Beaubois said.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

In Kidd's place, J.J. Barea got the start at the lead guard spot. Barea was in the starting lineup for the 18th time this season, beginning the game next to Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood. But the absence of Kidd was apparent early, as the Mavericks quickly found themselves down 11-4. The Mavericks also ran into trouble when Butler picked up two quick fouls in the opening quarter. But the Dallas squad rallied behind the play of the bench players, as sixth man Jason Terry and Beaubois shot the team back into the game. The reserve duo powered a 13-3 Dallas run, before eventually giving the Mavs a 30-28 edge after one.

"In the beginning of the game, everybody was poor," the coach said. "We needed to have our disposition at a certain level, and we didn't get it there until about midway through the first quarter. And that was what was disappointing.

"Every team we're playing is going to come at us because of this winning streak, and we're going to have to brace ourselves and be in a hit-first mode to start games. That was the problem for us tonight, they were the ones that were hitting first."

Terry and Beaubois combined for 16 points in the first quarter, offsetting six early turnovers and the Wolves' 12-for-20 shooting in the period.

With the Minnesota defense crowding Nowitzki, Terry and Beaubois continued to set fire to the nets early in the second stanza.

"(The Wolves) really hugged up on me, and those guys (Terry and Beaubois) had a lot of space," Nowitzki said. "They just weren't leaving me."

The two shooting assassins helped to build a double-digit lead. But it was a technical foul on Wolves coach Kurt Rambis that sparked a 22-6 Mavericks run. The Dallas defense made it all possible, as Minnesota turnovers led to easy scores for Terry and Butler in transition. Still, the Dallas advantage was only 60-53 entering the halftime break, after leading by as much as 13.

Terry's 19 and Beaubois' 11 first half points helped the Dallas bench outscore the Minnesota starters 30-29.

"JET (Terry) definitely set the tone for us early, and so did Roddy (Beaubois)," Nowitzki said.

Dallas held the lead at the midway point despite being out-shot 55 percent to 50 percent in the first two quarters. That's because the Mavericks capitalized off of Minnesota's 13 giveaways, turning the errors into 18 points.

The Mavs quickly found themselves in a dogfight early in the third quarter, as the Wolves sliced the Dallas lead to as little as two. But Barea continued to keep the Mavericks in front with dribble penetration to the rim. Marion also came to life in the third, including a dunk to put the Mavs in front 11 midway through the period. But after the momentum of the big lead, the hometown crowd went quiet when Terry fell to the floor after taking a shot to the face from Corey Brewer.

"I'm never worried about JET, because he's one of the toughest guys we've got," Nowitzki said.

After the reigning Sixth Man of the Year headed to the locker room to be treated for a brief stint, he returned with his nose plugged and his team nursing a single-digit edge. A 10-0 Minnesota run to close the quarter cut Dallas' lead to just 89-87 entering the fourth.

"Minnesota is a tough team, because they are quick and athletic and push the ball hard. They just have a real strong 'drive it' mentality," Carlisle said.

It didn't take long in the fourth for the Mavs to find themselves on the downside of the scoreboard. But Beaubois' lightening-quick speed gave the Mavericks the lead right back on a transition three-point play at the 7:34-mark. After a scoreless third quarter from Terry, the combo guard and Nowitzki came to life in the final period. Terry's fast-breaking dunk with 4:54 remaining put the Mavs ahead 101-98. All the while, the rookie Beaubois continuing to get the minutes late.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)"Beaubois had a very strong game. He was able to finish and I thought he did a great job finishing hard," Carlisle said.

"When (Carlisle) needs me, he calls me and I have to be ready," Beaubois said. "I just need to be ready and keep working. I think I made a couple good things happen."

Wisely, Beaubois got the ball into the hands of Terry and Nowitzki down the stretch. But Brewer and Wolves rookie Jonny Flynn kept coming at the Dallas defense, cutting it to a one-point game with 1:35 left. After a pair of free throws from Nowitzki increased the lead to three, Rambis called for a timeout with 19.6 ticks remaining. The Wolves went to Flynn, but the rookie's misfire found its way into Butler's hands, drawing a foul in the scrum for the loose ball. The two-time All-Star calmly knocked down a pair at the charity stripe, putting his team ahead 111-106 with just 9.6 seconds remaining. Brewer came right back, swishing in a three with the game clock reading 3.7 seconds.

On the subsequent inbound pass, the Mavericks ran the clock down to just .5 seconds left, before Beaubois was fouled to ice the game. Beaubois' 1-for-2 trip at the line sealed the Mavs' ninth straight win.

"You've got to give (Minnesota) credit...They certainly were in the game the whole night. They made us work for everything," Nowitzki said.

The Mavericks notched their 41st victory of the season despite being out-shot 53 percent to 50 percent on the night. Minnesota also claimed the battle of the boards, holding a 49-30 rebounding edge. The Wolves pulled down 16 offensive rebounds, leading to a 22-9 advantage in second-chance points.

"They are a great rebounding team," Carlisle said. "Sixteen offensive rebounds generates a lot of extra possessions, and that's one of the reasons their shooting percentage was high."

The Mavericks did, however, force 22 Minnesota turnovers, translating the miscues into 29 points at the other end.

"One positive was we turned them over 22 times. There were some good things that were happening, other than the high shooting percentage. It was good that we were able to (create turnovers), otherwise it would have been tough to beat them," the coach concluded.

Behind Terry and Beaubois' quick-trigger shooting, the Mavs also knocked down 9-of-17 from behind the 3-point line.

Terry finished the night with a game-high 26 points off the bench on 9-of-18 shooting, but the scoring threat will see a doctor on Thursday to treat swelling to his face after colliding with Brewer.

"(Terry) is tough. I think he'll be alright," Nowitzki said. "He'll probably see the doctor tomorrow and see what happens."

Seeing double teams all night long, Nowitzki went 6-for-14 en route to his 22-point night. Meanwhile, Marion matched Beaubois with 17 points, while Butler recorded 14.

Brewer led the Wolves with 24 points and Flynn added 19.

Next up, the Mavs try to run their winning streak to double digits when they welcome in the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. That game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Mavs lead the season series 2-0. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

"The winning streak helps because you're not losing ground -- other teams are winning and you're winning," Carlisle said. "You get a lot of questions about swagger and confidence when you win some games in a row. We're such a veteran team, with the exception of Roddy and some of the other guys, that these guys have been through all that...I think we're still hungry and I think we're going to stay hungry, because we've got more ground to make up."

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

Timberwolves-Mavericks Preview

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

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Minnesota Timberwolves (14-47) at Dallas Mavericks (40-21)

There's no don't that the Dallas Mavericks are a confident team right now.

With an eight-game winning streak, the NBA's longest current streak and the Mavs' best stretch in two years, how could the squad not be confident. Forward Shawn Marion prefers to say the Mavericks are playing with a bit of swagger.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"I think our attitude has always been good. It's just a sense of urgency that we've got a little bit more of," Marion said. "You get a little swagger to you when you're winning games. We got our swag on right now."

But the Mavericks have to avoid being overconfident against a Minnesota Timberwolves squad that has already beaten Dallas on its home floor. Though both teams have won on the other's home court, the Mavericks haven't gotten over a 117-108 home loss to the Western Conference's worst team on Feb. 5. It is a loss the Mavericks will try to avenge Wednesday night as they once again host Minnesota at the American Airlines Center.

"I'm sure the win they got here has given them even more confidence," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're going to have to play a lot better than we did last time. We're going to have to play with a lot more force."

In their last meeting, Minnesota out-shot the streaking Dallas squad 53 percent to 43 percent. The Wolves also torched the Dallas defense from behind the 3-point arch, connecting on 12-of-22 from long range.

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
But this is a different Mavericks team since adding Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson at the All-Star break. Because of the new additions, the Mavericks believe the third meeting between the two squads will end in Dallas' favor.

"They hit some tough shots the last time we played them here. Our sense of urgency was really down. We were going through a lot of ups and downs at the time. Right now, we're on a consistent pace and level. We're a totally different team now," Marion said.

The Mavericks are certainly a different team with Butler's perimeter scoring, Haywood's low post dominance and Stevenson's versatility coming off the bench.

"Butler may be coming off his best game, in terms of his shooting," Carlisle said. "(Haywood) has been a real presence around the rim...Stevenson's given us some quality minutes, too. All three guys have been valuable."

With the three newcomers fully integrated into the fold, Carlisle believes his team is playing the best it has all season long. But the head play-caller is not buying into his team's new-found swagger. At least not yet.

"I just think it's really important that we continue to work at the things that we're doing. That is hard play on defense, sharing it on offense and being aggressive to try to get the ball in the paint and make good, solid plays. All that other stuff -- labels about this, swagger that -- I don't know. Let's see where we're at come the end of the year," the coach said.

Carlisle and company go for their ninth consecutive win, hosting the Timberwolves on Wednesday night. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. The two teams are knotted 1-1 in the season series. 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-Bobcats Recap

(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 89 at Charlotte Bobcats 84

Though the Dallas Mavericks entered Monday night with the NBA's longest current win streak at seven games, the squad was about to embark on what Mavs coach Rick Carlisle called one of the team's "great challenges of the season."

After wrapping up a 108-100 home win over the New Orleans Hornets in Sunday's late tip-off, the Mavericks arrived in Charlotte in the early hours of the next morning before battling with the Bobcats. Though the circumstances were overwhelmingly in the Bobcats' favor, the young franchise had never beat the Mavericks. They still have yet to beat the Mavericks.

(Photo by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

Instead of succumbing to the fatigue from the quick turnaround, the Mavericks rose to the challenge, claiming an 89-84 win for their eighth straight victory.

"All this stuff about a short turnaround wasn't anything that discouraged our guys," Carlisle said. "We knew it was going to be a tough game. We knew it was going to be a 48-minute game...Anything less, wouldn't have got it done tonight. It's a big win for us."

The Mavericks knew they were in for a battle, after holding off Charlotte for a 98-97 overtime win on Dec. 12. Playing on their home floor, the Bobcats quickly served notice to the Mavericks in the opening quarter that it was going to be a long night. Charlotte began the game 7-for-8 from the field, building a quick advantage. But after following behind by double digits, the Mavs got a big boost from sixth man Jason Terry off the bench. With newcomer Caron Butler aggressively attacking the rim, the Mavericks cut the Bobcats' lead to just 28-24 at the end of one. Dallas stayed within an arm's reach despite hitting just 8-of-22 shots in the first quarter.

"It wasn't pretty and I think we looked a little slow at the start of the game," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of the play early. "We were a step slow to everything, especially in the first quarter."

(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
It didn't take long for the Mavericks to completely erase their deficit in the second quarter. A transition jumper from J.J. Barea gave the Mavericks their first lead of the night at 32-30. The two teams found themselves in a back and forth affair, as the squads exchanged the lead in the period. But the Bobcats went on a tare, led by Raymond Felton and Tyrus Thomas. Charlotte's 13-2 run to end the half put the home team ahead 53-43 entering the intermission.

"They're an athletic, attacking team. So, it's tough to stay in front of them," Carlisle said.

Though both teams committed nine first half turnovers, the Mavericks' giveaways proved to be more costly because of their poor shooting. Charlotte out-shot Dallas 53 percent to 41 percent in the first two quarters. Butler and Thomas matched each other with 12 first half points.

"The ladder part of the second quarter was disappointing, but at halftime everybody said, 'Hey, we're going to keep battling,'" the coach said.

With their squad down, Butler and Nowitzki picked up the slack for their struggling teammates early in the third. But the Mavericks needed defensive stops to accompany the lights-out shooting coming from the two sharpshooters. Once the Dallas defense kicked into gear, the Mavs held the Bobcats without a made field goal for better than five minutes of play. The improved play at both ends pulled the Mavericks to within two, 68-66, entering the final quarter. Nowitzki and Butler combined to score 18 of Dallas' 23 points in the third.

"Caron Butler and Dirk Nowitzki put on an exhibition in half-court offense in the third quarter," Terry said.

Meanwhile, the defense held Charlotte to just 15 points in the quarter.

"(The defense) was just active, physical and into it," the coach said while praising his team's defensive intensity. "We had an idea of where they wanted to go...It was a good job of a mixture of covering well at the point of attack and helping."

"We were really scrambling and rotating for each other. That was fun to watch," Nowitzki said.

The Mavericks continued to do the job on the defensive end to begin the fourth period. As he did early in the first half, Terry ignited the Dallas squad with big plays at both ends of the floor. Terry's steal and fast break assist to Marion for a two-handed dunk brought life into the stagnant lineup. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year then knocked down back-to-back jumpers to give the Mavs a 78-75 edge with 6:12 remaining on the clock. A short time later, Terry swished in a three to put his team up eight, capping a 15-3 Dallas run.

Terry once again kept the Bobcats at bay, raining in a floater to put Dallas up 87-81 with 1:15 remaining. With the Bobcats charging late, the Mavericks went back to Nowitzki to ice the game at the free throw line. The 7-footer's 2-for-2 trip at the charity stripe put the Mavs ahead 89-84 with 8.8 ticks left. Stephen Jackson's desperation three attempt in the final seconds bounced off the glass into Nowitzki's arms at the Mavs secured their eighth straight win. It was also the Mavericks' 40th win of the season and 20th road victory.

"We have a bunch of veteran guys and we know how to stick around and keep it close on the road," Nowitzki said. "I think that is what we did for the first three quarters. We were right there in the fourth, made enough plays and got some good stops."

The Mavs outscored the Bobcats 46-31 in the second half, surrendering the second-lowest scoring output for a Dallas opponent in a half.

"I didn't expect us to put a 31-point defensive half out there, but that's what it took. We were able to get it done. It's a great win," Carlisle said.

"If you look at what we did tonight, we had to do it defensively," Terry added. "We had some good looks that weren't falling for us, but we continued to get stops. Down 10 at the half, to fight back the way we did was phenomenal."

The win capped off a day in which Nowitzki was named the Western Conference Player of the Week. No. 41 entered the game with three straight 30-point games. He finished Monday night with a game-high 27 points on 12-of-23 shooting, adding 13 rebounds for the double-double. Butler added 22 points and Terry finished with 20.

"We're following the game plan, and guys are getting it done," Terry said. "Dirk is the Player of the Week. Caron is back from his minor injury. We've got a lot of weapons on this team, and guys are playing well."

Jackson finished with 20 points to lead five Bobcats in double figures.

After a slow start, the Mavericks finished the night out-shooting the Bobcats, 46 percent to 40 percent. The Mavs overcame the Bobcats' 42-36 rebounding advantage and a drought from the outside, hitting just 3-of-16 from behind the 3-point arch. The Dallas defense was the story, forcing 20 Charlotte turnovers.

Now the Mavericks try to keep their winning streak going, returning to the American Airlines Center for a two-game home stand. First, the Mavericks host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night, with the game airing locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. The two teams are knotted 1-1 in the season series, with each squad winning on the other's home floor.

The Mavs then welcome in the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. That game will also air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Mavs lead the season series 2-0.

Tickets for both games 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-Bobcats Preview

(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (39-21) at Charlotte Bobcats (28-29)

Now is when the Dallas Mavericks show their grit.

(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

On an NBA-best seven-game winning streak, the Mavericks enter Charlotte with little rest before playing the Bobcats. The Mavs hit the road immediately after a hard-fought 108-100 win over the New Orleans Hornets, in a late game on Sunday night. But even though the Mavericks arrived in Charlotte Monday in the early morning hours, they are completely aware that complaining about the scheduling will do no good. Instead the Mavs have to shift their focus directing to the task at hand.

"I think you've got to look at it as one of the great challenges of our season," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We'll have a breakfast meeting, we'll have a pre-game meal and basically jump on the bus and go play. You look at it and whine about it, or you can bat down the hatches and go at it. I think, at this point, we're ready to go at it."

"Back-to-backs are unfortunately a part of the NBA. Everybody has them, but this is obviously one of the tougher ones with the traveling. We just got to get it done," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.

The Mavericks certainly have the right mind state before matching up with the Bobcats for a second time this season. That's because the Dallas squad just squeaked out a 98-97 home win in overtime on Dec. 12 over the young Charlotte team. Nowitzki says the Mavericks certainly are not taking Monday's game lightly, as the team tries to sweep the season series between the two squads.

(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)
"Charlotte is proven. They play well at home. Stephen Jackson is a handful and Gerald Wallace is having an All-Star season, so we have our hands full," Nowitzki said after a 36-point night against New Orleans.

Nowitzki hit the nail right on its head. Despite sitting one game under .500, the Bobcats own a 20-7 record at home. Much of that success is predicated on the play of Jackson and Wallace. In their December meeting, Jackson's 28 points led Charlotte, while Wallace added 23 points and 16 rebounds.

Though the Mavericks are coming in with little rest, they still believe they can contend in a tough environment.

"We're probably not going to get a lot of sleep, but I think we're deep enough and we've got enough guys that can step in and score. So, if a couple of guys are tired, our bench has to come in and step up and get the other guys some rest," Nowitzki added.

Fortunately for the Mavericks, they got a key contributor back in action in the win against the Hornets. After missing two games due to a bad reaction to medication, starting shooting guard Caron Butler returned to the hardwood with 19 points on 9-of-18 shooting. The sight of a healthy Butler was just what the Mavericks needed during a tough stretch.

"I thought (Butler) looked good (in Sunday's win)...Offensively, he's real consistent and gets good looks. Our guys are getting a good feel as to where and when to deliver the ball. Defensively, he battles and stays within the system. When he's in the position to make a play, he does. Good to see him back out there. It really helps our rotation," Carlisle said.

"It felt good getting out there and getting a rhythm," Butler said.

Now Butler and the Mavericks try to run their winning streak to eight on a quick turnaround. The Mavs-Bobcats matchup will air Monday evening locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 6 p.m. CT.

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

Hornets-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
New Orleans Hornets 100 at Dallas Mavericks 108

The Dallas Mavericks have tunnel vision right now, and in their sights is an NBA title.

Entering Sunday night's nationally televised matchup with the New Orleans Hornets, the Mavericks carried with them the NBA's longest current winning streak of six games. But the streak was secondary, as the Mavs continued to focus on moving one step closer to a championship. While the Mavericks will be the first to admit that they played their best basketball for three of the four quarters against the Hornets, the squad still ran their winning streak to seven, fighting and scratching to a 108-100 home win.

"We played a great first half. Third quarter, got shaky with turnovers but we hung on," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said when summing up the night. "It's a good win against a good team.

"These guys are pretty good at coming back on teams, and a lot of times they win. Tonight, we won, which is better than losing."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the season series tied at 1-1 coming into the night, the run-and-gun Mavericks gave the Hornets a heavy dose of southern hospitality. Getting Caron Butler back from his two-game absence after a bad reaction to medication certainly helped.

"Good to see (Butler) back out there," Carlisle said. "It really helps our rotation."

Butler immediately stepped back into the starting lineup, alongside Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood. But the opening quarter began with a Butler-Kidd, Darren Collison-Peja Stojakovic duo duel.

"It felt good getting out there and getting a rhythm early," Butler said.

Midway through the period the entire Maverick core got into the act, using transition offense to finish the quarter on a 19-4 run. With a 15-0 advantage in fast break points, the Mavericks held a 35-24 lead after one. Dallas' scoring output was one point shy of a season-high for the first quarter.

Things got ugly in a hurry for the Hornets in the second quarter. The Mavericks scored with ease, spearheaded by Marion and sixth man Jason Terry. It reflected on the scoreboard, as the Dallas advantage reached as much as 23. Meanwhile, Kidd got some much-needed rest, never touching the court in the period. With the Dallas defense operating as an unmovable wall, while Nowitzki and Butler asserted themselves offensively, the Mavs emerged from the quarter with a 69-50 halftime advantage. It was Dallas' second-best scoring performance for a half this season.

Nowitzki's 16 first half points on 7-of-11 from the field paced the Mavericks to 67 percent shooting. Though the Hornets hit on 50 percent, Dallas' 21-15 rebounding edge and 23 assists to just three turnovers helped the Mavs take a stranglehold early.

With Kidd moving ahead of Maurice Cheeks for fourth on the NBA's all-time steals list, the third quarter looked promising. The Mavericks turned defensive execution into easy buckets at the other end. But after lifting their lead to as much as 25, the Mavs stumbled.

"We made it ugly," Nowitzki said. "We were up 25 -- really playing well, getting shots, moving the ball, shooting the ball. Next thing you know, we just started turning the ball over left and right. That really got their transition game going."

In addition to costly turnovers, the Mavericks missed on 11 straight shot attempts to end the quarter. New Orleans closed to 86-75 heading into the fourth after a 17-3 run.

"We just had it clicking on all cylinders early. We hit a brick wall in that third quarter," Marion said.

"You're going to get sloppy at times. Don't forget, this team, 12 times this year has come back from double digits to win. We knew that. It's something we mentioned to the players this morning, and we knew they were going to keep coming at us," Carlisle said of his team's play in the third.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Within the first minute of the final period, the margin between the two teams shrunk to single digits. Collison ran a settled Hornets' offense to perfection, while one rookie gave another first-year pro a helping hand when Marcus Thornton caught fire.

"The two young kids (Collison and Thornton) are energetic," Carlisle continued. "They've got a lot of fight in them. It's not surprising, but we brought some of it on ourselves with turnovers and sloppy plays. We've got to get that cleaned up for tomorrow."

The Mavericks' lead fell to as little as four. But as Dallas fans have come accustom to seeing, Nowitzki was primed and ready to take over late. Meanwhile, Haywood patrolled the paint at both ends, scoring in the interior and sending back would-be Hornet scores with block after block.

Still, Collison's career night continued, raining in a three with 2:45 remaining to cut Dallas' lead to 101-97. But Nowitzki quickly deflated the Hornets' balloon, hitting a step-back jumper with 58.9 ticks left to put his team up six. The Mavs then put the game away with the defensive play of the night, when Butler ripped Collison's pocket clean. After Butler's transition layup rimmed out, Haywood converted the play into two points with a tip-dunk as 47.2 seconds remained on the game clock.

"I was noticing a lot that (Collison) was putting ball in front of him. I was just watching him, and I didn't want to gamble early on, but I felt like it was a great opportunity to try to get a deflection on the ball...Brendan Haywood did a great job of following it up and sealing the game," Butler said.

"Defensively, (Butler) battles and stays within the system," Carlisle said. "When he's in the position to make a play, he does -- like he did on that last play, where he goes down and Haywood follows it in."

A couple of clutch free throws later, and the Mavs had their seventh consecutive win.

The Mavericks held the Hornets off despite being outscored 50-39 in the second half. After the red-hot shooting in the first two quarters, the Mavericks cooled to 52 percent from the field by game's end. That was still better than New Orleans' 45 percent shooting for the night.

"We're not even worried about (the lackluster second half)," Terry said. "It's another win. We're moving on."

Nowitzki finished with a game-high 36 points on 14-of-25 from the floor. No. 41 put together one of his best all-around games of the season, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out seven assists. In his return, Butler posted 19 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Kidd (13), Haywood (12) and Terry (11) made it five Mavericks that scored in double figures. Kidd and Haywood both finished one rebound shy of double-doubles.

The Mavericks shared the ball well, finishing the night with 31 assists on their 45 made field goals. Vice versa, the Hornets tallied up just 14 assists on their 37 made shots.

"Our guys are getting a good feel as to where and when to deliver the ball," the coach added.

Standing in for Chris Paul (arthroscopic knee surgery), Collison exploded for a career-high tying 35 points, doing so while connecting on 15-of-21 shots.

"(Collison) is a talented, young guy. Tonight 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," Marion said of the young guard.

Collison's rookie running mate, Thornton, added 21 points off the bench.

Both teams snatched 43 rebounds on the night, with each totaling 14 second chance points. But the Mavericks' 50-40 edge in points in the paint and 30-14 advantage in fast break points were ultimately the difference in the game.

"At this point in the season, we'll take the win and move on," Nowitzki said.

Now the Dallas squad prepares for one of the hardest back-to-back games scheduling of the season. Playing in a late time slot on Sunday night, the Mavericks will have to make a quick turnaround, flying to Charlotte in the wee hours of the morning before tangling with the Bobcats on Monday night.

"We've got Charlotte tomorrow, so that's where our focus shifts to. We're a different ball club. Before, we'd be sitting here talking about, 'We got a long flight.' We're ready to play," Terry said.

The Mavs will try to sweep the season series with the Bobcats, after narrowly escaping with a 98-97 home win on Dec. 12 over the upstart Charlotte ball club. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 6 p.m. CT.

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

Hornets-Mavericks Preview

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
New Orleans Hornets (31-28) at Dallas Mavericks (38-21)

If the Dallas Mavericks were flying under the radar coming out of the All-Star break, they certainly aren't anymore.

Winners of six straight, riding the NBA's longest current winning streak, the Mavericks have grabbed the league's full attention. After Friday night's epic 111-103 overtime comeback on the road against the Atlanta Hawks, the Mavericks reaffirmed that they are a team on a mission.

"We have to make (Friday night's win) momentum and keep it going the right way," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

Down as much as 16 at one point in the second half against the Hawks, the Mavericks refused to go quietly into the night. Outscoring Atlanta 34-23 in the fourth quarter and 12-4 in overtime, the Mavericks notched their 38th victory in dramatic fashion.

"To come back and get this win is phenomenal," sixth man Jason Terry said after the victory in Atlanta. "We really needed this win to boost our confidence as we go through the second part of this season."

Much of the credit for the Mavs' most recent win has to go to point guard Jason Kidd. The 36-year-old and his 104th career triple-double willed the Mavs to a win in a hostile environment. Kidd finished the night with 19 points, 16 rebounds and 17 assists.

"We have a true point guard in (Kidd), and his stat line speaks to that. More than that, he just led us, and led us to a big victory," Terry said of his backcourt mate.

"He's a Hall-of-Famer. I keep saying it, but they should just put him in now. It shouldn't be a first or second or third ballot -- the first active player to ever be in the Hall of Fame."

But now the Kidd-led Mavericks are no longer the overlooked. Now they are the hunted.

The New Orleans Hornets enter Dallas with full intentions of stinging the Mavs on the American Airlines Center floor, in a Southwest Division matchup between the first place and third place squads. The Mavericks, leading the division by 4 1/2 games over the San Antonio Spurs, are a full seven games ahead of the Hornets in the standings. The season series is tied 1-1.

"The key is not to have letdowns," Carlisle said of the matchup. "New Orleans is a quality team. If you don't play, they're going to beat you."

The Hornets will once again be taking the court without All-Star point guard Chris Paul. The cat-quick Paul underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Feb. 4.

With no Paul, rookie Darren Collison has stepped up in a big way at the lead guard spot. Former All-Star David West has also elevated his game, coming off of a 40-point, 10-rebound night in a 100-93 home win over Orlando on Friday night.

"They play a little bit faster (without Paul)...West is coming off of a 40-point game, so we're going to have our hands full," the coach added. "Since Paul went out, (Collison) is averaging 20 points and nine assists, and he's had one triple-double.

"Chris Paul is a guy that's irreplaceable, in terms of everything that he does. But Collison has done a tremendous job for them."

While the Hornets have tried to replace Paul's output, the Mavericks have been forced to play without swingman Caron Butler the past two games.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Butler has been sidelined after a bad reaction to medication before the Mavs' 101-93 win on Wednesday night. While the two-time All-Star is officially listed as a game-time decision, he expects to return to the court against the Hornets.

"I feel much better," Butler said after the team's Sunday morning shootaround. "I came in yesterday on the day off and got a real good workout in. Obviously I'm looking forward to playing tonight against a good Hornets team."

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.

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