Mavericks-Kings Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dirk, Kidd do it again
Dallas Mavericks 126 at Sacramento Kings 108

There are no more superlatives left to describe Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd. Saturday night, the two future Hall of Famers added to both of their legacies, letting their play speak for itself.

Just 24 hours after claiming the Southwest Division title for the third time in franchise history, the Dallas Mavericks galloped into Arco Arena for a joust with the Sacramento Kings. Coming off of a much-needed 83-77 win in Portland, where the Mavericks avoided a season sweep by the Trail Blazers, the squad from Big D tried to complete the last back-to-back of the season by concluding a 4-0 season series against the Kings. Dallas also sought its third consecutive win overall, while looking to take the second contest of a three-game West Coast road trip. A 126-108 blowout win accomplished all of the above.

"Different kind of game, different kind of team," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said when comparing the last two matchups. "It is the same kind of formula for success -- tough, hard-nosed defense, rebounding and being efficient on offense. It is a solid win for us. We need them all."

Having two superstars doesn't hurt, coach. Nowitzki followed up a 40-point night in Portland with 39 more, coupling with Kidd's 105th career triple-double to power the Mavericks to the rout.

"(The Mavericks are) a team that's playing their best basketball at the most important time of the year," Kings coach Paul Westphal said after watching the Dallas up close and personal. "They steamrolled us tonight, after they got Portland last night. We did hold Dirk to 39 -- he had 40 last night.

"It's beautiful to watch (Kidd) play. He fills up the stat sheet but he doesn't play for stats. He just plays for making the right play every time, and he gets them in the right situations... It's going to be an interesting playoff run. I think the Mavericks are poised to really do some damage."

And they certainly did a great amount of damage Saturday night.

Playing their third straight game without forward Shawn Marion (left oblique strain), the Mavs once again looked for someone to step forward to make up for No. 0's output. In the opening quarter, that someone was Kidd. After a 1-for-8 shooting night against the Blazers, Kidd aggressively looked for his own shot early.

"(Kidd) came out with such great urgency to begin the game. He came out and 'bang, bang,' hit two jump shots to start the game, and that set the tone for us," Carlisle said.

Meanwhile, Nowitzki picked up right where he left off against Portland. On the defensive end, inserted starter DeShawn Stevenson did his best to keep rookie sensation Tyreke Evans out of the lane. But it was an Eduardo Najera 3-pointer that gave the Mavs a double-digit advantage. The Dallas lead reached as much as 17 in the quarter, eventually going in front 35-24 at the end of one.

The Mavs connected on 12 of 20 shots in the quarter, compared to the Kings' 9-for-19 from the floor.

"I think we set the tone early on," Nowitzki said. "Kidd was pushing the ball for us. We were getting some stops and got an early lead. We carried it on through there."

Sacramento climbed back into the game with long-range shooting early in the second quarter. To the Mavs' misfortune, big man Brendan Haywood headed to the locker room after turning his right ankle. But the 7-footer returned to the bench in time to watch his team extend the lead with an active defense and timely scoring from Nowitzki. A 12-2 Dallas run and Caron Butler's assertiveness put the Mavs ahead by 18, before the Kings closed to within 65-53 entering the halftime intermission.

Behind Nowitzki's 15 first-half points, the Mavs out-shot the Kings 55 percent to 50 percent at the midway point. Carl Landry led Sacramento with his 14-point half. The Kings' 22-14 rebounding edge kept the home team in the game.

Coming out of the break, the Mavericks tried to make quick work off the Kings in the third quarter. Nowitzki did his best to make that happen, scoring on an array of shots early in the period to build up a 21-point lead. But a 10-1 Kings run keep Sacramento's heartbeat ticking.

"They made a couple runs and a few pushes at us, but we made some timely shots when we needed them and got some stops," Nowitzki explained.

Kidd quieted the comeback attempt, ending a stretch of seven straight Dallas misses with a three, before Jason Terry followed that up with a bomb of his own from behind the arch. That's when Nowitzki once again took over, scoring 13 straight Dallas points to end the quarter and lifting the Mavs to a 100-79 lead entering the final stanza.

"I was just being aggressive," Nowitzki said of the sequence. "If I'm open, shoot the ball or put it on the floor and get to the foul line. That always helps."

With Nowitzki resting on the bench, the story turned to Kidd in the fourth. The pass-first floor general not only pulled down his 10th rebound of the night at the 11:03-mark to collect his second triple-double of the season, he also found Terry in the corner for his 13th assist. The 10-time All-Star and his 11 points then headed to the bench for the night just a minute later, after being assessed a technical for kicking the ball.

"Kidd had a triple-double, which was phenomenal, in 31 minutes," Carlisle said.

Terry then took over the scoring, matching Omri Casspi basket for basket after the Kings cut into a 25-point deficit. Before exiting the game as well, Nowitzki added a couple more points at the foul line. With the game well in hand, the Dallas reserves finished off the Mavs' NBA-best tying 26th road win in the 80th game of the season.

Dallas finished the game out-shooting Sacramento 53 percent to 47 percent. The Mavs also connected on 13-of-21 from deep, overcoming the Kings' 41-36 rebounding advantage and 48-32 edge in points in the paint.

Nowitzki fell just short of the 40-point plateau, though he did nail 12 of 20 shots, 13-for-13 at the foul line and 2-of-2 from three-point range.

"If he's open, there is a good chance he is going to make the shot. He is that kind of a scorer and that kind of big shooter," Carlisle said.

Off the bench, Terry added 25 points on 8-for-14 from the floor. In addition to Kidd's output, Butler (15) and J.J. Barea (10) made it five Maverick scorers in double figures.

"We have a lot of guys that can score...If our guys are shooting the ball the way we were tonight, it makes everything a lot easier. It was definitely a good game," Nowitzki said.

Landry finished with a team-high 30 points, while Evans added 27.

Now, after the win and Denver's loss to San Antonio, the Mavericks have a full game lead in the race for the Western Conference's No. 2 seed in the playoff tree.

"It was definitely a good outing for us. Now we are going to try and get the second seed if we can," Nowitzki concluded.

"Each game has critical meaning in terms of the seeding. Our guys are focused in on what we need to do," Carlisle added.

The Mavericks conclude their road trip against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center on Monday night. Dallas can also sweep that season series, after winning the first two games against the Clippers. That game will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD and nationally on NBA TV at 9:30 p.m. CT.

The team returns to the American Airlines Center for the final regular season game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. 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 www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Kings Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs try to sweep the Kings off their throne
Dallas Mavericks (52-27) at Sacramento Kings (25-54)

Clinching only the third Southwest Division crown in Dallas Mavericks franchise history was nice, but the team believes it has more on deck.

After the Mavericks escaped Portland with an 83-77 win on Friday night, coupled with San Antonio's loss to Memphis, Dallas once again seized the division title. Now it's time to turn their attention towards a possible No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.

Entering Saturday, the Mavs sit in the two hole, but the team is in a virtual dead heat with Denver for the spot. Fortunately for the Mavericks, they don't expect to give ground as they head into Sacramento to play a Kings squad that they've beaten three times this season.

"We'd love to finish second and have home-court (advantage in the playoffs) as long as we can," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.

Nowitzki certainly did his part Friday night, scoring 40 points and snatching down 10 rebounds for his 19th double-double of the season. The 7-footer connected on 11 of 24 shots, also swishing 17-of-17 from the free throw line. Just another day's work for the nine-time All-Star.

"Dirk's our guy," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of Nowitzki. "We play through him. He's going to make good things happen for us."

And good things certainly did happen. Not only did the Mavericks clinch the division, they also avoided a season sweep by the Blazers. In a game that resembled a playoff battle, the Mavericks served notice that they can match any team's intensity and physicality.

"It was a tough, physical game," Nowitzki said. "Both teams didn't give up a lot...The last time we played (in Portland), they were just way more physical and they were way more ready. They were more physical, they got every loose ball and we talked about that -- about how we had to be ready from the jump. And I think we did a better job staying with them and playing a more physical game. It was great."

"You play a game in the 70s, and you're looking at a playoff-type game. I love the way we battled. I love the way both teams battled. We really wanted this game (Friday night) and you can tell," Carlisle added.

Now the Mavericks look for that intensity to carry over in the second half of the team's final back-to-back of the regular season. But this time, the roles are reversed. The Kings are the ones trying to avoid a sweep.

While Nowitzki is the answer offensively, on the defensive end the Mavericks know that if they are to move to 4-0 against Sacramento it will be because they shut down rookie standout Tyreke Evans. The 6-foot-6 point guard is undoubtedly the hands-down favorite to win this season's Rookie of the Year Award. His 20.1 points per game season scoring average and 5.8 assists have been elevated against Dallas, averaging 21.0 points, 7.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds against the Mavericks, albeit in three losses.

"It's just going to be a matter of time, if (Evans) can get some minutes under his belt, until he's an elite player in this league," Jason Kidd said of his point guard counterpart.

"(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 said is the strategy to stop the first-year sensation.

In all likelihood, the Mavericks will be without forward Shawn Marion, who has missed the last two games with a strained left oblique muscle. But the Mavs have won 21 of 26 meetings between the teams, including the last five matchups. Those are the type of stats to beware of, according to sixth man Jason Terry.

"They're scrappy. They're a scrappy bunch, and if you don't come out ready to play, it's going to be a grind-it-out game," Terry concluded.

Dallas will be looking for the sweep and their third consecutive win overall, as the squad heads into Arco Arena. The Mavericks-Kings matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 9 p.m. CT.

NOTE: The Mavericks conclude their three-game road trip against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center on Monday night. Dallas can also sweep that season series, after winning the first two games against the Clippers. That game will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD and nationally on NBA TV at 9:30 p.m. CT.

The team returns to the American Airlines Center for the final regular season game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 14. 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 www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Trail Blazers Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dirk, Mavs crowned Kings of the Southwest
Dallas Mavericks 83 at Portland Trail Blazers 77 (04/09/10)

Friday night's matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers certainly had the feel of a playoff game. Physicality? Check. Big-game performance by Dirk Nowitzki? Check. 48-minute war? Intense atmosphere? Check and check.

The Blazers had not swept the Mavericks since the 1998-99 season, and Dallas wanted to make sure that did not change. The two squads faced off at the Rose Garden, well aware that if the playoffs began Friday night then they would meet in the opening round. To top off the storylines, the Mavs entered the night with an opportunity to clinch the Southwest Division with a win and a San Antonio Spurs' loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Spurs did their part, falling 107-99. Nowitzki and the Mavs handled the rest.

Thanks to a 40-point, 10-rebound night from Nowitzki, the Mavericks overcame a 34-percent shooting effort en route to an 83-77 victory. The win not only avoided a season sweep at the hands of the Blazers, it also gave the Mavs just the third division title in franchise history.

"It was a tough, physical game," Nowitzki said after the win. "Both teams didn't give up a lot."

"We were just real active tonight...It was a great basketball game. It was just pure effort by both sides, and the difference was a couple plays here and there. We're happy to get out of here with a win. Portland is a good team," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle added.

Starting a three-game road trip and playing a second straight game without forward Shawn Marion (left oblique strain), the Mavericks found themselves missing their best perimeter defender early. But also for the second consecutive game, the Mavs went to an assertive Caron Butler on the offensive end at the onset. The opening quarter certainly had a playoff-like feel, including heated tempers and a scrum between Dallas' Eduardo Najera and former Mav Juwan Howard, who was assessed a technical foul in addition to the offensive foul he picked up for plowing through Najera on the play. Dallas then relied on team defense, taking a 23-18 edge at the end of one.

"The last time we played here, they were just way more physical and they were way more ready," Nowitzki said. "They were more physical, they got every loose ball, and we talked about that -- about how we had to be ready from the jump. And I think we did a better job staying with them today and playing a more physical game. It was great."

Both teams struggled to score in the first quarter, with Dallas shooting 6-of-17 from the floor compared to Portland's 8-for-21. Portland did not score the final 4:03 of the period.

The Blazers continued to let the physically get to them, with Rudy Fernandez drawing a technical in the first minute of the second stanza. Meanwhile, the Mavericks allowed the Blazers to stay in the game, as Dallas missed on its first five shots in the quarter. But Jason Terry's play at both ends and Nowitzki's patented offensive array ignited a Dallas spurt. Nowitzki also passed 21, 000 points for his career in the quarter on a vintage jumper. With the sharpshooter locked and loaded, while Brendan Haywood dominated the interior, the Mavs slowly built up a double-digit lead. That is until seven unanswered Portland points cut the Mavs' advantage to 42-39 entering the half.

The cold shooting continued through the first 24 minutes of play, with the Blazers out-shooting the Mavs 38 percent to 31 percent. Dallas did connect on 18-of-21 at the foul line to take the lead at the midway point. Nowitzki led all scorers with 17 first-half points, while LaMarcus Aldridge's 15 kept Portland close.

Wisely the Mavericks continued to call Nowitzki's number at the beginning of the third, and No. 41 did not disappoint. But fellow All-Star, Brandon Roy, came out of the intermission with a sense of aggression. The combination of Roy and Aldridge sparked a 10-2 Blazers' run to go in front. Portland then emerged with a 59-58 edge heading into the final quarter.

The two teams once again picked up the defensive intensity to begin the fourth. But exchanges by Terry and Fernandez from behind the 3-point arch sparked both teams offensively as well. Then, with Nowitzki and Butler resting on the sidelines, Najera's triple with 6:12 remaining put Dallas back ahead, 67-65. When Butler and Nowitzki returned, the two picked up right where they left off. Portland was then issued its third technical of the night, as Andre Miller's argument with officiating resulted in a point for Dallas with 4:16 remaining.

Dallas' trapping defense not only forced a Roy turnover, it also caused Blazers coach Nate McMillan to earn a technical at the 3:45-mark.

"This time of the year, you're going to see this style of basketball," McMillan would say later. "We talked about that, expect it where it's going to be a physical game, a grind-game. Every possession is important."

Then Nowitzki sunk a dagger, swishing in a three with 2:43 left to put Dallas up 77-68. But Aldridge's transition three-point play with 1:35 on the clock kept the Blazers close. Nowitzki came right back with a jumper just 25 ticks later, keeping the Mavs up six. Four missed 3-pointers in the final minute by the Blazers secured the Dallas win and handed the Mavs the division crown.

"You play a game in the 70s, and you're looking at a playoff-type game. I love the way we battled. I love the way both teams battled. We really wanted this game tonight and you can tell," Carlisle said when summing up the night.

Nowitzki hit the 40-point plateau while recording his 19th double-double of the season. The nine-time All-Star also nailed 11-of-24 from the floor and a perfect 17-for-17 at the foul line.

"Dirk’s our guy," the coach explained. "We play through him. He's going to make good things happen for us. I thought the key tonight was that we had a lot of other guys step up at critical times."

Butler added 18 points, while Terry finished with 12 off the bench. Though Jason Kidd shot just 1-for-8 on the night, the veteran point guard snatched a team-best 12 rebounds to go along with his six assists.

Aldridge led the Blazers with 27 points, shooting 9-of-20 for the night. But the Mavericks did hold Roy to just 13 points on 4-of-14 from the field.

"Roy is a great player and a lot of times you have to commit two (defenders) to him. When we did, we scrambled, and there were several sequences where there were multiple players on the floor tonight for both teams," Carlisle said.

The Blazers didn't shoot much better than Dallas, connecting on only 36 percent of their shots. The two teams played to a virtual stalemate on the glass, with Portland claiming a 45-43 rebounding edge. Dallas also overcame a 36-18 disadvantage in points in the paint.

"They are obviously not a team you want to see in the playoffs, but if you look at all the teams down there, all the teams are playing well," Nowitzki said about the Blazers and Mavs meeting in the postseason. "It's going to be tough no matter who you see. But it's good for us to get a win against them and we'll see what happens in the playoffs."

The Mavs now journeys down the West Coast for the final two matchups of the road trip. Playing on the second night of the final back-to-back of the season, the Mavericks head into Sacramento to play the Kings on Saturday night. Dallas will be looking for the sweep, leading the season series 3-0. The Mavericks-Kings matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 9 p.m. CT.

Dallas concludes the road trip against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center on Monday night. The Mavs can also sweep that season series, after winning the first two games against the Clippers. That game will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD and nationally on NBA TV at 9:30 p.m. CT.

The team returns to the American Airlines Center for the final regular season game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 14. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

Mavericks-Trail Blazers Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs' Rip City curse, Division title on the line
Dallas Mavericks (51-27) at Portland Trail Blazers (48-30)

There's no time to stop and smell the flowers for the Dallas Mavericks. The team has a daunting task ahead as it enters the Rose Garden on Friday night.

With an opportunity to clinch the Southwest Division, while also trying to stay in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the West, the Mavericks begin a three-game road trip in Portland against a Trail Blazers squad that has beaten Dallas in each of the three games between the teams this season. The Mavs are determined not to drop the fourth and final regular season meeting, in a possible opening round playoff series preview.

"It's the bottom line, they beat us three times. For us, at this point in the season, it's not about 3-0 or 4-0. It's about us getting better for the next step," point guard Jason Kidd said.

In addition to getting better, the Mavs would also like to return the favor, after a 101-89 loss in Portland on March 25. In that game, the Blazers held the Mavericks to just 35 second-half points. Portland also took Kidd out of the game by focusing on eliminating the Dallas fast-break attack. The result was a 16-0 edge in transition scoring for the Blazers.

"We had zero fast break points and they had 16. To me, that means two things -- you need to get more stops to get in transition to get quality looks at the basket and we never had them under 50 percent (shooting) the whole game," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "That was a problem for our running game. When you get beat 16 to nothing on the break, it's tough to win."

"They did a good job of jamming the ball and taking that aspect (transition offense) of the game away," Kidd added. "Also, when you make shots, that takes away the running game. So, lesson learned, and we have to understand what we have to do next time and that's a big part of our game -- getting out and running."

Wednesday night's 110-84 win over the Memphis Grizzlies is a good blueprint for success. Coming off of back-to-back losses at the American Airlines Center, the Mavs responded with an all-around team defensive effort. Most impressively, the Mavericks put together the performance on the defensive end despite playing without forward Shawn Marion. The two-time All-Star sat out the game with a left oblique muscle strain. Marion did however practice with the team on Thursday, though his status for Friday night is unclear.

With a scrambling defensive unit, the Mavericks made up for Marion's absence by forcing 20 Memphis turnovers and scoring 30 points off of those miscues.

"We are just trying to bring a lot more energy and buckling down, trying to scramble for 24 seconds. We did a great job of that (against Memphis), collectively," reserve guard J.J. Barea said of the defensive mentality after recording a career-high four steals.

On the other end of the floor, the Mavs will once again be looking for an explosive performance from swingman Caron Butler. The newcomer, who came to the team at the All-Star break, finished with a team-high 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting against Memphis. It was a breakthrough performance for No. 4, who admitted that he is coming out of a shooting slump.

"I was going to make shots, I've just got to continue to take them," Butler said. "I got the ball on the opening play and the rhythm started...I wasn't thinking too much. Just going out there and was taking whatever they gave me."

"I thought (Butler) came out very aggressively and he got us going. With a talent like that, you want him being aggressive, make or miss," Kidd said of his teammate.

Now the Mavericks look for a different result against a Portland squad that they could see again in the postseason.

"They're all potential playoff matchups at this point," Carlisle said.

The team journeys to the West Coast for three games away from Big D, with contests against Portland, Sacramento and the Los Angles Clippers. Friday night's Mavericks-Blazers matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest and nationally on NBA TV at 9 p.m. CT.

"We've got to get them all," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of the road trip. "That's the mind state. But we can't get ahead of ourselves. It's Portland next."

The team returns to the American Airlines Center for the final regular season game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 14. 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.

Grizzlies-Mavericks Recap (LIVE)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
No Marion, no problem
Memphis Grizzlies 84 at Dallas Mavericks 110

The Dallas Mavericks have battled through adverse situations all season long. Wednesday night was no different.

Once again the team faced an obstacle. Once again the team responded. Losers of back-to-back games on their home floor, the Mavericks attempted to stop their recent skid without forward Shawn Marion. The versatile two-time All-Star, and arguably the Mavs' best perimeter defender, was sidelined with a strained left oblique muscle. Still, the Mavericks took the court with confidence as they welcomed the Memphis Grizzlies into the American Airlines Center.

With a complete team effort and contributions from the Dallas role players, the Mavericks more than made up for Marion's void, claiming a 110-84 win in blowout fashion. In doing so, the Mavs not only snatched the season series with Memphis, 3-1, they also gained much-needed momentum before heading out on a three-game West Coast road trip.

"Every win we get right now is precious," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the win. "It's a positive step and now the challenge is to keep moving in the right direction...But this is a step in the right direction.

"I thought we were pretty solid. We made a few mistakes, but we were more solid than we've been the last couple of games."

Starting the game with a lineup of Jason Kidd, DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler, Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier, the Mavs came out of the gates fast. Scoring the game's first seven points, the home squad was off and running. After a furious rally by Memphis, the sharpshooting of Butler gave the Mavs some breathing room.

"I got the ball on the opening play and the rhythm started...I wasn't thinking too much. Just going out there and was taking whatever they gave me," Butler said.

The Dallas defense then stepped up the intensity, helping the team take a 33-20 advantage at the end of the opening quarter. Behind a strong defensive effort, the Mavs never looked back.

"Everything in practice the last few days was about defense," reserve guard J.J. Barea explained. "We needed more energy on defense, we needed to guard the pick-n-roll better and the last two practices were defensive-orientated. That worked out for us tonight.

"We all know that we have to play good defense to be able to get where we want to go. We know our offense is always going to be there and it's going to show up. And if it doesn't show up early, it's going to show up late. But our defense has to be more consistent."

The defensive execution continued, with the Mavericks making up for Marion's absence with a scrambling team effort. At the other end of the court, Butler continued his scoring assault while Barea dazzled the crowd with his playmaking.

"It felt great," Barea said. "My teammates were doing a good job of setting screens for me, and we were getting stops on the other end. That allowed me to get out on the break."

The result was a lead as large as 20, before a 13-2 Memphis run. The Mavs then escaped with a 57-45 edge after Butler's tip-in to beat the buzzer heading into the halftime break.

Rudy Gay's 14 points at the midway point kept Memphis close. In his best scoring half as a Maverick, Butler's 17 points helped the team to the double-digit margin despite being out-shot 47 percent to 50 percent.

"I thought (Butler) came out very aggressively and he got us going. With a talent like that, you want him being aggressive, make or miss," Kidd said of his teammate.

"I was going to make shots, I've just got to continue to take them," Butler added.

It didn't take long for the Grizzlies to shrink the Mavs' lead down to single digits to start the second half. But the combination of Butler and Nowitzki responded with a barrage of their own in the third. Not even an inadvertent elbow from Zach Randolph to Kidd's face, causing a cut above the right eye of the ten-time All-Star, was enough to keep the Mavs from taking a 78-66 lead into the fourth.

A rim-rocking, two-hand slam from sixth man Jason Terry started the final period with a bang. Terry then followed it up with a three to put the Mavs up 17. The duo of Terry and Barea then took control of the Mavs' scoring responsibilities, building up an insurmountable mountain for the Grizzlies to climb. The two reserve guards received a helping hand from Nowitzki, as the 7-footer's three-point play followed by a transition score gave the Mavs a 24-point advantage with 6:45 left. Barea then finished off a 13-2 Dallas run with a 3-pointer.

"It was just about me being real assertive out there and watching film with (Carlisle) and picking my spots and seeing how teams are playing me now. I'm just trying to remain aggressive," Barea said.

With the game well in hand, the two squads emptied their benches down the stretch, as reserves played out the clock. The Mavericks outscored the Grizzlies 32-18 in the fourth, finishing off a game in which they never trailed.

Dallas ended the night shooting 55 percent, holding the Grizzlies to 47 percent at the other end. The Mavs feasted off of Memphis' 20 turnovers, turning the giveaways into 30 points.

"We are just trying to bring a lot more energy and buckling down, trying to scramble for 24 seconds. We did a great job of that tonight, collectively," Barea said, recording a career-high four steals.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks committed 14 turnovers themselves, but it only translated into eight Memphis points. Dallas' 50-40 edge in points in the paint and 25-13 advantage in fast-break points certainly helped.

Butler's 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting led the way. Nowitzki followed right behind with his 22-point night. Most of which was off the direction of Kidd, tallying a double-double with his 12 points and 10 assists, also connecting on 4-for-5 from behind the arch. Off the bench, Terry (16), Barea (14) and Brendan Haywood (11) all scored in double figures, helping the Maverick reserves outscore Memphis' bench players 49-7. The collective effort equaled 28 assists.

"We moved it better. When we shoot well and don't turn it over, it's going to lead to more quality shots for us. That's good. It was a needed win and we had a lot of guys who contributed," Carlisle concluded.

Gay matched Butler's 23 points to led four Grizzlies in double figures.

Now the team journey's to the West Coast for a three-game road trip, with games against Portland, Sacramento and the Los Angles Clippers.

The Mavericks' first test comes against the Trail Blazers in Portland on Friday night. The Blazers lead the season series 3-0. That matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest and nationally on NBA TV at 9 p.m. CT.

"We've got to get them all," Nowitzki said of the road trip. "That's the mindstate. But we can't get ahead of ourselves. It's Portland next."

The team returns to the American Airlines Center for the final regular season game against the San Antonio Spurs on April 14. 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.

Grizzlies-Mavericks Preview

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs hunt W against the Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies (39-38) at Dallas Mavericks (50-27)

Some teams view the final five games of the regular season as the finish line. The Dallas Mavericks are just beginning a marathon.

With just five games left before the playoffs, the Mavericks are in the starter's blocks and ready to sprint through the postseason. But after dropping back-to-back home games and losing six of their last 11 games, the Mavericks know that finishing the regular season off strong will put them on the fast track for the next stage.

"We are a veteran team...We're all very aware of the significance of the last five games," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We don't have to overstate (the importance of the last five games). We can do better. We will do better.

"You have to take a step back and make sure you have an accurate perspective on things. We have to get back to consistency. We have to get back to taking care of the ball. It's a simple as that."

The Southwest Division-leading Mavericks will try to get back to winning basketball when they host the always dangerous Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday night. The divisional matchup is also the end of a three-game home stand, before the Mavs journey to the West Coast for three games away from home. It only adds more importance to what figures to be a 48-minute battle with the Grizzlies.

"That's the West, baby. They're all tough games," Carlisle said.

Tough is not the word to describe the last time the two teams played. Down double figures for much of the fourth quarter, the Mavs needed more than just 48 minutes to snatch a victory away from Memphis. In an epic comeback, the Mavs' snatched their 50th win of the season with a 106-102 overtime win on March 31 at FedExForum. But the Mavericks haven't won since.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"We were in a dogfight the last time we saw this team, so we know we're going to have our hands full," point guard Jason Kidd said. "It's the getaway game, so these are always tough."

The Grizzlies are reeling as well, going 4-6 in their last 10 games and coming off of back-to-back losses themselves. Still, the Mavericks can not begin to think about the three-game expedition away from Big D. That's because the team will attempt to defend an offensively formidable Memphis squad, though Dallas' best individual defender will be on the shelf.

Forward Shawn Marion has been ruled out of the lineup for Wednesday night's game, suffering a strained left oblique muscle during the Mavs' 121-116 loss to Oklahoma City on Saturday night. It is an injury that has bad timing, with the Grizzlies bringing in potent scores like Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo to play on the perimeter next to first-time All-Star Zach Randolph inside.

Marion is officially listed as day-to-day, so the timetable for the return of "The Matrix" to game action is uncertain. But the Mavericks will attempt to make up for the loss of Marion with better team defense.

"Defense is a game of five-on-five, not one-on-one," forward Dirk Nowitzki said. "We just have to be there for each other, scramble for each other and cover for each other."

While the Mavericks have struggled on the defensive end of late, the team will expect to revive their defensive tenacity even without Marion.

"We've just been inconsistent. We have to find a defensive intensity," Nowitzki concluded.

Dallas goes for a 3-1 season series win, as the Grizzlies-Mavericks matchup airs locally on KTXA and KTXA HD 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 (04/05/10)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs making corrections, Marion sits
Mavericks Practice Report (04/05/10)

You learn the most about a team when it's down and out.

While the Dallas Mavericks (50-27) are down, losing six of their last 11 games, by no stretch of the imagination are they out. The Mavs still sit in a four-way tie for the second seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, with just five games remaining in the regular season. With that said, the Mavs are reeling after dropping back-to-back contests to begin a three-game home stand.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"You can't lose back-to-back games at home, especially a week or two before the playoffs," forward Dirk Nowitzki said coming off of Saturday's 121-116 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That loss proceeded a 97-82 loss to the Orlando Magic last Thursday. The common threads in the losing fabric were turnovers and poor defense.

In the loss to the Thunder, the Mavs surrendered 31 points off of 18 turnovers, overshadowing a 53 percent shooting night and a 39-34 rebounding edge.

"You figure if you shoot 53 percent and out-rebound the opponent at home, then you'll win," Nowitzki said.

But the Mavs didn't win.

In both of the last two games, the Mavericks have fallen behind by double-digit deficits before attempting late-game comebacks. According to Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, that's a product of bad defensive play.

"You can't allow (offensive success or failure) to erode what you are trying to do defensively," the coach explained. "Absolutely full capacity, making things happen. That's what it's going to take for us to get where we want to go."

Now the Mavericks have returned to the practice court with hopes of correcting their recent defensive and turnover woes.

(Photo By Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Monday's practice session was dedicated to getting the team to play better collectively. As of late, the Mavs' first-stringers have had their struggles, while the bench has excelled. Before, the roles were reversed. With the playoffs on the horizon, Carlisle is hopeful that he can get the entire compliment of players functioning as one unit.

"We want to get everybody playing well," Carlisle said. "The fact is, there are going to be nights when guys have some struggles. That's why you have a team, so you can try to find other guys who can help...We can do it, we just have to work to do it."

Work went on as usual, but without forward Shawn Marion. The versatile star suffered a strained left oblique muscle in the second quarter against Oklahoma City. Marion, the team's defensive specialist and one of the best highflyers, sat out of the team's practice, riding an exercise bike and studying film instead. The athlete known as "The Matrix," for his rare athleticism, may not be able to display his talent for awhile, officially listed as day-to-day.

With or without Marion, the Mavericks will return to the court on Wednesday night when they complete their home stand and the season series with the Memphis Grizzlies in town. Dallas leads the series 2-1, including a 106-102 overtime win at FedEXForum on March 31.

"We were in a dogfight the last time we saw this team, so we know we're going to have our hands full," point guard Jason Kidd said in anticipation for the game.

The Grizzlies-Mavericks matchup will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD 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.