Mavericks-Warriors Recap

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Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Beaubois' breakthrough performance on the Bay
Dallas Mavericks 111 at Golden State Warriors 90

After coming up on the wrong side of the scoreboard in four of their last six games, Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was looking for someone to step up and lead his slumping squad.

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Who would think that a rookie from Guadeloupe would be the catalyst to winning basketball?

Looking forward to reigniting their competitive juices against an old rival on Saturday night, the Mavs entered Oracle Arena with hopes of winning the four-game season series with the Golden State Warriors in the final matchup between the two teams. Thanks in large part to a career night from rookie guard Rodrigue Beaubois, the Mavericks not only got back in the win column, they did it in blowout fashion.

Beaubois' 40-point night not only shredded his previous career-high of 24 points, it also boosted the Mavericks to a 111-90 win.

"First off, I have to say that Roddy (Beaubois) had a great game," Carlisle said after the win. "Coming into this game, we knew this was the type of team that he would be able to showcase his abilities against...It was a good win in a not-so-easy place to play."

Looking to right the ship, Carlisle re-inserted Brendan Haywood at the starting center spot, after the 7-footer came off the bench behind Erick Dampier in the previous two games. But even with Haywood monitoring the paint, the Mavericks had their hands full in the opening quarter thanks to a quick start from Clippers forward Corey Maggette. Once Haywood exited the game at the 3:18-mark of the first quarter with a left middle finger injury, Carlisle turned to a three-guard lineup of Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and the rookie Beaubois playing next to Shawn Marion and Eduardo Najera. The move was a successful one, as the "small ball" Mavericks escaped with a 31-27 edge at the end of one, despite Maggette's 17 first quarter points.

The Dallas reserves accounted for 15 points off the bench in the period. That would become a trend.

It didn't take long in the second quarter for Beaubois to heat up. Back-to-back-to-back threes from the former French League product gave the Mavericks a 13-point lead just two minutes into the period.

"When he came in, he made a lot of great things happen," the coach added. "He hit a bunch of threes at key points in the game and that took some of the wind out of their sail and gave us a push when we needed it."

The first year-pro then got plenty of help on the offensive end from fellow point guard J.J. Barea and All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki, but the quarter was all about Beaubois' assassin-like sharpshooting from behind the 3-point arch. The result was an advantage as large as 28 before the half ended with Dallas in front 67-41.

With a 21-point second quarter, Beaubois' 26 points in the first 24 minutes established a new career mark for the budding star. No. 3's 10-for-13 from the field and 5-for-6 from behind the arch helped the Mavericks shot 59 percent in the half. Meanwhile, the Warriors struggled to just 35 percent shooting at the other end.

"We were active at both ends," Carlisle simply said.

"We held them to one shot opportunities and that was helpful for us. We don't look at the record of the teams we play because this is the NBA, so any team can win or lose," Marion explained.

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Carlisle didn't stop utilizing his smaller lineups to begin the second half and the team kept responding. Haywood continued to sit with the mild injury while Najera continued to get the minutes at the five spot. With their rookie on the sidelines to start the third quarter, Najera and Marion took control of the scoring. But after the Warriors cut into a 33-point Dallas lead with a 9-0 run, Beaubois once again defused things with his sixth made three. The Mavs then took a 91-62 lead into the final period.

In the fourth, the young guard began to put in work both as a facilitator and a scorer, eclipsing the 30-point plateau while dishing out play-making assists. By that point, the game was less about the scoreboard and more about where Beaubois' night would rank by the end of the night. His ninth made three came with 1:16 remaining, breaking a Mavericks' rookie record held by his mentor and teammate, Kidd.

"What a performance by Beaubois...Unbelievable," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "We left him open a couple of times, but it didn't matter. He made shots when we covered him, when he was open. Nine threes, what a performance. I didn't expect that."

With Kidd going scoreless in the game, Beaubois' night became more of a necessity than a luxury. The team then dribbled out the clock with Beaubois just two points shy of tying the franchise mark for points in a single game by a rookie.

Beaubois' scoring output is the second-best by a rookie this season, sitting only behind Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings' 55 points on Nov. 14 against the very same Warriors squad.

"Hats off to Roddy for his game tonight," Kidd said. "He picked up a lot of slack for us. I wasn't able to get a shot and I guess he found them. The main thing is that we got the win, so we are all happy about that. We may have to add another player to this rookie class, with Stephen Curry, Tyreke (Evans), Jennings and now Roddy."

In addition to his 15-of-22 shooting and 9-of-11 from long range, Beaubois also snatched a career-high eight rebounds while sending back three blocked shots on the defensive end. The 6-foot guard also dished out three assists and committed just one turnover.

"He has earned the minutes that he has been getting. The type of team we have is beneficial for him. To have the ability to play with a Jason Kidd and the rest of this team is only beneficial for him. It's a smaller team that we played tonight and that suited him. The great thing about Roddy is he has been ready to play every time he has been called upon. I believe in the kid a lot. He will be out there if he will be able to help us win," Carlisle said of Beaubois' maturation.

The Mavericks finished the game out-shooting the Warriors 48 percent to 33 percent. With Beaubois' big explosion, the Dallas reserves outscored their Golden State counterparts 65-27.

"We got a big spark off the bench from Roddy. We have a lot of different sparks off of the bench and tonight was his night," Marion said.

But the rookie wasn't the only one that performed in a big way for the Mavs Saturday night. Marion's 18 points, Caron Butler's 14 and Nowitzki's 13 made it four Mavericks that scored in double figures. All of wish benefited off of Kidd's 11 assists.

"(Kidd) doesn't care about scoring, he only cares about winning. He's a true professional, and he helps this team go. He directs traffic out there for this team to be successful," the coach concluded.

Nowitzki also added 10 rebounds to record the double-double, as Dallas won the battle of the boards 48-43.

After his big first quarter, Maggette finished with 21 points to led the Warriors.

Now the Mavericks shift their focus to perhaps the game of the season.

With the team in a dogfight with the Denver Nuggets for the second seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, the Mavs return to the American Airlines Center on Monday night to play host to the Nuggets. The two squads have split the first two games of the season series, both in Denver. That matchup will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

"We are a veteran team and we are all trying to get ready for the playoffs," Marion said.

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

Mavericks-Warriors Recap

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 127 at Golden State Warriors 117

The Dallas Mavericks entered Oracle Arena with the most road wins in the Western Conference. They left with one more notch in the win column.

The Mavericks were not shying away from calling their third matchup with the Golden State Warriors a "must-win" game, and down the stretch they played as if it truly was a necessity. Though it didn't look to be Dallas' night for the better part of three quarters, the Mavericks claimed a 127-117 victory by overcoming a double digit deficit with a dominate fourth quarter en route to their 32nd win of the season.

"Golden State is a difficult team in here. They score. They have great skill players. They shot the three, they stretch you out and it can get frustrating and it can deflate you a little bit. But that never happened tonight. We kept battling and we kept hanging in," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of the win.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Mavs were in desperate need of a win, after dropping four of their previous five games. That lone win was a 110-101 home victory over the Warriors last Wednesday, as the Mavericks overcame a 46-point night from Monta Ellis. This time around the Mavs were looking to give Ellis their full attention. More importantly, Dallas needed a win on the front end of a back-to-back before concluding play heading into the All-Star break.

"It's been a tough 10-day stretch. We've had struggles, but it's a long year and this was a bit of a gut-check for us. It was a game we desperately needed, and we fought hard for it. We fought like it was a decisive game in a playoff series to get it," the coach added.

"We needed this a lot," big man Drew Gooden said of the win. "We ain't been playing Dallas Mavericks basketball as of late."

With center Erick Dampier once again inactive due to a left knee effusion, Carlisle began the game with Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Eduardo Najera. The same unit started the game in Dallas' previous win over the Warriors. But with the Mavericks missing on their first six shots of the night, the Dallas squad quickly trailed 12-3 out of the gates. After falling behind by as much as 14 in the opening quarter, the Mavericks rallied with stifling defense, Terry's quick-trigger offense and an ability to get to the foul line. J.J. Barea's three to close the period cut Dallas' deficit to 34-29 at the end of one. Ellis' 15 first quarter points paced the Warriors to the early advantage.

Just 30 seconds into the second quarter, Nowitzki headed to the bench with his third foul. Without their go-to scorer on the court, the Mavericks' offense was severely hampered and the turnovers mounted. Meanwhile, the Warriors sped up the tempo, taking their lead back to double digits. Dallas then relied on the play of its bench in the second stanza, as Josh Howard and Gooden came on strong with scores at the rim. Terry's 5-0 personal run then cut the deficit to 52-47 just under the midway point of the quarter. He was quickly answered by back-to-back scores from rookie Stephen Curry and Ellis, as the Golden State backcourt mates continued to shoot lights-out. But Ellis' foul on Terry's 3-point attempt with just .6 seconds on the game clock, and Terry's subsequent 2-for-3 at the charity stripe, trimmed the Warriors' lead to 70-61 heading into the halftime intermission.

"We have to find a way to be better in the first half," Nowitzki said. "Today we gave up a 70-point half, and that's just not going to be good enough."

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Ellis appeared headed for another big night, pouring in 22 points to lead all scorers at the half. Terry kept the Mavericks close with his 19 first half points, as both teams shot over 56 percent in the first 24 minutes of play. Despite shooting 12 less shot attempts, the Mavericks were able to hang around by connecting on 19-of-23 at the foul line. Still, the Mavericks wanted more from their defense.

"This is a hard game to judge your defense on because of the way they play," Terry said. "The best thing you can do is put pressure on them and don't settle. If they beat you and out-hustle you, they are going to win the game."

Dallas attempted to put pressure on the Golden State squad to began the second half by playing "small ball," with Nowitzki moving to the center spot while Howard joined Kidd, Terry and Marion on the court. But the Warriors' rugged style of play continued to prevail on the scoreboard. After the Warriors' defense surrounded Nowitzki during his limited time on the floor in the first half, the 7-footer nailed his first field goal of the night at the 7:09-mark of the third quarter. Nowitzki continued to keep his team in contention, but Anthony Morrow's barrage of 3-point shots kept the Mavericks at bay. Despite outscoring the Warriors 29-28 and holding Ellis to just a single point in the third, the Mavericks headed into the final quarter down 98-90.

"The third quarter was a tough quarter, but we won it by a point. Our guys just stuck with it," Carlisle said. "They really wanted to win this game and put an awful lot of effort and collective will into it."

The Dallas defense came alive in the fourth quarter, while the offense ran in transition at the other end. The result was an 11-2 run, cutting the deficit to 102-101 on Terry's 3-pointer with 7:51 remaining. Howard then took over the Mavericks' scoring before Nowitzki put Dallas in front for the first time all night, 108-106, with a three-point play. After briefly losing the lead and later regaining their advantage, the Mavericks were the ones pushing the tempo in the ladder stage of the fourth. Dallas capitalized off of Golden State's miscues, turning giveaways into points at the other end. Warrior fans then held their collective breath when Ellis went down hard after scoring on a driving layup with 3:48 remaining. Once the sharpshooter was helped to the sidelines, the Mavericks went back to work, sprinting out to a double digit lead. Kidd's three with 1:18 remaining iced the game and gave the Mavs a 125-115 advantage. The Mavs then put the finishing touches on the win.

"We gave up 70 points in the first half, and the way we came back speaks volumes to the leadership of this team," Terry said of the win. "We are going to continue to get better and this is another step in the right direction."

Dallas saved its best for last, outscoring Golden State 37-19 in the fourth quarter.

"I thought in the fourth quarter we played together," Nowitzki said. "We fought, got some stops finally and that was great."

With the win, the Mavericks take a 2-1 season series lead. Dallas finished the night out-shooting Golden State 52 percent to 49 percent. A 41-for-46 night at the foul line certainly helped the Mavericks' cause, attempting 17 more shots from the line than the Warriors hoisted up. The Mavericks' 12-of-22 shooting from the 3-point line even outdid the Warriors' 8-for-20 from behind the arch.

But the key to the game was the play of the Dallas bench, in particular the scoring of Howard and Gooden. The Mavericks' reserves outscored their Warriors counterparts 54-14.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Picking up the slack for a marginal night from Nowitzki, the Mavericks received season-high scoring nights from Terry (36), Howard (25) and Gooden (24). Gooden posted a double-double off the bench, grabbing 10 rebounds in his 41 minutes in a reserve role. Nowitzki finished with 15 points (13 in the second half), while Kidd recorded his 15th double-double of the season, scoring 17 and dishing out 12 assists.

"Drew gave us a lot of energy off the bench, so he was fantastic. JET (Terry) was outstanding all night long. Josh was fun to watch, attacking and getting to the line. Kidd was open, he was making shots. So, it was a great team effort," Nowitzki said.

Morrow led the Warriors with his 33-point night. After his monster first half, Ellis was held to just five points the remainder of the way, finishing with 27 on the night. Curry added 25 of his own.

Now, on the second night of a back-to-back, the Mavericks finish up play before the All-Star break with a trip to Denver to square off with the Nuggets. The Mavericks knocked off the team that ended Dallas' 2008-09 season with a 104-96 road win on Dec. 27, in the first meeting between the two squads. The Mavericks-Nuggets matchup will air locally Tuesday night on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8 p.m. CT.

"(Winning in Denver for a second time) is going to be tough, but we can do it," Gooden said. "We already won once there...We can do it."

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-Warriors Preview

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Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (31-19) at Golden State Warriors (13-36)

If you asked the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors, they'd each say that their squad needs a win more.

The two teams, who have split the first two games in the season series, will get their opportunity to prove the other squad wrong on Monday night in Oakland. The Mavericks enter limping, after dropping four of their last five contests. But if the Mavericks are limping, then the Warriors may need to be carried to the court. Golden State is in the midst of an eight-game losing streak.

But it's the Mavericks' play of late that has coach Rick Carlisle looking for more, challenging his team after suffering a 117-108 home loss to Minnesota on Friday night.

"I just think this team has more pride than they are showing. We'll keep studying it, but the answer is pretty obvious -- play harder," the coach said. "We need to dig down and find some pride. It's as simple as that."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Hard play will only go so far against the Warriors. The Mavericks must also find an answer for Warriors guard Monta Ells. The versatile lead guard recorded a 37-point night in Golden State's 111-103 road win in Dallas on Nov. 24. He followed that up with a career-high 46 points, albeit in a loss, in Dallas' 110-101 win on the American Airlines Center floor last Wednesday night. Stopping Ellis is priority No. 1 for Carlisle's crew.

"(Ellis) does it to everybody. That's why I'm not that discouraged. He lines you up one-on-one, jumps over you and shoots bombs. That happens, we adjusted, we went and trapped him. We switched defenders on him and trapped pick-and-rolls. He's just turned into a great offensive player. That's what you have to say and fortunately we survived it," Carlisle said after Ellis connected on 17-of-23 shots from the field and 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point arch last week.

The duty of containing Ellis will be a shared responsibility, guard Jason Terry said. So, the Mavericks' strategy entering the game will be to simply make the Golden State role players step up and win the game.

"With a player like that (Ellis), you try to get the ball out of his hands and make everybody else beat you," Terry said of the defensive strategy. "We'll try to come up with some kind of game plan. Hopefully he will miss a couple of those that he made (Wednesday night).

Offensively, the Mavericks will be looking to cut down on their recent spike in turnovers. Though the Mavericks have been one of the better teams in the NBA, in terms of protecting the ball, they have had more giveaways of late. It is a product of having to play from behind more and more, according to Carlisle.

"In some instances when you're behind, turnovers go up because you're trying to get back into it," the coach added. "The one thing that I would say is that it is uncharacteristic of us, looking at the whole sample of the year. We're a very good team, in terms of being about to be efficient with the ball and keeping the turnovers down. So, I think it's probably an aberrational type of situation, at least I hope."

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)
While the entire Dallas squad will be looking to cut down on the turnover totals, the responsibility of keeping the second unit offensively efficient seems to have fallen to rookie Rodrigue Beaubois.

Beaubois has assumed a bulk of the backup point guard duties, and the first-year standout is coming off of a career-high 17 points against Minnesota. Carlisle showed a great deal of confidence in No. 3, playing the young guard down the stretch of a close game.

"(Beaubois) was active. We all know he's made progress. Finishing a game like that is something he hasn't quite done...He certainly came up and made some plays. A couple times, he got in tough situations. But his intentions were very good and his effort was good. There were a few rookie mistakes in the fourth quarter that were costly, but he definitely played aggressively," Carlisle said.

Meanwhile, the rookie is feeding off of the coach's trust in the Guadeloupe native.

"It makes me feel comfortable, because he's showing that he is trusting me," Beaubois said. "I have to keep working to show him that he's right, and to help the team win games."

Beaubois will get another opportunity to impress on Monday night. The Mavericks-Warriors matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 9:30 p.m. CT.

The Mavs then head to Denver on the second night of a back-to-back, concluding play before the All-Star break.

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

Warriors-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Golden State Warriors 101 at Dallas Mavericks 110

A dose of winning basketball was just what the doctor ordered for the Dallas Mavericks.

For the first time all season, the Mavericks entered a game losers of three straight. Hoping to put an end to their recent skid, the Mavericks welcomed the Golden State Warriors to the American Airlines Center for a second time. The Warriors came into the game with the second-worst record in the Western Conference, but they did own a 111-103 road win over the Mavericks on Nov. 24. It was a loss the Mavericks hadn't forgotten, after just six players saw action that November night for the short-handed Warriors squad.

Shooting 54 percent while five players scored in double figures, the Mavericks got their revenge. Despite a career-high 46 points coming from Monta Ellis, the Mavericks got even with a 110-101 win. Though the Mavs watched an 18-point advantage evaporate over the course of the night, at the end of the day a win is a win, leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki said.

"It's a win. Especially after you lose three in a row, it doesn't matter how you stop the bleeding," Nowitzki said. "You've got to stop it somehow, so at least we got the win. And early in the season, we lost to them with six players. So, you can never take this team lightly.

"Monta Ellis seems to always get hot here. He loves this building and loves to see us. And he had another night going. So, at least we found a way to grind it out and get a win, so that was good."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Dallas was playing without starting center Erick Dampier, as the 7-footer continued to battle a left knee effusion. In Dampier's place, Eduardo Najera got his first start for the Mavericks since returning for a second stint with the franchise after a Jan. 11 trade. The veteran big man's last start for the Mavericks was March 22, 2004 at Philadelphia. But after Najera found himself in foul trouble early in the first quarter, the Mavs were forced to bring Drew Gooden into the game sooner than expected. Gooden provided an offensive boost inside immediately, as he, Josh Howard and forward Shawn Marion lifted the Mavs to a 32-21 advantage after one.

"This was an opportunity, with a different opponent, to get him (Najera) some early minutes," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle explained the lineup decision. "It allowed us to match Drew up with their bench people, who are high-energy people. I thought Drew did a terrific job off the bench. He played extremely well in the first half and he was solid in the second. It worked out, particularly with Damp being unavailable. I felt that getting Eddie out there in the first group was a good opportunity to see what he could get us, so it was a short-minute situation."

The Mavs connected on 12-of-23 shots from the field in the opening period, stifling the Warriors to 7-of-20 shooting. The trio of Gooden, Marion and Howard combined to score 23 of Dallas' 32 in the quarter.

"We started off really well, I thought, in the first quarter," Nowitzki said. "But sometimes, I don't know if we relax, but we seem to not just get a blowout out of it. We seem to gradually get worse, and let the team get some confidence. Next thing you know, you have a ball game on your hands."

Methodically, the Dallas reserves increased the Mavericks' advantage to as much as 18 early in the second quarter. With Howard and Marion continuing to attack the basket, off the play-making of point guard Jason Kidd, the Mavericks took a 62-48 lead into the halftime break.

"Jason Kidd does such a great job of just getting everybody involved that you can just put the ball in his hands...Tonight, Jason was key because he got Josh into the game, when Josh came in, and he was serving up assists to Shawn and putting him in a good position to score, too."

Thanks to Kidd's 11 first half assists, the Mavericks shot a staggering 60 percent after 24 minutes of play. Meanwhile, the Dallas defense held the upstart Warriors to just 42 percent shooting at the other end. The Mavs held the double digit edge despite Ellis' 20 points, on 7-of-10 shooting, in the half.

The third quarter began with an aggressive Jason Terry looking to put his stamp on the game. While Terry took charge offensively for the Mavs, Ellis continued to terrorize the Dallas defense and keep his team hanging around. But the Mavericks' defense stepped up to the challenge early in the quarter, led by Najera, who took two offensive fouls square in his chest. The play picked up and so too did the physicality, as forward Dirk Nowitzki exited the game at the 2:53-mark with an apparent thumb injury. Meanwhile, Ellis and the Warriors sliced into the Mavericks' lead, cutting their deficit to just 81-75 heading into the fourth. Golden State outscored the Dallas squad 27-19 in the third period.

"If you let a team get hot, and let them get their confidence up, then you're in trouble for the rest of the night. It started there with a lack of defense in the third quarter. It got them back in the ball game," Nowitzki said.

After the Warriors cut the Dallas edge to as little as four early in the final period, the Mavericks' defense stepped up its intensity. Offensively, the Mavs got a spark from their lightening-quick rookie, Rodrigue Beaubois. Once Nowitzki returned, with his right thumb bandaged, the superstar put some distance between his team and the Warriors by getting to the free throw line.

"(The thumb) was a little sore, but it's going to stay sore for awhile. But I was able to tape it and play through it," Nowitzki said of the injury.

Defensively, the Mavericks began to throw multiple defenders Ellis' way, forcing the ball out of the sharpshooter's hands down the stretch.

"With a player like that, you try to get the ball out of his hands and make everybody else beat you," Terry said of the defensive strategy late.

While the defense attempted to quiet Ellis, Nowitzki came to life in the fourth. No. 41's back-to-back jumpers put the Mavericks ahead 101-92 with 3:18 remaining. But Ellis refused to go quietly, responding with a personal 5-0 run. As the Warriors clung to life, Kidd delivered a knock out punch with a 3-pointer to put his team up 106-97 with 1:25 remaining on the game clock. With clamping defense and clutch free throws, the Mavericks protected the lead the remainder of the way en route to claiming their 31st win of the season.

"We had some tough stretches, but down the stretch we were able to get a couple of big stops from rebounds and finish the game off. We needed to get a win so it was good," Carlisle said.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

While two other Warriors (Corey Maggette and C.J. Watson) scored in double figures, the focual point of Golden State's offense was clearly Ellis. In scoring his career-best output, Ellis finished the night hitting on 17-of-23 shots from the field. The scoring assassin also connected on 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point arch.

"He does it to everybody. That's why I'm not that discouraged. He lines you up one-on-one, jumps over you and shoots bombs. That happens, we adjusted, we went and trapped him. We switched defenders on him and trapped pick-and-rolls. He's just turned into a great offensive player. That's what you have to say and fortunately we survived it," the coach added.

The Mavericks' defensive traps did force Ellis into seven turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks had a much more balanced scoring attack, led by Terry's team-high 21 points and Nowitzki's 20-point night. Howard (19), Marion (18) and Gooden (16) made it five Mavericks in double figures. Everyone seemingly benefited from Kidd's 16 assists.

"With 16 assists, you can't argue the importance of him and what he brings to the team," Carlisle said of his floor general.

The future Hall-of-Famer, Kidd, also did the job defensively, collecting a season-high tying six steals.

Despite out-shooting Golden State, 54 percent to 49 percent, the Mavericks had to overcome much more than Ellis' big night. The Warriors out-rebounded the Mavericks, 40-31, and Golden State won the battle of second chance points (17-10).

The Dallas defense did force 21 turnovers, but uncharacteristically, the Mavericks committed 17 turnovers of their own. The Warriors capitalized at the other end.

"We ended up with a lot of turnovers," Carlisle said. "We gave up 20 points off 17 turnovers, which is very high for us. I thought that was an issue...You've got to take care of the ball against these guys. They are No. 1 in steals and forced turnovers. They are probably as fast as anybody in converting them into points."

Now the Mavericks look to prepare for the Western Conference's worst team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, before their Friday night matchup in Dallas. The Mavericks then head to Oakland on Monday night to once again contend with Ellis and this very same Warriors squad.

"The funny thing about it is we have to play them again on Monday," Terry added. "We'll try to come up with some kind of game plan. Hopefully (Ellis) will miss a couple of those that he made tonight.

"We got this game. We just needed a win and we got one, so on to the next one. Minnesota on Friday -- a tough, young team that plays hard. I don't expect anything different. We're just going to have to come out again and try to put together a good performance."

The Mavericks return to the court to host the Timberwolves on Friday, with the game airing 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.

Warriors-Mavericks Preview

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Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Golden State Warriors (13-34) at Dallas Mavericks (30-18)

The Dallas Mavericks aren't panicking, but they are in desperate need of a win.

In the midst of their first three-game losing streak of the season, the Mavericks are rallying around their veteran leadership to pull themselves out of despair.

"We're a veteran ball club, so we're not panicking," point guard Jason Kidd said.

Perhaps the Mavericks aren't alarmed because they match up with the two worst records in the Western Conference in their next three games, with two meetings versus the Golden State Warriors sandwiching a contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Wednesday night, the Mavs welcome the Warriors to the American Airlines Center for the second time this season. The first game between the two squads did not go Dallas' way, so maybe the Mavericks have more reason for concern than they let on.

Playing with just six players, the short-handed Warriors left the Mavs with a 111-103 home loss on Nov. 24. The Mavs remember that game very well, and it only intensified the hatred Dallas already has for the Golden State squad.

"We hate them," guard Jason Terry said. "They've been a thorn in our sides for the last three or four years."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

In that November meeting, the Mavericks found out first-hand how explosive the Warriors' lineup is capable of being. Led by Monta Ellis' game-high 37 points, the injury-riddled Warriors outscored Dallas 24-7 over the course of the final 7:18 of game time.

"Monta Ellis is probably one of the best slasher-drivers we have in this league right now," forward Dirk Nowitzki said after the loss. "He got to the basket whenever he wanted, it seemed like."

If the Mavericks are going to tie the season series, then Mavs coach Rick Carlisle says it will start with a better effort defensively. That mission begins with slowing down the versatile Ellis.

Ellis averages better than 26 points, five assists and four rebounds a game.

"If you look at (Ellis') credentials, he is certainly worthy of being an All-Star," Carlisle said. "He is having an amazing year, statistically."

The Mavs found themselves in an up-and-down affair in the first meeting, attempting to outscore the likes of Ellis, Anthony Morrow and rookie Stephen Curry. Dallas' strategy is much different the second time around, as the Mavs will try to make the uptempo Warriors play more in the halfcourt.

"The key to beating them is points in the paint," Terry said. "We have to dominate them in the paint."

"Points in the paint is always welcomed for us. Unfortunately, we haven't been a very high-scoring team in the paint...But whether it be drives or post-ups, scoring in the paint is a good thing."

Dallas will make a conscious effort to score in the interior and try to ground the Warriors, in an attempt to put an end to their current three-game slide. But the the Mavericks will likely be without their anchor in the middle, after Carlisle said the team's starting center Erick Dampier will likely miss the game due to his continous battle with a nagging left knee effusion.

The Mavericks host the Warriors on Wednesday night, with the game airing 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 Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Warriors Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Golden State Warriors 111 at Dallas Mavericks 103

The Dallas Mavericks have made a living out of winning hard-fought games in the fourth quarter with effort and energy.

The stage was set up for a repeat clutch performance in the fourth quarter Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors, but on this night it would be the Warriors who were the more energetic squad late, as Golden State staged a late-game comeback to end the Mavericks' five-game winning streak on Dallas' home floor, as the Mavs fell 111-103.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Monte Ellis' 37 points, mostly at the rim, downed the Mavs


"If you leave teams hanging around all the time, it's going to come around and hurt you one of these games," Dirk Nowitzki said. "We were fortunate a couple of times to win some games probably earlier that we should have lost and this was the other way around."

Despite matching up against a Warriors team that played only six players, while missing Coach Don Nelson (pneumonia), and regardless of Dallas' nine-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Mavs were outscored 33-21 in the decisive period.

"It's just very disappointing to work so hard to get a lead and then lose it, especially at home," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "It's a very tough loss. I think we'll look back and point to a lack of attention to detail in terms of our effort."

"There were too many breakdowns. It was as simple as that -- mental and physical. We've had too many of these games at home, where we have lost focus. We've been able to win the majority of them but tonight we left too much to chance in the last six minutes."

With members of the armed forces lining the American Airlines Center on Military Appreciation Night, the Mavericks came in ready to do battle with the Warriors. And a battle is certainly what they received.

With the Warriors short-handed, the Mavs were hoping to knock the wounded Golden State squad on the ropes early. But Dallas had health issues of its own, as Erick Dampier (illness), Josh Howard (surgically-repaired left ankle) and Shawn Marion (sprained left ankle) sat and watched in street clothes from the sideline. Marion, who was listed as a game-time decision before the tip, didn't participate in pregame warm-ups.

Once again starting a lineup of Jason Kidd, Rodrigue Beaubois, Quinton Ross, Nowitzki and Drew Gooden, the Mavs sprinted out to a quick 10-3 advantage. Golden State hung tough behind Monte Ellis' quick trigger, as Dallas' sloppy play in the first quarter gave Golden State life. Using a three-guard lineup of Kidd (later subbed by J.J. Barea), Beaubois and Jason Terry, the Mavs took a 27-25 lead at the end of one.

"We knew they had dangerous weapons, and Monte Ellis is probably one of the best slasher-drivers we have in this league right now," Nowitzki said. "He got to the basket whenever he wanted, it seemed like."

The Mavericks had a hard time keeping up with and defending the Warriors' fast-pace offense early in the second, as Golden State surged ahead. Not even Kris Humphries' block on Anthony Randolph's finger-roll, sending the shot into the first row seats, was enough to energize a stagnant Mavs squad.

As expected, when Nowitzki came to life, so too did the Mavs offense. Nowitzki's 17 first half points (12 in the second quarter) powered Dallas to a 54-50 lead heading into the break.

"Maybe we got a little carried away and ran with them a little bit too much in the first half and didn't have enough down the stretch," Nowitzki said.

Despite being out-shot 44 to 42 percent in the first half, Dallas forced 12 Golden State turnovers, scoring 11 points off of those giveaways to gain the slight advantage.

The second half began with Terry inserted in the lineup, after the Mavs lost Ross for the night due to soreness in his lower back. With the defensive specialist out, one of the league's best shooters, Anthony Morrow, torched the smaller Dallas lineup by shooting over shorter guards from behind the 3-point arch. But what they missed in stature, the Mavs made up with determination and gritty play, as Terry and Nowitzki spearheaded a 16-5 run (14 unanswered) starting at the 5:30-mark and running through the end of the third quarter to lift Dallas to an 82-78 advantage heading into the fourth period.

The Mavs led by as much as nine early in the fourth, but the Warriors didn't fade away, using a 7-2 run to draw to within two (98-96) with 5:06 remaining. The rookie Stephen Curry then put Golden State on his back, tying the game at 98-all with a jumper. With the game knotted at 100-100, the rookie took a veteran shot, nailing a 3-pointer from the wing to put the Warriors up three with 2:21 left on the game clock. The Mavs returned fire with Terry, who drained a three of his own, before Curry came right back with a running bank shot at the other end. The Mavs then found themselves in an even deeper hole after Ellis' layup with 28.9 seconds left put the Golden State lead at 109-103. Curry then secured the Warriors' win at the foul line.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"Down the stretch we looked a little lost. We didn't run back, and they do a good job -- they keep coming, they keep pushing, make or miss," Nowitzki said.

"We've got to play better defense," Gooden said. "We're giving up too many easy baskets. It's all fine and dandy to give up baskets like that, but in the fourth quarter when we've got a lead like that, we must get defensive stops and if we don't get the stops we're not going to pull out the game."

The Warriors outscored the Mavs 24-7 the last 7:18 of game time, from when Dallas held a 96-87 lead.

"They are never out of a game," Carlisle said. "They can be down double-digits and be back in the game within a minute and a half, just by running it up on you and hitting threes and driving it."

"It was a tough loss for us and it's kind of what has been happening to us lately by having the lead and then having a nail-biter, and tonight it finally came back and bit us," Gooden said.

Nowitzki led Dallas with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Terry pitched in 21 points off the bench. Gooden tallied up his fourth double-double since entering the starting lineup, with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Ellis finished with a season-high 37 points to lead all scorers, while Morrow added a season-high 27 points by connecting on a career-best six 3-pointers. Curry scored 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors dominated the Mavs in the paint, outscoring Dallas 54-36 in the interior. While Golden State's 48 percent shooting was just better than Dallas' 46 percent, the Warriors 10-of-21 shooting from behind the 3-point arch proved to be deadly when compared to the Mavs' 4-of-15 from long range.

Things don't get any easier for the Mavs, as they head to Houston to play the Southwest Division rival Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back. The game will air on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 7:30 p.m. CT. It is the first game of a three-game road trip for the Mavs.

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Nov. 30, when they play host to the Philadelphia 76ers. That 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.



The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.

Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Warriors Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Golden State Warriors (4-8) at Dallas Mavericks (10-3)

Tuesday night's matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors has all the ingredients necessary for a "trap game," but the Mavs insist that will not be the case.

Golden State enters Dallas with a 4-8 record, and will play without Warriors coach Don Nelson, who will miss two games with pneumonia. The Warriors are also expected to be short-handed with an injury-riddled squad.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)


"I think they only know one way," point guard Jason Kidd said. "With Nellie or not with Nellie, I think they're going to put a small lineup out there and stretch you on the 3-point line and try to take you one-on-one, and try to figure out what matchup fits them best to go at. I don't think there's going to be any shot clock violations on their part."

Still, Golden State's high-tempo play figures to give the Mavs a run for their money and should have their full attention. That is if the Mavs aren't looking past the Warriors to the Thanksgiving holiday and their next opponent, the Southwest Division rival Houston Rockets.

"I hope not," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said about his team possibly overlooking Golden State. "They (the Warriors) just had a great win against Portland three nights ago, and they're just extremely dangerous because of their quickness, shooting ability and the tempo that they generate. We're just going to have to play our game. We're going to have to play an aggressive but smart game. It's a challenging situation for sure."

"It's always a tough game because it's a getaway game and the holidays are this week so guys have to stay focused. This is a big game for us to keep this thing going in the right direction," Kidd said.

As they do against all opponents, the Mavs will look to run. But against the Warriors, Dallas has to be cognitive of when they push the tempo and when they slow things into their halfcourt sets. The Warriors' ability to dictate the flow of the game through speedy play and rugged offense gives Carlisle great concern.

"We're a running team, but we just have to play a smart game. A rat race game is going to favor them. A game where we're taking advantage of opportunities and moving the ball, playing inside-out as much as possible is going to be good for us," Carlisle said.

"There's a contrast in style somewhat, but make no mistake, we still want to run and get great shots in transition whenever we can."

Dallas' style of play will certainly be impacted by who can line up on the court. Playing recently without three starters, the Mavs have managed to win five straight with Erick Dampier (illness), Josh Howard (surgically-repaired left ankle) and Shawn Marion (sprained left ankle) all in street clothes for much of the streak. The Mavs could get a boost with Marion listed as questionable for Tuesday night. Also, Dampier returned to light practice Tuesday, leaving the media in anticipation for his return by exiting the practice court and simply saying: "I feel better."

The Mavs host the Warriors at 7:30 p.m. CT, as Dallas goes for its sixth straight win. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.

Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks Practice Report 11/23/09

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs Practice Report 11/23/09

Old wounds don't heal easily.

The Dallas Mavericks still feel a sting in the scar left over from their first round exit in the playoffs at the hands of the Golden State Warriors in 2007. That year, the Mavs came into the playoffs winners of a franchise-best 67 games and owners of the top seed in the Western Conference.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)


"Every time I think about Golden State, I think about the year we had 67 wins and they knocked us out of the first round," Mavs sixth man Jason Terry said. "Regardless of who's in those uniforms, it doesn't change -- the feeling, how we feel about them and what this game means to us."

Though many of the faces have changed for both squads since that epic series, the feeling of the loss still lingers for veterans like Terry and Dirk Nowitzki. So while the Mavs' matchup with the Warriors on Tuesday night doesn't measure in magnitude when compared to the early playoff exit, the opportunity to hang a loss on the board for the Warriors is always a welcomed sight.

This season, Dallas is off to the second best start in franchise history at 10-3. But while the regular season success of the 2006-07 season would be nice to duplicate, Dallas has an eye on a golden ball at the end of the rainbow.

For Dallas to compete for an NBA title, the Mavs must succeed against teams that can send out multiple lineups. No team puts out as many different combinations of players as Warriors coach Don Nelson.

With the announcement coming down Monday that Nelson will miss Tuesday night's game after being diagnosed with pneumonia, the Mavericks are still anticipating seeing a multitude of lineups with Golden State's "small ball" system.

"A lot of things come in to play (when defending the Warriors)," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "You have to contain and take away threes. A lot of what happens in the game depends on how efficient you are on offense. It's a challenging game."

"You're going to be playing a lot of different lineups before it's over. The key thing is to understand the things that will lead to some success. It's going to be efficiency with the ball and then you have to have solid rebounding at both ends."

One thing is certain, the Mavericks are a much more efficient team and a better rebounding squad when forward Shawn Marion is on the court. The Mavs' newcomer is hoping to return to game action against the Warriors after missing two games with a sprained left ankle. Marion's return should only enhance a Dallas squad that has won five straight.

"This is one of those things that you never can tell at times," Marion said of the ankle injury. "It definitely feels better. It made it through practice today, and I was in pain at times, but I am trying to move as quick as possible."

"It's still tender, but at the same time, I'm just trying to fight through it. I'm just trying to get out here (on the court). I hate conditioning on the side -- swimming and riding the bike. I want to be on the court, but there's some things you have to do to get ready and stay ready, so that's what I'm doing."

After a three-day break, the Mavs are hoping that Marion and the staff have done enough to have the high-flyer ready to play when Dallas hits the court on Tuesday night to start a stretch of four games in five nights.

The Mavs host the Warriors at 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavericks and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.

Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.