Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Mavericks-Wizards complete seven-player trade, steal spotlight from All-Star Saturday Night
To say that All-Star Weekend began well for the Dallas Mavericks would be an understatement.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) Before Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd represent the Mavericks in Sunday' All-Star Game, the Dallas squad stole the thunder from the midseason gala’s prized events, All-Star Saturday Night and the Slam Dunk contest, by making headlines with a seven-player swap with the Washington Wizards.
The Mavericks finalized on the acquisition of forward Caron Butler, center Brendan Haywood, guard DeShawn Stevenson and cash considerations from the Wizards, sending back swingman Josh Howard, big man Drew Gooden, forward James Singleton and guard Quinton Ross to the East Coast in exchange.
"This was an important move for us, at this particular time, simply because it makes us a better team," Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said of the trade. "You've got to give quality to get quality. We just thought the pieces were better fits."
The deal is headlined by the flip flopping of two former All-Stars, Butler and Howard. Though the Mavericks have watched the growth of Howard since he entered the league in 2003, the organization felt that Butler was a better fit to assist in reaching the goal of an NBA title. Howard was the second-longest tenured Maverick on the roster behind Dirk Nowitzki.
"Sometimes you have to make some tough decisions," Nowitzki said after watching his long-time teammate depart from Dallas. "It's always tough and sad to see a teammate leave, especially when you've played with him for a long time…Sometimes the franchise moves on and makes tough decisions, and that was one of them."
"Josh was a very, very difficult decision," Nelson said. "Here's a guy that started his career with the Mavericks, was a huge part of our success and took us to the Finals. We're going to miss him both on and off the floor."
But Butler is certainly no slouch.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) The 6-foot-7, seven-year pro is a two-time All-Star. He started all 47 games in which he suited up for Washington, averaging 16.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals a contest. All of Butler's stats this season rank higher or near his average career numbers.
"You're looking at a guy like Caron Butler that can give us an offensive push. He's been around the block, two-time All-Star, knows what it takes to win at the highest level, has the experience – that was a factor," Nelson added.
"Caron is probably more of a conventional fit for us."
The Mavericks also bring in a conventional center, in Haywood, that can spell starting five man Erick Dampier. The 7-footer ranks third all-time in Wizards' history in field goal percentage (.561), fourth in blocks and sixth in rebounds, playing in 579 games for the squad.
"We think (Haywood) can really help us get to a level where we can put Damp and him in there, in some cases, matching up against two bigs," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said of the big man. "He can run and he can finish…He's not a go-to scorer, but he's certainly someone that can anchor our defense."
Meanwhile, Stevenson should add depth to a veteran bench. The guard has averaged 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in his career since being drafted out of high school by the Utah Jazz in 2000.
The trio of new Mavericks are expected to join the team on Monday after the All-Star break. The team will look to add the new additions into the fold immediately, playing four games in five nights when the Mavericks return from the festivities.
"It's going to be tough to get everybody involved that quick, we've got a tough stretch here with four games in five nights. But nothing is easy in this league," Nowitzki said.
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."
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Minnesota Timberwolves (11-38) at Dallas Mavericks (31-18)
When the Dallas Mavericks experienced their first three-game losing streak of the season, they didn't panic. The Mavericks knew it was just as likely that they could run off a streak in the other direction.
After Wednesday night's 110-101 home win over the Golden State Warriors, the Mavericks believe that consecutive tallies in the win column are in their future. The veteran squad tries to take another step in the right direction on Friday night, when they welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to the American Airlines Center. The matchup with the Timberwolves is the first of Dallas' final three games before the All-Star break.
"It's big," guard J.J. Barea said of his team putting together a winning streak before All-Star Weekend. "We had a good practice (Thursday), we've got to take this game seriously and try to get these three wins before the break."
Taking Minnesota seriously sounds simple, but the Timberwolves hold the Western Conference's worst record, making the rebuilding squad an easy opponent to look over. But the Mavericks do not plan on succumbing to the urge to overlook the Minnesota team, despite their 3-21 road record. Dallas has won 13 straight games (tied for the longest streak in the NBA) against the Timberwolves, including an 89-77 road win on Nov. 13.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) "Minnesota is a tough, young team that plays hard," guard Jason Terry said. "I don't expect anything different (from the Timberwolves). We're just going to have to come out again and try to put together a good performance."
Terry poured in a game-winning jumper with .2 ticks remaining the last time the Minnesota team paid a visit to Dallas, a 96-94 win on April 13. He'd prefer that Friday's contest not be so close.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are hopeful that center Erick Dampier will be able to return to the court, after missing the win over Golden State due to complications from a left knee effusion. The nagging injury has sidelined the 7-footer at times this season, but Mavs coach Rick Carlisle doesn't see it as a major concern.
"(Dampier) is doing better. He practiced and we'll see where things are on Friday," the coach said. "He has made progress with it."
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
Dallas is also trying to get swingman Josh Howard accustom to his new sixth man role. Howard will have to be the catalyst for the Mavericks' bench with Terry inserted at the starting shooting guard spot. Coming off of a 19-point night, the former All-Star appears to be rounding back into his old form.
"It was good to see. (Howard) was out there in rhythm, making plays, making shots, good strong drives to the basket and that's what he's going to have to continue to do," Terry said of his teammate. "For us to be successful, we need him playing well.
"I talk to him every day. It ain't ever about him being a sixth man, it's just about coming in and doing what you have to do to help the team. He's focused in on it. He's been putting in the extra work, and it's paying off."
The Mavericks hope Howard continues his hot play when the team host the Timberwolves 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.
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.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Mavericks Practice Report 11/27/09
If Jason Terry had his way, every game would begin and end with him on the court.
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has always been a mainstay for the Dallas Mavericks down the stretch of games, but he is growing accustom to his recent starting role at the shooting guard position. So accustom that he is slowly lobbying to his coach to stay in that role permanently.
"I've put my bid in," Terry said. "And I think Coach knows going forward, with the progression of (rookie Rodrigue Beaubois), how he's playing helps my cause."
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle inserted Terry into the starting lineup four games ago. The Mavericks have gone 3-1 since the sharpshooter joined the first unit.
"I'm comfortable in that role and hopefully we can continue to get wins," Terry added.
The point hasn't quite hit home for Carlisle, but Terry's play has caught the coach's eye.
"The policy around here, we don't talk about lineups," Carlisle said. "He's been doing a good job, but I haven't heard him lobbying."
(Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images) If Terry is working behind the scenes to stay with the first-stringers, then his play on the court is speaking loud enough for him. Terry is coming off of a 21-point performance in the Mavericks' 108-107 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. While the Mavericks claimed an NBA record-tying 10th straight win in games decided by one point, Terry was a big reason for the team's success.
"We all know (Terry) can score, he defends and I think for him it's more of a comfort level starting," point guard Jason Kidd said of his backcourt mate. "But you've got to go with the matchups, and Coach is one that can change lineups on the go. But with JET (Terry) starting, I think his level of play has certainly risen. He's helped us a lot on getting off to a good start."
But if Terry is in the starting lineup, then that impacts the minutes of the likes of swingman Josh Howard, as well as reserve guards J.J. Barea and the first-year pro Beaubois. With Howard in the sixth man role, alongside Barea and Beaubois who played together in the backcourt, the Mavericks' bench played well against the Bucks. But now they all, including Terry, will be asked by Carlisle to do it again, whether they are starters or key reserves.
"Whoever is coming off the bench, whether it's JET or Barea or Josh or the combination of all of them, we expect all those guys to perform and perform well," the coach said.
(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images) The interchangeability of Barea and Beaubois gives Carlisle a few more options. For the first time, in Tuesday night's win, the two combo guards hit the court together during valuable game time. Carlisle liked what he saw.
"They played well last night," Carlisle said of the duo of Barea and Beaubois. "They haven't played together much, besides at the end of games where there have been huge point spreads. Look, anything that works, I'm certainly willing to look at it again."
"I thought it was good for us to have that kind of lineup with the speed factor," Kidd said after watching the uptempo play from the two young guards. "J.J. is quick, but Roddy (Beaubois) is fast...I thought it was a positive thing. If it's a slow game, we can get the tempo in our favor. They did a great job out there."
Regardless of who is on the court, the Mavericks are hopeful that the momentum of back-to-back wins continues when the team hits the road and lands in Phoenix with a nationally televised game against the Suns on the docket.
Fittingly, the Mavericks claimed a one-point victory, a 102-101 home win, over the Suns in their Dec. 8 meeting. Now the Mavericks try to win by a wider margin, with the matchup airing nationally on TNT at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Dallas returns home to host the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. The game will air locally on TXA 21, TXA HD and HD NET at 8 p.m. CT. The Mavericks will be out to avenge an 85-81 home loss on Dec. 22.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Dallas Mavericks 94 at Washington Wizards 93
The Dallas Mavericks have been preaching a defense-first philosophy since Training Camp. Thanks to perhaps the best individual defensive play by a Maverick player this season, Dallas snuck away from the Verizon Center with a 94-93 win over the Washington Wizards.
With the game in the balance, Mavs forward Shawn Marion matched up mano-a-mano with Caron Butler. The player appropriately nicknamed "The Matrix" won the battle, ending a hard fought contest with a clinching block.
"It came down to our best defender against their best offensive player," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "At the end, Marion made a great individual defensive play. What he did was like hitting the game-winning shot. It's a great win against a great team. Our guys knew that this was going to be a tough game, and it was."
Looking to ride the momentum of a 99-90 road win over the Boston Celtics, Dallas entered the nation's capital with hopes of winning the middle matchup of a five-game road trip. The Mavericks were also looking to prove that they are a much better team than the one that dropped a 102-91 home loss on Opening Night to the Wizards. But just like the season opening loss, Dallas would once again be forced to match up with the Wizards without swingman Josh Howard, as the former All-Star was sidelined with a stomach virus. Even without Howard, the Mavericks moved to 2-1 on their current expedition away from the Lone Star State, due in large part to the Dallas defense.
"Winning on a defensive possession –- you wouldn't say that in the past about the Mavericks," point guard Jason Kidd said. "It would be us trying to get a basket on the other end. This year we've focused on playing defense. That's what we're focused on right now and Shawn made a great play on Caron at the end.
"Washington is playing extremely well and this was a big win –- bigger than the one in Boston because we backed it up and validated it. Any time you win on the road in the NBA you're doing something right."
(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) With the Wizards continuing to play without the indefinitely suspended Gilbert Arenas (allegedly brought guns to the arena), the Mavericks entered the game with the best road record in the Western Conference. With the void in the Dallas starting lineup, Carlisle inserted sixth man Jason Terry into the first unit. Terry, getting his second start of the season, energized the Dallas squad in the opening quarter with his unique ability to score from the outside and at the bucket in transition. Meanwhile, the Dallas defense was stifling at the rim in the first quarter, collecting three blocked shots in the period. But after leading by as much as 12, a 7-0 Wizards' run shrunk the Mavericks' lead to 25-20 at the end of one. Terry and forward Dirk Nowitzki combined to score 18 of Dallas' 25 points in the quarter.
Led by big men Drew Gooden and James Singleton, the Dallas reserves did their job to begin the second quarter. Before the starters had a chance to return to the court, the Mavericks' bench increased the margin to a 14-point advantage in Dallas' favor. For Washington, Randy Foye continued to provide hope with his ability to score and play-make for others. Getting help from Butler, Foye and the Wizards cut the deficit to just 50-47 headed into the halftime break.
"A lot of times they will run something, it's just an action to get (Foye, Butler or Antawn Jamison) open and you're not sure. Those plays are really tough to guard," Carlisle said of trying to slow down the Wizards' offensive attack.
Nowitzki led all scorers at the half with his 18 points, while Foye kept the Wizards close with 16. While the offensive efficiency slipped in the second quarter, the Dallas defense held strong the entire first half, forcing nine Wizards' giveaways and sending back six shots via blocks in the first 24 minutes of play.
The Mavericks were forced to turn to their bench early in the second half, as center Erick Dampier picked up his fourth foul at the 10:46-mark of the third quarter bringing Gooden back onto the court. And just like he had in the first half, Gooden stepped up to the challenge, establishing a go-to scorer in the low post. With Kidd finding Gooden and Marion for easy buckets near the basket, the Dallas offense got back on track. But at the other end the Dallas defense couldn't contain the Wizards' offense, as Washington closed to within three, 70-67, heading into the final period.
"(The Wizards) have a good complement of guys and you can tell that they like playing together by watching the games," the coach said. "I personally think that they are going to hang around in the playoff race."
(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) It didn't take long for the Wizards to surge in front in the fourth, using a 6-0 run to take a 75-74 lead with 9:11 remaining. It was Washington's first lead since the game's initial basket. But the Mavericks countered with a healthy dose of Nowitzki and Terry, off of Kidd's uptempo play. Back-to-back scores from the two veteran sharpshooters gave Dallas an 84-80 edge with 5:13 left. The Mavericks then sent a resonating message with an alley-oop lob pass from Kidd to Dampier for a one-handed finish. Kidd and the Mavs appeared to make all the right plays down the stretch, as the pass-first lead guard found a cutting Terry for a layup to put Dallas up 92-87 with 1:59 on the game clock.
But the Wizards stayed alive from behind the 3-point arch, cutting the Dallas lead to just 94-93 with back-to-back threes from Foye and Mike Miller with just 27.1 ticks remaining.
"I was really disappointed with the two threes that we gave up. It came down to us executing and getting a good shot. We also had to get a stop," Carlisle said of the final minute.
The Wizards' heartbeat continued to tick after Nowitzki committed an offensive foul on a drive with 6.7 seconds left. After a Washington timeout, the game came down to the one-on-one matchup between Butler and Marion, and the Mavericks' best defender did not shy away from the challenge.
(Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) As Butler pulled up for the shot, Marion met the star in the air, blocking the shot and sending away the Wizards' hopes of a victory. The ball found its way to Kidd as time expired, with Dallas claiming the one-point win. It is the Mavericks' ninth straight win in games decided by one point.
"I knew (Butler) was going to get it so I just wanted to play good defense," Marion said. "I don't think he really had a path to take it to the basket. I was just in a great position to guard whatever he did. All you have to do sometimes is get a good contest and I was able to block the shot. We knew it was going to be Butler.
"It fires you up when a game is competitive. You go out there and take what's given to you and you take advantage of the situation. I got a beat on it and was able to get a good defensive stop."
The game-winning block was one of nine Mavericks' rejections on the night, though none were as big as Marion's in the final seconds.
"Shawn has been our best defender all season long. He's a smart defender, he's long, he's athletic, and he can still move his feet and challenge shots and stay in front of guys," Nowitzki said of his teammate. "He made a great defensive play, sliding his feet, and still was able to contest and get a hand on the ball. It really saved us because I got the charge. It was a big win for us."
The Dallas defense also collected nine steals and forced 16 turnovers.
Off of Kidd's game-high 15 assists, the Mavericks dished out 27 dimes helping four Mavericks score in double figures. Nowitzki's game-high 28 points led the way, while Terry (21), Gooden (14) and Marion (12) all reached double digits in scoring.
"(Kidd) is leading the team as well as he ever has," Carlisle said. "He's got a real pulse on the team and a good hand on the controls. It's really key. He's done a lot of directing of things defensively too, and he gives the rest of the guys a lot of confidence. So, we need him to continue to do what he's doing, obviously."
Foye led the Wizards with 26 points, getting help from Butler's 20 points (on 7-of-20 shooting).
Despite connecting on just 4-for-20 from 3-point range, the Mavericks still out-shot the Wizards from the field, 46 percent to 44 percent. The two teams played to a 41-all stalemate in the rebounding battle.
Next up, Dallas travels to Philadelphia to tangle with the 76ers in the fourth game of a five-matchup road trip. The Mavericks-76ers game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 6 p.m. CT. Dallas escaped with a 104-102 home win on Nov. 30 in the first game between the two squads this season.
The Mavericks return home to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 26. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Mavericks Practice Report (01/14/10)
You could say the Dallas Mavericks are in the midst of a transition period.
Because of Dallas' transitional state, Dirk Nowitzki's eclipsing of the 20,000-point plateau was overshadowed by the Mavericks' late-game miscues in a 100-95 home loss to the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. Dallas dropped the game, their second straight at home, despite Nowitzki's 30-point, 16-rebound night.
"(Nowitzki) hits the 20,000-plateau, that is an amazing accomplishment for him. But you know it's kind of (frustrating) when you can't get the win, when he gets the mark," forward Shawn Marion said after the loss.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) Sure the Mavericks own the second-best record in the Western Conference, at 25-13, but they certainly haven't scratched the surface of how good they can ultimately become. After suffering back-to-back home loss to the Utah Jazz and the Lakers, the Dallas squad is ready to reach its potential. One reason for the Mavericks' deficiency has been the lack of game experience with the core Dallas players on the court at the same time, as swingman Josh Howard battled nagging setbacks due to his surgically-repaired left ankle. With Howard's return to the starting lineup in the loss to the Lakers, the Mavs' nucleus should be intact and it should translate to improved play on the court.
"When Josh was making his second comeback attempt, he was mainly playing with the second unit," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the team's practice on Thursday. "He really hasn't played with Shawn (Marion), Jason (Kidd), Dirk and (Erick) Dampier...That group hasn't played together that much."
For Howard, the focus is less on being back on the court with the starters, but on helping his teammates perform well regardless of who is in the lineup.
"We just have to concentrate more, regardless of whether you have a new player (on the court) or if you've been with the same guys, like me and Dirk," Howard said.
Both Carlisle and Howard agree that the concentration level will have to pick up on the defensive end.
"We're going to have to work our way out of (a defensive funk)," the coach said. "We're going to have to get gritty and dirty....We have to recommit defensively. It's as simple as that. If your defense is better, it's going to make your offense better."
While most around the league look at opponent's points per game average, the coach measures Dallas' defensive success rate by points per possession. And it's that formula that Carlisle is using to prepare his troops for better execution.
"If you hold a team to one point per possession it translates to 90 points per game. That means you're doing pretty good."
(Photo by Larry W. Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) The Dallas defense will certainly have to be at its' best when Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-17) enter the American Airlines Center. Durant ranks third in the league in scoring (28.9 ppg) and the upstart Thunder are battling for a potential playoff position.
Dallas claimed a 100-86 road win in Oklahoma City on Dec. 16 in the first meeting between the two squads. In that game the duo of Howard and Marion held Durant to 4-of-18 shooting for just 12 points. The two superb perimeter defenders will be asked to do the same on Friday night.
"We did a pretty good job on (Durant) in the first game...We're going to have to throw multiple people at him, because he's a guy that is capable of going for 30 a night," Carlisle said.
The Mavericks will try to finish off a three-game home stand with a win against the Thunder on Friday night. The Mavericks-Thunder matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. Every fan that comes to the game will received a free "Dirk Nowitzki 20,000" poster.
Dallas 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.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Los Angeles Lakers 100 at Dallas Mavericks 95
Wednesday night had a chance to go down as a historic night in Dallas Mavericks' history and an important date for the Mavs' 2009-10 season.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
While Dirk Nowitzki provided the historic setting to the night, his team could not notch a signature win over the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. The night began with Dallas' leading-scorer, Nowitzki, sitting just 16 points away from becoming the first European and the 34th player in NBA history to join the 20,000-point fraternity. The night also marked a third matchup between the two best records in the Western Conference, as the Mavericks welcomed the Lakers to the American Airlines Center. While Nowitzki's 30-point, 16-rebound performance was enough to make him the first Maverick to reach 20,000 points in a career, his team couldn't match the Lakers in late-game execution, falling 100-95 for their second consecutive home loss. It was disappointing not to get the win, but to do so on an historic night for No. 41 was extra troubling, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after the loss.
"(Nowitzki) would rather have the win than 20,000 points," Carlisle said after watching his superstar reach the milestone in a losing effort. "That's where the disappointment is. You get a guy who is pure basketball heart. He'd do anything to win any ball game and he wouldn't care how many points he scored. That's what really makes him special along with the other things (Dallas fans and media members) have seen on a daily basis for over a decade. The shot-making, the plays, the threes...All that stuff. It's very disappointing."
"He hits the 20,000-plateau, that is an amazing accomplishment for him. But you know it's kind of (frustrating) when you can't get the win, when he gets the mark," forward Shawn Marion said.
Dallas looked for retribution from a 131-96 throttling at the hands of the Lakers in L.A. on Jan. 3. With both teams claiming a win in the first two meetings, the third game of the season series figured to be a pivotal one.
The Mavericks began the game with swingman Josh Howard inserted back into the starting lineup. On a night that figured to belong to Nowitzki, No. 41 got the Mavs on the board with a patented jumper on his first shot. But the Mavericks had a tough time containing Lakers center Andrew Bynum in the early stage of the opening quarter, as the 7-footer's dominance in the low post gave L.A. an early 14-7 advantage. Bynum, a concern for Carlisle before the game, scored 13 points in the first quarter before exiting the game with two quick fouls. With the Lakers' big man sidelined, the Mavericks closed to 27-24 at the end of one.
"All night it felt like we were kind of fighting an uphill battle. We should have had way more pep to our step," Nowitzki said.
Kobe Bryant checked out of the game, scoreless, due to back spasms with 1:00 left in the first quarter and wouldn't be heard from again until the start of the third quarter. Despite forcing four Laker turnovers in the first quarter, Dallas surrendered 61 percent shooting to L.A. in the opening period, while the Mavericks hit on just 38 percent at the offensive end.
But the Mavericks found life in the second quarter, as big man Drew Gooden and the Dallas bench briefly pushed the Mavs ahead in the early minutes of the second stanza. That is until Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown and the L.A. reserves matched Dallas' energy. The Mavericks stayed in the game behind a stifling defense, an attacking Howard and Jason Kidd's touch from beyond the 3-point line. Nowitzki's ability to get to the foul line helped Dallas' cause, as the 7-footer turned it on in the final minutes of the second quarter. But Nowitzki's foul on Ron Artest's 3-point attempt with .2 left on the game clock, helped Artest and the Lakers take a 49-45 lead into the halftime intermission.
L.A. out-shot Dallas 49 percent to 34 percent in the first half. Despite the Mavericks' slight 26-24 rebounding edge, the Lakers controlled the interior with a 24-14 advantage in points in the paint, due in large part to Bynum's 15 first half points to lead all scorers. Nowitzki's 11 points after the first 24 minutes of play left him just five shy of 20,000.
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) "In the first half we had a lot of wide-open looks. We got some pull-ups and missed some layups, so it was frustrating," Nowitzki said. "Kobe barely played in the first half and we should have had a lead, but we were down chasing them all first half...Without Kobe, we should have had a lead at halftime. We would have felt a lot better about ourselves."
Like two championship fighters, the two teams exchanged blows and the lead early in the third. The Lakers turned to Bryant, who seemingly shook off the back issues. Meanwhile, Nowitzki got help from Howard and Marion. But in a highly emotional and physical game, Nowitzki was called for a technical foul with 3:00 left in the quarter. At the time Nowitzki was only one point away from the career milestone. With the star on the bench, Bryant and the Lakers went back ahead.
"This was a fight," Marion said. "We were going back and forth and trading buckets for a long time it seemed like."
As they had at the end of the second quarter, the Lakers put points on the board to close the third, when Farmar's 3-pointer with .3 ticks left gave L.A. a 76-71 edge heading into the fourth.
"You can't give up points at the end of the second and third quarters," Carlisle said. "We've got to do a better job of handling those situations. If the team is not doing well, it's on me as the coach. We're going to spend more time on late-quarter, closing out more. I thought that those were two huge, momentum plays in the game, along with a lot of others."
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) But while the final period was an uphill climb for the Mavericks, a moment belonged to Nowitzki. The Germany native made history when he rained in a 14-footer over Lamar Odom at the 10:57-mark of the fourth. While the shot cut the L.A. lead to 78-75, it made Nowitzki the newest member of an exclusive club. When the next dead ball stopped play, the Dallas faithful showed their appreciate for the franchise's all-time leading-scorer.
"It was a special moment when the crowd stood and applauded for what seemed like several minutes, and it was well deserved," Carlisle said.
"Obviously, in the future in 10 or 20 years, it will be a great achievement. I'll look back on it and be proud...We just needed that win to make this night a little more special, I guess," Nowitzki said of the feat.
Meanwhile, Nowitzki did everything he could to bring his squad back, after the Mavericks found themselves in a six-point hole midway through the period. When the Laker lead grew to eight, sixth man Jason Terry stepped up with a 3-pointer. Nowitzki then poured in a jumper, following it up with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 95-all with 42.9 seconds remaining. Just 14 ticks later, Bryant came right back, pulling up for a jumper to put the Lakers back ahead two.
"When we needed a stop we couldn't get it and then Kobe hit that big shot towards the end of the fourth quarter," Marion said.
Out of a timeout, the Mavericks went to Nowitzki, who found center Erick Dampier in the paint. Bryant fouled Dampier, sending the 7-footer to the line where he missed a pair of free throws. Battling for the rebound, Nowitzki fouled Bynum with 21.1 seconds remaining. After a Gooden foul on the subsequent inbound pass, Bynum went to the line with 20.3 seconds on the clock. But the Mavericks lucked out when Bynum hit just 1-of-2 at the line, as Nowitzki grabbed the rebound and called timeout with 20.0 seconds left for a Dallas comeback attempt.
After Carlisle drew up a play for Nowitzki in the corner, two Laker defenders ran at No. 41 forcing the ball out of his hands and into Howard's. Unfortunately for Dallas, Howard's game-tying three attempt sailed long into Farmar's hands. It was the second straight possession that the Lakers forced the ball out of Nowitzki's hands, leading other Mavs to try to be the hero.
"I'm a basketball player. When I see a teammate open, I'm going to give him the ball...We had our chances, it just didn't go our way," Nowitzki said.
"Basketball is a game of reactions...You can't deprogram a guy from making the right basketball play," Carlisle said of Nowitzki's unselfishness late.
The Lakers point guard then nailed a pair at the charity stripe to widen the margin to 100-95 with 5.6 seconds left. A late Terry 3-point attempt came up short, as the night closed with Dallas falling for the seventh time at home.
"I think we're a team that has to have a certain balance. It's tough when we have to pile on and tell Dirk to go win the game for us in the last three minutes. It's not fair to him. A lot of that could have been eliminated had we made several other basketball plays that may have been totally unrelated to offense," Carlisle said.
Nowitzki's 30 points was a game-high, while his 16 rebounds is a season-best. Howard's 18 points provided a stablizing No. 2 scoring option, while Kidd recording a double-double with 11 points and 11 assits. Marion was the only other Mav to score in double figures, finishing with 10 points.
Bynum led five Lakers in double figures with 22 points. The entire L.A. frontline of Bynum, Odom and Artest all finished with double-doubles. The Lakers out-rebounded the Mavs 48-44, out-shot Dallas 49 percent to 43 percent and won the scoring in the paint 44-34. The L.A. bench also outscored the Dallas reserves 31-21.
Now the Mavericks try to finish off a three-game home stand with a win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. Dallas claimed a 100-86 road win in Oklahoma City on Dec. 16 in the first meeting between the two squads. The Mavericks-Thunder matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
"We're not hanging our heads," Nowitzki said. "We're still second in the West, that's the amzing thing. We're right there with everybody else and it's not time to hang our heads now. There's still a lot of basketball left to be played."
Dallas 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.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Los Angeles Lakers (29-9) at Dallas Mavericks (25-12)
Dirk Nowitzki will be the first to tell you that he has come a long way since entering the NBA in 1998.
Nowitzki, a player that has seemingly done it all in his career, now sits just 16 points away from becoming the 34th player in NBA history to reach the 20,000-point milestone. It is a distinction the German product didn't see in sight as a rookie, but not many did.
"That's an unbelievable milestone. Looking back 11 years ago, I don't think any of you guys would have thought I would have scored 1,000, probably," Nowitzki told members of the media.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) While it's euphoric for the 7-footer, he has not loss sight of his ultimate goal, and that's to lead his team to an NBA title. Until he lifts the Larry O'Brien Trophy above his head, No. 41 sees 20,000 points as an accomplishment that he will not fully appreciate until his career comes to an end.
"It's pretty amazing how far I got in 12 years, but my main goal now is to win a championship. All of the individual goals will be nice once my career is over, I can look back -- hey, I scored 20,000 points, I got an MVP...All that is sweet, but it doesn't mean that much to me as of right now. I'm still trying to chase my dreams and that's winning a championship," Nowitzki said.
But while the Mavericks' leader is not in awe of the feat, his teammates are. Point guard Jason Kidd is particularly impressed because of Nowitzki's unique journey to get into the league.
"I think the biggest thing is being able to come from Europe, settle in and get better each year -- adding something to his game each time he took the floor. It just shows how hard he works at the game of basketball and that's why he is one of the best."
If Nowitzki is going to reach the milestone on Wednesday night, it will come against a daunting Los Angeles Lakers team. The Mavericks and Lakers are tied at 1-1 in the season series, but Dallas is looking to erase the memories of a 131-96 road loss on Jan. 3. L.A. comes into Dallas losers of four straight on the road.
But against the defending champions, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle will not be looking to force the issue to get Nowitzki involved early. Instead the coach will stick to the usual game plan, which still includes looking Nowitzki's way within the flow of the offense.
"We're going to play our game, and our game certainly involves getting (Nowitzki) involved a lot early," Carlisle said. "We're not thinking about that milestone...That will happen when it happens. But it certainly is a phenomenal achievement. No question."
The Mavericks may be without starting center Erick Dampier (left knee soreness) and Josh Howard (left thigh contusion) though each made it through the team's morning shootaround and are listed as probable. Tim Thomas is out for Wednesday's game with an Achilles injury, while new addition Eduardo Najera is inactive.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) Pau Gasol's status for the game is unknown. The Lakers are expected to still have Kobe Bryant, after the superstar left a 105-85 loss in San Antonio with back spasms on Tuesday night.
"Oh, he'll play," Carlisle said with no doubt that Bryant will play in a meeting between the two best teams in the Western Conference.
"We want to see how good we are," Nowitzki said of the matchup. "I always said regular season games don't mean that much, but it's still a fun game. You can still see how good you are and how well you're playing."
The Mavericks-Lakers matchup will air locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
Dallas 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.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Utah Jazz 111 at Dallas Mavericks 93
Winners of back-to-back games, the Dallas Mavericks returned to the American Airlines Center floor not looking for another historic fourth quarter from Dirk Nowitzki against the Utah Jazz but they certainly could have used it.
After a 96-85 home win over the Jazz on Nov. 3, in which Nowitzki set a franchise record with 29 of his 40 points in the final period to help Dallas erase a 16-point deficit, the Mavericks simply wanted to get a convincing win against Utah on Saturday night. Playing without big man Drew Gooden (sprained right ring finger) and swingman Josh Howard (left thigh contusion) on the second night of a back-to-back, the short-handed Mavs didn't have the same continuity that sparked a key win over the San Antonio Spurs just 24 hours early. Instead the Mavericks crashed and burned, while the Jazz were the aggressors en route to a 111-93 win on Dallas' home floor.
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) "It hurts," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said about playing without Gooden and Howard. "But you've got to be able to win with the rest of those guys that are dressed, so no excuses there. This is one of the highest margins all year we've given up. We just didn't get the job done. Simple as that.
"It was disappointing. It's a home game and you want to play your best basketball at home and we just struggled tonight."
The Mavericks needed every ounce of energy from the home crowd as they began a three-game home stand. As Jazz point guard Deron Williams battled through a wrist injury to set the tone early with his scoring and play-making, the Mavericks found themselves down 26-18 after one. Utah's 18-4 points in the paint advantage told the story for the quarter, as Dallas hit just 7-of-23 shots from the field in the opening quarter.
"(Williams) is a good player, so he's going to give them a big lift. We struggled shooting the ball...When the shot-making isn't there, it's a bigger struggle," Carlisle said.
Things got worse for the Mavericks in the second stanza, as Utah's Wesley Matthews asserted himself and the Jazz lead ballooned to 15. Meanwhile, Shawn Marion's ability to get into the lane and finish at the rim kept the Mavericks' heartbeat ticking. A late charge by Marion and Nowitzki then cut the deficit to 50-40 at the end of the half.
Nowitzki's 14 first half points led all scorers, with Marion supplying 10. But the Mavs were out-shot by the Jazz, as Utah connected on 47 percent of their shots compared to Dallas' 41 percent. The Jazz also held a 28-23 rebounding edge, in addition to doubling the Mavericks in points in the paint (28-14), two areas of concern for Carlisle before the game.
The Utah advantage continued to grow early the third quarter, as Williams and Matthews utilized dribble penetration and the 3-point shot to push the margin up to as much as 24. With the Mavericks' offense out of sorts, the Jazz outscored Dallas 33-22 in the third, taking an 83-62 lead into the final period. Eight Dallas turnovers leading to 13 Jazz points in the third period disrupted any Maverick comeback attempt.
"(Turnovers) put a stop to everything," Marion said. "You can't make a run or a comeback when you're turning the ball over and you can't score on the offensive end."
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) But the Mavericks wouldn't go away quietly, cutting the Jazz advantage to 13 midway through the fourth behind an attacking Nowitzki and Jason Kidd's uptempo play. The normally pass-first point guard, Kidd, was looking for his shot in the fourth, but on this night the Jazz answered every attempt at late-game heroics that the Mavs could muster.
"When we did get a chance to make a run, it seemed like we couldn't get a stop," Marion said.
Both teams emptied their benches in the final minutes with the Mavericks clearly unable to put together enough to come back from the large deficit.
"I'm pretty disappointed because we lost the first three quarters pretty decisively," Carlisle said. "We got it going some in the fourth but at that point it was just too late."
By night's end, the Jazz had out-shot the Mavericks 53 percent to 41 percent. Utah's 50-34 edge in points in the paint overcame a 45-41 Mavs' advantage in rebounding. Utah also capitalized off of 13 Dallas turnovers, translating into 19 Jazz points at the other end.
"(The turnover differential) certainly wasn't helping us. They only had five for the game and we had 13 tonight for 19 points off turnovers. Uncharacteristic of us," Carlisle said.
After dominating the Spurs' bench, the Maverick reserves sorely missed Gooden and Howard as the Jazz finished with a 45-25 edge in bench scoring.
"We missed our energy," Gooden said after observing from the sidelines. "We can't use that as an excuse. Everybody has to be ready to play."
Nowitzki finished with a game-high 29 points, grabbing eight rebounds. Kidd added 19 points, while Jason Terry (16) and Marion (10) both scored in double figures.
Meanwhile, the Jazz got much more balance from their key contributors, as Williams led six players in double figures with 20 points, dishing out nine assists as well.
Now the Mavericks will try to get back on the winning track, in the second game of a three-game home stand, matching up with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. The Mavericks and Lakers have split the first two games this season, both in L.A., but Dallas will be looking to avenge a 131-96 loss on Jan. 3. The Mavericks-Lakers matchup will air locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
"We just have to get everybody back healthy and get ready for this game on Wednesday," Marion said. "It's not even so much that it's the Lakers, we have to get out here and protect home court."
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.
Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com Dallas Mavericks 99 at Sacramento Kings 91
If the first game of 2010 is any indication, then the Dallas Mavericks have a lot to look forward to in the new year.
With a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers looming, the Mavericks entered the state of California focused not on the defending NBA champions but on beginning the new decade with a win against the upstart Sacramento Kings. Despite a late charge from the Kings, Dallas kept its focus on the task at hand and played the brand of basketball that has made the Mavericks one of the league's best road teams, downing Sacramento 99-91 in the middle game of a three-game road trip.
Having narrowly escaped with a 104-102 home win against the Kings on Nov. 20, Saturday night the Mavericks entered Arco Arena with full understanding that they could not look past a gritty Sacramento team in anticipation for Sunday's game against the Lakers. Dallas also looked to rebound from a disappointing end to 2009, falling 97-94 on New Year's Eve to Houston on the road. But it was just business as usual as the Mavericks snatched their 12th win away from home this season.
"The first half we had a lot of turnovers and then the second half we did a great job until the last couple of minutes," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle summed up the win. "Fortunately, we had built up a lead that stood up. It's a great win because these guys have been playing great and this is always a tough place to come.
"Every win in this league is a fight. There's no easy games. So any time you can get one, it's great."
Forward Shawn Marion may have expressed the sentiments for the Mavericks' veteran leadership the best.
"I'm a veteran player, I never look ahead to the next game. You can get beat by anybody, this is the NBA…You have to be ready to play every night and lace them up. You never overlook a team," Marion said.
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) The Mavs looked to put the Houston loss out of their minds immediately. Despite getting a strong effort from combo guard J.J. Barea in the first quarter, the Mavericks found themselves in a back-and-forth game out of the gates with the Kings emerging at the end of the period with a 27-25 edge.
"(Barea) has been solid for us, really since he's been in the starting lineup. He got it going early for us and then as the game went on he made some plays to get other guys involved, too. Having that additional play-maker really helps," Carlisle said.
Battling through an early case of the turnover bug, the Mavericks capitalized off of hot shooting in the early minutes of the second quarter. Meanwhile Dallas' defensive intensity picked up, turning defensive stops into seamless transition offense.
"Teams that play defense, if you look in the past, they all won championships," point guard Jason Kidd said. "That's what we're trying to achieve...If we were going to have any chance to win tonight, we had to play defense and we did that."
With Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki resting on the sidelines, Jason Terry and the Mavs' second unit used fast-breaking offense to sprint out to a 13-0 run and a 42-31 lead at the 6:08-mark of the period. But after Kidd and Nowitzki returned and the Dallas lead grew to as much as 13, rookie sensation Tyreke Evans led the Kings to seven unanswered points. Evans' scoring and play-making cut into the Mavs' advantage, but Nowitzki lived at the foul line in the final minutes of the half to lift Dallas to a 55-48 lead at the intermission.
Dallas outscored Sacramento 30-21 in the second quarter, with the final eight Maverick points coming from Nowitzki.
Led by Barea's 13 first half points, the Mavericks used 57 percent shooting to overcome 10 turnovers in the first 24 minutes of play. At the other end of the court, Dallas forced the Kings into 13 giveaways while holding Sacramento to 45 percent shooting.
Early in the third period the Mavericks picked up where they left off at the end of the first half, calling Nowitzki's number relentlessly as Dallas built a 13-point lead. But after the Mavs' attack slowed, timely scoring from Kidd and big man Drew Gooden continued to keep Evans and the Kings at bay as Dallas took a 77-67 advantage into the fourth.
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) An aggressive Josh Howard got the Mavericks started in the fourth quarter by attacking the rim. Dallas' lead began to balloon when Terry's layup put the Mavs up 87-73 with 5:37 remaining in the game. Nowitzki then began to assert himself, putting the Mavericks up 93-76 with a jumper before heading to the bench to rest the final three minutes of game time in preparation for the second night of the back-to-back.
With the Kings continuing to battle in the final minutes, using an 11-0 run to cut the Dallas lead to 93-87, Carlisle called a timeout with 30.1 ticks remaining to defuse Sacramento's momentum. Forced to put Nowitzki back in the game to preserve the win, Carlisle took a big sigh of relief when Howard nailed a pair of free throws with 28.9 seconds remaining and Dallas up eight. The Kings drew to within six on a jumper from Sergio Rodriguez, before the Mavericks continued to keep Sacramento's hopes alive when Howard's lob pass intended for Gooden sailed out of bounds with 8.7 seconds left. After forcing a turnover at the other end, Nowitzki calmly finished of the game at the charity stripe to lift Dallas to their 12th road win of the season.
"We knew they were going to play hard. They give themselves a chance to win every night, and we got a good win," Marion said.
Nowitzki finished with a game-high 25 points, while grabbing seven rebounds. Barea (17), Howard (16), Kidd (14) and Terry (11) all scored in double figures, as Gooden finished just short of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds.
Omri Casspi led the Kings with 22 points. After he scored 29 points and dished out 10 assists in the November meeting between the two squads, the Mavericks held Evans to 14 points on 6-of-18 shooting as the rookie returned after missing a game with a right ankle injury.
"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," Kidd said of the first-year lead guard.
Out-shooting the Kings 49 percent to 40 percent, the Mavericks dictated the pace of the game with a 24-9 edge in fast break points. The faster tempo allowed the Mavericks to capture the win despite committing 17 turnovers and losing the battle on the boards, as the Kings won the rebounding edge 42-36. Sacramento also outscored Dallas 44-38 in the paint.
"I thought we were really aggressive defensively and smart," Carlisle said. "You hold these guys to 40 percent, that's pretty good because they've been shooting the ball well and they average 108 points in this building. I liked our defensive effort, we rebounded it pretty well, so we're happy to get a win."
Now the Mavericks turn their focus to the Lakers, as the teams with the two best records in the Western Conference meet head-to-head for the second time this season.
"L.A.'s a great team. So, we'll turn our attention to them now," Carlisle said.
Sunday night the Mavericks head into L.A. to play the Lakers after defeating the defending champions 94-80 at the Staples Center on Oct. 30 in the only meeting between the two teams. That matchup will air on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. It is just another trip into an unfriendly environment for the Mavs, a setting where they've thrive at all season long.
"We've played really well on the road. It seems the more hostile the crowd is the better we play. I guess it kind of fuels us a little bit," Marion said.
Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Jan. 5 to host the Detroit Pistons. That game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
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.
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