Mavericks-Spurs Game 6 Recap (LIVE)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Spurs close the curtains on Mavs' season
(2) Dallas Mavericks 87 at (7) San Antonio Spurs 97 (Spurs win series 4-2)

The Dallas Mavericks came into the 2009-10 season with fantasies of holding the Larry O'Brien trophy above their heads. Thursday night, the Mavericks' worst nightmare became a reality.

For the second straight game, the Mavericks attempted to stave off elimination at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. Only this time, the Mavericks didn't have the comfort of playing in their home arena. Entering Game 6 knowing that it would take a victory to extend their season and force a Game 7 back in Dallas, the Mavericks galloped into the AT&T Center. They limped out.

A season that saw the Mavs win 55 regular-season games and just their third division title in franchise history came to a screeching halt, as the squad from Big D fell 97-87 in a game in which they battled until the clock read all zeroes.

"San Antonio was a little bit more opportunistic than we were...They were able to end the series tonight," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're all disappointed. That's unfortunately going to be a constant when you lose."

The Spurs quickly established an advantage in what would prove to be the series finale, starting the first quarter with seven straight points. With the San Antonio defense picking up point guard Jason Kidd full court to ground the Mavericks' fast-break attack, the Spurs quickly built up a double-digit lead.

"They paid a lot of attention to (Kidd). They made a point of making him work offensively," Carlisle said.

Meanwhile, Dallas struggled to find the bottom of the net. The Mavs went down 22-8 at the end of one, after hitting just 4 of 18 shots in the quarter. Dallas went the final 5:17 of the period without a score, with four points apiece coming from Caron Butler and Dirk Nowitzki.

"You have to give the Spurs credit. They're a good defensive team. That's what they do. That's what they've hung their hat on over the last decade," Nowitzki said.

"We were struggling. We were probably shooting the ball a little too quick," Carlisle explained. "Some of our quick shots were resulting in quick breaks for them and momentum. We had to try to get settled down, on the one hand. The other hand, it was hard to get anything going. That was tough. The first quarter has been a big story in this series, and it was our undoing tonight."

Nowitzki's jumper broke a 14-0 Spurs' run at the 10:46-mark in the second quarter. With both Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood picking up their third fouls, the Mavericks' rallying attempt couldn't get off the ground. Then Nowitzki picked up his fourth foul with 4:49 left in the half, ending No. 41's time on the court until the third period. But rookie Rodrigue Beaubois' quickness sped up the tempo, as the Mavericks were finally able to muster up some offense.

"(Beaubois) has been a guy that has been able to give us a lift all year...The decision to go with Beaubois was just because dynamically he's a different type of player," Carlisle said. "I love the way that Beaubois was ready and how he played."

After trailing by as much as 22, the first-year standout guard sparked an 11-3 Dallas run to cut the Mavs' halftime deficit to 47-34.

"We made that little push there right before the half, and Roddy (Beaubois) got going," Nowitzki said. "We felt good about ourselves, being in that position."

A 35-percent shooting first half told the tale through 24 minutes of play for the Mavericks. So too did the Spurs' 18 free throw attempts in the half, compared to just six for the Mavs. But Butler's 14 points led all scorers at the midway point, giving Dallas hope. Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili led San Antonio with 13 points of his own.

To start the second half, Carlisle went to a lineup of Beaubois, Kidd, Butler, Nowitzki and center Erick Dampier. The unit began the third quarter with a quick 10-2 spurt, capped by a Nowitzki three to cut the margin to just five.

"We really came out determined there in the third quarter. We made a nice little run and we were right back in it," Nowitzki said.

After his early foul trouble, Nowitzki made up for lost time, willing his team in front 57-56 on a 3-pointer with 4:57 left in the period. The 7-footer then received helping hands from Butler and Beaubois. But the Spurs' defense stiffened, sparking a 14-6 run to close the quarter up 70-63.

San Antonio put a little breathing room between the two squads at the beginning of the final period, as George Hill and Richard Jefferson slashed and scored inside. Still, Nowitzki continued to come on strong, shooting right over the top of the shorter Spur defenders. After a mini Spurs' run, the Mavs found themselves down eight with 4:06 remaining in their season.

That's when Butler drilled a three to keep Dallas in contention. Yet, as he had throughout the fourth, Hill answered with a bomb at the other end.

"Down the stretch, again we had our chances. But you got to tip your hat off to them. George Hill, I think, was the X-factor in the series...He made some amazing plays," Nowitzki said.

Down 89-81 with 2:44 remaining, the Mavs attempted to make one last push. But their first-quarter struggles finally caught up with them, as the Spurs put Dallas away for good at the foul line. With their team down 10, both Kidd and Nowitzki walked off the court for a final time this season, subbing out with 16.5 seconds left to signify the end of the Mavs' playoff run.

After recording an NBA-best 27 road wins during the regular season, the Mavericks lost a three games in San Antonio en route to dropping the opening-round series 4-2.

"In this series, I think we had our chances," Nowitzki said. "But it comes down to you have three chances to win one game (in San Antonio). And you've just got to find a way to win one. We were in all three of them. We were right there, and they just made a couple more plays than we did. That's what it comes down to."

Nowitzki finished with a game-high 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting, while Butler pitched in 25 points. Off the bench, Beaubois contributed 16 points and five rebounds.

"(Beaubois) has a swagger about him. And if he stays humble, he will be fun to watch for a long time. He is a special player, and if he can stay grounded, he has a good future," Nowitzki said of his young teammate.

Though little contribution came from anyone else.

"We needed some other guys to have a big game. We just couldn't quite get there," the coach said.

Ginobili's 26 points led the Spurs, while Hill added 21. Tim Duncan's 17-point, 10-rebound night handled the interior, with Tony Parker finishing just shy of a triple-double with 10 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

After their early struggles, the Mavericks finished the night shooting 44 percent, compared to San Antonio's 47 percent for the game. A 43-40 rebounding edge also tilted the Spurs' way, helping lead to a 17-10 advantage in fast-break points.

Now, the Mavericks head into the offseason sooner than expected, with an incomplete feeling and a remaining desire to hoist the championship hardware.

"We are disappointed. We had some ups and downs all season long, and we fought through some things," Nowitzki summed up the season. "We made a big trade and had some ups and downs after that, because it was a long season. We had some good momentum going into the playoffs and we were playing well with the new guys...Obviously, going into the playoffs as a two seed is all that we could have wanted. We just happened to see a tough seven seed, that got rolling at the right time, got healthy and started to play well."

Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. Earl K. Sneed also talks with fans and answers questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.

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

Mavericks-Spurs Game 6 Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Focused Mavs try to force Game 7
(2) Dallas Mavericks at (7) San Antonio Spurs (3-2 Spurs' lead)

If you listen closely, you can still hear a heartbeat ticking in the Dallas Mavericks' locker room. The Mavs still have a very strong pulse as they enter the AT&T Center for a Game 6 showdown with the San Antonio Spurs.

Sitting just one loss await from ending their season, the Mavericks showed both the Spurs and the rest of the basketball universe that the squad from Big D is still very much alive. Dallas' 103-81 win on the American Airlines Center floor in Game 5 of the series not only staved off elimination, it also stole some much-needed momentum away from the Spurs. Though San Antonio still holds a 3-2 series advantage, the Mavs made it clear to the Spurs that they are in for a fight.

"Right now, we're in a position where we have to fight. They're up 3-2. We win (in Game 6) and we'll put a lot of pressure on them," center Brendan Haywood said.

"Our guys are not going to mail it in," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle added. "There is a lot of pride on the line in every game. The series isn't over, even though a lot of people are assuming that it is."

Now the matchup swings back to San Antonio, where the Mavericks will be out for an encore performance while looking to force a Game 7 back in Dallas. But if the Mavericks are to take their winning show on the road, then they will also need Caron Butler's primetime performance in Game 5 to travel down south.

Butler's playoff career-high 35 points and his 11 rebounds impacted the game from the opening tip. The former All-Star finished the night by connecting on 12-of-24 from the field, 3-of-8 from 3-point range and a near perfect 8-of-9 at the foul line. His series breakthrough has allowed the Mavericks to fight another day.

"When you're backed into a corner, you have to scratch and claw your way out," Butler said. "That's what we did tonight...I'm not ready to go home."

"I don't know what got into him, but we're going to need it next game," Haywood said of Butler's career playoff-best.

Butler wasn't the only one in full affect.

The Dallas defense also grounded the Spurs' offensive attack, holding San Antonio to just 36 percent shooting on the night. Meanwhile, the Mavericks turned defensive stops into transition scores, finishing with a 23-8 advantage in fast-break points.

"It is pretty obvious that it is going to be defense and the ability to get the ball in transition where good things can happen for us. We did a great job of that (Tuesday night)," Carlisle said.

Domination inside also went the Mavs' way, taking a 52-41 rebounding edge and outscoring the Spurs 19-9 in second-chance points. Perhaps more importantly, Dallas' 42-30 advantage in points in the paint came off of 20 total assists, compared to just 11 helpers for San Antonio.

"What you saw (in Game 5) was the ball moving from side to side, and we got exactly what we wanted," Butler said.

Now, the Mavericks prepare to head into the Alamo City, fully expecting to see the same Spurs squad that won Games 2, 3 and 4 in the series.

"You have to think they're going to be fired up down there. We've just got to go down there and win one," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.

Game 6 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday night. If the Mavericks should falter, then season comes to a crashing halt. If they win, Game 7 will be back in Dallas on Saturday.

"I don't want to go home," Butler said emphatically. "We want to bring this thing back to Dallas."

The Mavs-Spurs first round series schedule is as follows:
Game 6 -- Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio 7 p.m. CT TXA21/ TNT
Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT

Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. Earl K. Sneed also talks with fans and answers questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.

Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Spurs Game 4 Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas' desperate days
No. 2 Dallas Mavericks 89 at No. 7 San Antonio Spurs 92

A sense of desperation will make a team do some amazing things. The Dallas Mavericks definitely felt desperate for a win as they headed into Game 4 of their opening round series with the San Antonio Spurs. But now the Mavs are more desperate than they could have ever imagined.

After dropping both Game 2 and 3, the Mavericks entered the fourth matchup down 2-1 in the series. But a win Sunday evening would have erased the events of the previous two games, also handing the home-court advantage back over to the Mavs. That wasn't the case.

Instead, the Mavericks appeared to only be the more desperate team for 24 minutes on Sunday. It was San Antonio, not Dallas, that overcame a double-digit first half deficit and walked away from the AT&T Center floor with a 92-89 win and a 3-1 series advantage.

"I thought we played hard," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said after his team's third straight loss. "I thought we played unselfishly. We battled. But again, there's a number of plays that we have got to become the aggressor on. And we didn't do it tonight."

Despite a cold-shooting start to the opening quarter, the Mavericks remained in a good position throughout the first period. After starting the game by missing his first four shots, Caron Butler found his groove, swishing in three straight jumpers to catapult the Mavs to the lead. But Butler's two offensive fouls and Tony Parker's relentless, rim-attacking play brought the Spurs right back. George Hill's 3-pointer to close the quarter capped off a 10-2 San Antonio run and gave the Spurs a 20-17 lead after one.

"We didn't shoot well early, but we were very aggressive and very strong-willed. I liked all of that," Carlisle said.

The Mavericks took control in the second quarter, with Shawn Marion finishing at the rim while Dirk Nowitzki connected with patented jump shots. A fast-breaking Dallas attack sparked a 10-2 spurt, opening up a nine-point advantage. The lead reached as much as 15, the largest Mavs' advantage of the series. But the team collectively gasped when sixth man Jason Terry went down after rolling his left ankle attempting a transition layup. The star would be okay, and the Mavs would go on to escape with a 48-37 halftime advantage.

Led by Marion's 12 points and Nowitzki's 10, the Mavericks shot 46 percent in the half, holding the Spurs to just 39 percent shooting at the other end. Hill's 13 points led San Antonio at the midway point. On his 34th birthday, the Dallas defense held Tim Duncan to without a made field goal in the half, missing all seven of his shot attempts. The Mavericks also held a 29-18 rebounding edge.

Hill continued to keep the Spurs in contention in the third quarter. But the Mavericks countered with more Butler and Marion. Still, the hometown Spurs continued to come on strong, turning their disadvantage into a slight advantage with a 16-2 run. The period was all about the San Antonio defense, as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich began to send multiple defenders Nowitzki's way to disrupt the Mavericks' offensive flow. The strategy worked.

"They ran at me from the get-go -- on the block and on the dribble, they came after me. When I was isolated on the free throw line, they came at me as well," Nowitzki explained. "After the game I had two days ago, they weren't just going to watch me shoot. They were aggressive tonight and got the ball out of my hands."

The Mavs went scoreless for over six minutes of play. The emotions even got the best of both teams, as Nowitzki earned a technical foul and Richard Jefferson picked up a flagrant one during a physical period. With the Mavs missing on nine straight shot attempts, the Spurs outscored Dallas 29-11 in the third to take a 66-59 lead into the final quarter.

"Our undoing was the third quarter. We had seven or eight turnovers, we shoot 27 percent. They got on a run that we needed to stave off sooner," Carlisle said. "Their defense picked up, and we needed to respond better to it...The 50-50 plays, we've got to do a better job with them."

"I think the Spurs picked up the intensity on defense. Once they picked up the intensity, we had a hard time scoring the ball," J.J. Barea added.

The fourth period began with Mavs reserve forward Eduardo Najera drawing a flagrant two call and an ejection for his hard foul on Manu Ginobili. Meanwhile, DeJuan Blair dominated Dallas' bigs inside, collecting offensive rebounds and scoring on put-backs. But later, Blair picked up a flagrant one for a blow to Jason Kidd's face.

"It was a brawl, a street fight," Nowitzki said.

The sequence ignited Kidd, as his playmaking kept the Mavericks in the game. Still, Hill continued his destruction of the Dallas defense, finding the bottom of the net with an array of jumpers. After going scoreless through the first three quarters, Terry kept the Mavericks close in the fourth with his perimeter shooting, spearheading a 13-2 run to pull to within 86-84.

When the Spurs began to pull away, Terry once again stepped up with a timely three to cut the deficit to 89-87 with just 57.2 ticks remaining. But the Mavericks were quieted the rest of the way, while the Spurs put some distance between the two teams at the foul line. Down three, the game came down to the final .1 of a second, when Terry was unable to get off a desperation, game-tying shot attempt before the final buzzer.

In a close affair, the game came down to who protected the ball the best and which team was able to score down the stretch. Both categories went San Antonio's way. The Spurs committed 12 turnovers, compared to 15 for the Mavericks. Meanwhile, San Antonio finished the night out-shooting Dallas, 45 percent to 42 percent.

"Both teams kept plugging away, but we just didn't make enough plays. Shooting in the low 40 percents won't cut it in this series," Nowitzki said.

Despite the Mavs' 48-43 rebounding advantage and 32-30 edge in points in the paint, the Spurs still captured the victory due to a 55-41 scoring margin in the second half.

The Mavs also fell in defeat despite six double-figure scorers. Nowitzki and Butler posted 17 points apiece, as Marion added 14. Terry scored all 13 of his points in the fourth quarter, while Kidd and Barea both scored 10 from the Dallas backcourt.

Not shying away from the bright lights of the postseason stage was the second-year pro Hill, who finished with a game-high 29 points on 11-of-16 from the field and 5-of-6 from behind the arch. Ginobili (17), Jefferson (15), Parker (10) and Antonio McDyess (10) all made up for the birthday boy's four-point night, as Duncan finished hitting just one of his nine shots.

"I thought if you told me before the game that we would hold the 'Big Three' (Duncan, Ginobili and Parker) to the numbers they had in the game, I would have said we win the game...You have to give Hill credit, he was unconscious from the 3-point line. The Spurs' role players stepped up and had a good game," Nowitzki said.

Now the Mavericks are faced with the daunting task of winning three straight games to close the series out. That starts with extending the season with a win in Game 5.

"This team has won 13 straight games before, so three straight is very attainable," center Brendan Haywood said. "Is it hard to win three games in a row during the playoffs? Yes, it's hard. But if it wasn't, everyone would be playing in the NBA. The way I look at this series is one game at a time. We have a game on Tuesday, and I don't look any further than that. If we don't take care of the game on Tuesday, there won't be another game later in the week. We have to win one game and go from there."

"It starts with winning Game 5," Carlisle echoed. "That's got to be the starting point. We've got to play and win the game."

The series now shifts back up to Dallas for Game 5, which will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday night. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

"We have to stop the bleeding at home, because we've lost three in a row. We have to go home and win because we definitely need one," Nowitzki concluded.

The Mavs-Spurs first round series schedule is as follows:
Game 5 – Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas 8:30PM TXA21/ NBA TV
Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT

Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. The second live-streamed broadcast will be Monday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. CT, recapping Game 1 and previewing Game 2 of the series. Earl K. Sneed will also talk with fans and answer questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.

Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Spurs Game 4 Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
NBA's road warriors look for Game 4 W
No. 2 Dallas Mavericks (1-2) at No. 7 San Antonio Spurs (2-1)

After 41 games away from Big D during the regular season, the Dallas Mavericks are a confident crew on the road. That confidence will be needed once again, as the Mavericks head into Game 4 of their first round playoff series with the San Antonio Spurs down two games to one, with Sunday's contest on the Spurs' home floor.

The Mavericks' first road game of the postseason, a 94-90 loss in Game 3 on Friday night, didn't reflect the regular season success that the squad displayed en route to collecting an NBA-best 27 road wins. An early deficit forced the Mavs into an uphill climb for most of the night. Though Dallas did stage a comeback, sparked by a 19-2 run in the third quarter, the team simply didn't have enough to sustain the offensive assault down the stretch. Then San Antonio's timely scoring and fourth-quarter execution finished the Mavs off.

"It's not great always having to battle back," forward Dirk Nowitzki said after a 35-point performance in the loss. "I thought when we were down seven points (in the first quarter) we battled. But we still would like to start better.

"We battled the whole way. We had some tough calls and turnovers, but we will play again on Sunday and see what happens."

If Sunday's game is going to end with a different result, the Mavericks will need to find an answer for Spurs guard Tony Parker. Though Tim Duncan's 25 points led the Spurs, Parker's 23 impacted the scoreboard the most.

The All-Star point guard, who has played as San Antonio's sixth man in the series, slammed the door on the Mavericks in the fourth quarter with jump shot after jump shot in the final minutes. Meanwhile, the Mavs came away with nothing on crucial late-game possessions.

"Parker made three jump shots in a row to seal the game. You just have to give them credit, they made big shots down the stretch. We gave it away. Down the stretch, we had too many empty possessions," Nowitzki said.

"(Parker) just ended up late-clock, you take the guy nearest where you're at and you've got to defend him," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "He hit a couple of tough, basically one-on-one shots...They weren't easy shots and they were contested. But he's the kind of player that can make those plays."

While the Mavericks must regroup and look for a better defensive strategy for Parker, the Spurs will have to do the same for containing Mavs reserve guard J.J. Barea, who tallied 14 points off the bench in Game 3.

The dynamic 6-footer earned his coach's confidence with stellar play in the first half. In the second half, Carlisle didn't hesitated to go back to Barea, as the Puerto Rico native started the third quarter at the two guard spot and never left the floor until the game was no longer in doubt.

"I was just going with a group that was going good. We needed penetration," Carlisle said of the decision. "(Barea) made good things happen. Offensively and defensively, he was active. He helped us when he was out there."

"He can penetrate, score or get the ball to someone for a three. He was really good (Friday night)," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Barea's play.

No matter how well Barea played, the Mavericks weren't able to get over the hump and get the win. Now, the Mavericks will be out to tie the series at 2-2 before traveling back to Dallas for Game 5. But the Mavs know getting a win in the AT&T Center is easier said than done.

"We knew they were going to be tough to beat at home. They have been a tough home team over the year," Nowitzki said.

But the Mavericks just have to be better than the hometown Spurs for one game.

Game 4 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 6 p.m. CT Sunday evening. The series swings back up to Dallas for Game 5, which will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at a time not yet announced. Reserve your tickets by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavs-Spurs First Round series schedule is as follows:

Game 4 – Sun April 25 Dallas at San Antonio 6:00PM TXA21/ TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT

Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. The second live-streamed broadcast will be Monday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. CT, recapping Game 1 and previewing Game 2 of the series. Earl K. Sneed will also talk with fans and answer questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.

Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Spurs Game 3 Recap

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs go down, but they're not out
No. 2 Dallas Mavericks 90 at No. 7 San Antonio Spurs 94

There's no doubt that the Dallas Mavericks were able to put out of their minds the haunting memories of a 102-88 home loss in Game 2 of their first round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. Game 3 will not be so easily erased from the Mavericks' memory bank.

With the series knotted at one win apiece as the schedule switched to two games in the AT&T Center, the Mavericks looked to regain the home-court advantage with a win in Game 3. But in a hard-fought contest, the game came down to the team that made the plays in the final minutes. The Mavericks weren't that team, falling 94-90 in a 48-minute war.

"It was a battle tonight," Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki said after the loss. "We knew they were going to be tough to beat at home and they have been a tough home team over the year. Both teams were there at the end and they just made some tough plays."

The third meeting didn't start much better than Game 2 for the Mavericks. After the Mavs began the opening quarter by scoring the first four points of the night, the Spurs quickly seized control with a 12-0 run. Not even rookie Rodrigue Beaubois' first appearance in the series was enough to boost the stagnant Dallas squad, as a cold-shooting first quarter by the Mavericks left them down 23-16 after one.

A 7-for-19 shooting quarter and six turnovers definitely contributed to Dallas' early deficit. Meanwhile, the Spurs swished in 10 of 18 shots.

"Some of the shots we got were difficult. Some of the shots they got were difficult," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.

"It's not great always having to battle back...I thought when we were down seven points early we battled," Nowitzki said. "But we still would like to start better. We came out of the gate with three or four turnovers."

Though Spurs guard Tony Parker terrorized the Dallas defense, the Mavericks rallied in the second quarter with an attacking offense led by Nowitzki. But after a brief spurt by the Mavs, Tim Duncan and the Spurs responded with a flurry of their own. Still, with a late surge by Mav reserve guards J.J. Barea and Jason Terry, the Mavericks entered the halftime break down just 47-44.

Duncan's 16 first-half points and Parker's 12 on a combined 12-of-21 shooting, helped the Spurs connect on 48 percent on their shots at the midway point. Nowitzki led Dallas with 13 points, as the Mavs shot 46 percent through the half.

"For the most part, you're not going to keep Dirk from scoring. But we made it tough on him," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

Barea's offensive execution earned the 6-foot spark plug a start to begin the third quarter, as starting swingman Caron Butler began the second half on the bench.

"Just going with a group that was going good. We needed penetration," Carlisle said when explaining the decision. "(Barea) made good things happen. Offensively and defensively, he was active. He helped us when he was out there."

"He can penetrate, score or get the ball to someone for a three. He was really good tonight," Popovich said of Barea's play.

Meanwhile, an accidental elbow from Nowitzki connected with Manu Ginobili's face, sending the versatile star to the locker room with a bloody nose.

"It's a very physical series, there's a lot of contact going on," Carlisle said.

As Barea locked up Parker on the defensive end, Nowitzki handled the scoring duties. But the Mavs still couldn't find an answer for Duncan, as the future Hall of Famer dominated the paint. That is until the trio of Nowitzki, Barea and Terry sparked a 19-2 run. Led by Nowitzki's 16-point quarter, the Mavs outscored the Spurs 26-17 in the period to take a 70-66 lead into the final 12 minutes of play.

"I think we showed in the third quarter that we need to speed the game up, and our zone defense was effective," Nowitzki said. "We got some stops, and then we were able to speed the game up. J.J. got to the basket and Jason and I had some good looks."

The fourth quarter began with Ginobili back on the floor, leading a scoring burst against Dallas' zone defense, all despite a nasal fracture. But Nowitzki didn't slow down a bit, as the two teams exchanged baskets like championship fighters throwing haymaker after haymaker. That's when Parker began to take over the game with his offensive arsenal.

"We were in zone on a couple of those possessions," Carlisle explained. "And (Parker) just ended up late-clock, you take the guy nearest where you're at and you've got to defend him. He hit a couple of tough, basically one-on-one shots.

"They weren't easy shots and they were contested. But he's the kind of player that can make those plays."

After the Mavericks cut a seven-point Spurs' lead down to just four, Parker's three-point play with just 18.7 seconds on the clock closed the door on a Mavericks' comeback attempt.

"Parker made three jump shots in a row to seal the game. You just have to give them credit, they made big shots down the stretch," Nowitzki said. "We gave it away. Down the stretch, we had too many empty possessions."

The Spurs then sunk clutch free throws to put a cap on the win, taking a 2-1 advantage in the series before hosting Game 4 on Sunday.

Despite a 35-point performance from Nowitzki, in which the 7-footer nailed 13 of 23 shots, the Mavericks still shot just 45 percent compared to the Spurs' 49 percent. Those numbers in no way reflect Dallas' 8-of-20 shooting from three-point range, even after San Antonio missed all seven of their shots from behind the arch.

"I thought our shots were very good. There's going to be a few that you wish were a little bit better. But it's a very intense game, and contested shots are one of the realities of playoff basketball," Carlisle said.

Off the bench, Terry posted 17 points and Barea added 14, giving the Mavs three double-figure scorers.

Meanwhile, Duncan's 25 points to lead the Spurs was followed closely behind by Parker's 23. Despite the injury, Ginobili finished with 15 points, while George Hill posted 17 while continuing to get the start at the point guard spot over Parker.

Though the two teams each snatched down 36 rebounds, the Mavs couldn't overcome 16 total turnovers. San Antonio's 56-38 domination in points in the paint also proved to be too much for the Mavs to withstand.

Now, the Mavericks find themselves down in the best-of-seven series, with an all-important fourth matchup on deck. Game 4 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 6 p.m. CT Sunday evening.

"We battled the whole way. We had some tough calls and turnovers, but we will play again on Sunday and see what happens," Nowitzki concluded.

Then the series swings back up to Dallas for Game 5, which will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at a time not yet announced. Reserve your tickets by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavs-Spurs First Round series schedule is as follows:
Game 3 – Fri April 23 Dallas at San Antonio 8:30PM TXA21/ ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 25 Dallas at San Antonio 6:00PM TXA21/ TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT

Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. The second live-streamed broadcast will be Monday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. CT, recapping Game 1 and previewing Game 2 of the series. Earl K. Sneed will also talk with fans and answer questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.

Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Spurs Game 3 Preview

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Remember the Alamo, no remember Game 2
No. 2 Dallas Mavericks (1-1) at No. 7 San Antonio Spurs (1-1)

Friday night, you're sure to hear chants of, "Remember Game 2!" At least that's what will be coming from the Dallas Mavericks' sideline, as they travel to match up with the San Antonio Spurs in the third meeting of an all-Texas opening round playoff series.

The Mavericks enter the Alamo City not focused on touring the site of one of the great battles in the Lone Star State's quest for independence. Instead, the squad will walk into the AT&T Center focus on retribution, after fighting a losing battle of their own just two nights before.

After claiming a 100-94 win on their home floor in Game 1, the Mavs looked for a controlling 2-0 advantage in the series on Wednesday night. But the Tim Duncan-led Spurs popped Dallas' bubble, handing the hometown Mavericks a 102-88 defeat on the American Airlines Center floor and knotting the series at 1-1. The loss is what fuels the Southwest Division champion Mavs now, as the schedule swings to San Antonio's turf. Revenge is a cold dish the Mavericks would like to greet the Spurs with Friday night.

"We wanted to win (Game 2) and it didn't happen. And now we've got to put all of our energy and our focus into Game 3," Mavs sixth man Jason Terry said.

If the Mavericks want to be victorious in the third game of the best-of-seven series, then a better start would certainly help. The team from Big D surrendered the first nine points of the night to the Spurs, while the Mavs also shot just 6-of-22 from the field in the first quarter. Making matters worse, leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki took an unexpected early trip to the bench after picking up two fouls from the onset.

"They scored, Dirk had two fouls and we were digging ourselves out of a hole from there going forward," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "In the playoffs, you have to be very precise. You are going to make mistakes, but to start the game was a really tough situation for us."

"We knew we had our hands full from the get-go," Nowitzki said.

That situation only got tougher as the night progressed, as the Spurs' versatile forward, Richard Jefferson, gave the Dallas defense fits. Jefferson's 19 points (17 in the first half) was a perfect compliment to San Antonio's "Big Three" of Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

"Jefferson is a hell of a player. He has had some big games against a lot of teams, including us, this year. I am not shocked, he is very capable," Carlisle said.

But it was Duncan's 25-point, 17-rebound night that may have impacted the game most. The perennial All-Star and future Hall of Famer helped his team dominate the glass to the tune of a 51-42 rebounding edge and a 23-9 advantage in second-chance points. Those are two categories Carlisle says the Mavs must win if they hope to eventually capture the series.

"To me, the stat that sticks out to me the most is rebounding, 51-42," the coach said. "The second-chance points, 23-9. That is a huge discrepancy. And look, when the ball is in the air, it is anybody's ball, and they came up with all of those plays. They got the loose balls and they were more opportunistic."

"We just have to look at (Game 2), see what we did wrong and go from there," point guard Jason Kidd said. "We didn't rebound the ball well and we gave up second opportunities."

Now the Mavericks will try to match the Spurs' energy level on the glass, while also drawing from their regular season success on the road, when the Mavs captured the most road wins in the NBA with 27.

"They're not going to give us anything. We're going to have to battle and take it...The good thing is we won big road games all season long," Nowitzki said.

The Mavs try to claim their first road victory of the postseason Friday night. Game 3 will air nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT.

NOTE: Game 4 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 6 p.m. CT Sunday evening.

Then the series swings back up to Dallas for Game 5, which will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at a time not yet announced. Reserve your tickets by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

The Mavs-Spurs First Round series schedule is as follows:
Game 3 – Fri April 23 Dallas at San Antonio 8:30PM TXA21/ ESPN
Game 4 – Sun April 25 Dallas at San Antonio 6:00PM TXA21/ TNT
Game 5 * Tue April 27 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 6 * Thu April 29 Dallas at San Antonio TBD TXA21/ TBD
Game 7 * Sat May 1 San Antonio at Dallas TBD TXA21/ TNT

Mavs.com has introduces a new, interactive webcast entitled "Technical Foul," hosted by Mavs television broadcasters Mark Followill and Bob Ortegel. The second live-streamed broadcast will be Monday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. CT, recapping Game 1 and previewing Game 2 of the series. Earl K. Sneed will also talk with fans and answer questions via a live chat during the show. Tune in for exclusive Mavs talk with the people that know the team the best.

Follow Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EarlKSneed.

Mavericks-Grizzlies Recap

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (03/31/10)
Dirk sparks epic comeback, completes decade of success
Dallas Mavericks 106 at Memphis Grizzlies 102 F/OT

The history books won't have to wait any longer to include the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA's annals for regular season success over the last decade.

The Mavericks sat just one victory shy of their 10th straight 50-win season entering Wednesday night's matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies. With a win, the squad would join the 1979-91 Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs, who are currently looking for their 11th season at the 50-win plateau, as the only franchises to accomplish the feat for at least 10 straight seasons since the NBA switched to 82-game schedules in 1967.

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Fittingly, the Mavericks celebrated a decade of regular season dominance with a vintage performance by the franchise's marquee name for the past 10 seasons. After struggling for the better part of three quarters, Dirk Nowitzki ignited a Mavericks' comeback in the final five minutes of regulation, eventually leading his squad to a 106-102 overtime win in the building that has tormented the team for two years. Not a bad followup for No. 41 after recording his second career triple-double in the team's last game.

"(The decade of 50-win seasons) is a tribute to ownership -- the commitment that Mark Cuban has made to have good players, create a good environment and get a full building...It's very meaningful from that standpoint," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "You have to have guys that get it done on the floor. Not only playing, being able to finish games and deal with nights like tonight. It's easy to pack it in, down 12 in the fourth.

"Getting into overtime and being able to win, and getting your 50th (win of the season) on a night like tonight is meaningful, because 50 wins are hard to get and this has been a very hard place for us to win games."

Something had to give. The Mavericks came into the contest on a three-game losing streak in FedExForum. Still, the Mavericks were in high spirits, coming off of back-to-back wins including the squad's 109-93 home win over Denver on Monday night. The Mavs also looked to begin a back-to-back by handing the Grizzlies their third straight loss.

Fortunately for the Mavs, they had their full compliment of players available for the Southwest Division matchup. Caron Butler was in his customary starting shooting guard spot after missing the team's morning shootaround with stomach trouble. But in the early minutes of the opening quarter, the Mavericks' offense flowed through center Brendan Haywood. Despite dunk after dunk from the 7-footer in the early minutes, the Mavs found themselves in a quick hole, as Memphis big man Zach Randolph did work from inside and out. After seeing their team fall behind by double digits, a pair of 3-pointers from point guard Jason Kidd and another triple from Eduardo Najera shot the Mavericks back into the game. Then it was Butler's turn, banking in a three to beat the buzzer and cut the Mavericks' deficit to 27-22 at the end of one.

The Dallas defense stepped up at the start of the second quarter. Meanwhile, the threes kept falling. Rookie Rodrigue Beaubois gave the Mavs their first lead of the night at 29-27 with another bomb from long range, as the ball club from Big D scored the first seven points of the period. The Mavs' miscues and turnovers allowed the home team to hang around. At the same time, the Grizzlies weren't allowing Nowitzki to get into the mix, throwing multiple double teams his way. But Kidd and sixth man Jason Terry righted the ship, as the two teams headed into the break knotted at 50-all.

"It was a frustrating game for 44 minutes," Carlisle said. "We were getting a lot of good looks. We were working hard, even though we weren't playing particularly well. In the first half, our undoing was turnovers and missed shots."

Terry led the Mavs with his 15 points of the bench in the first half, but Memphis' Mike Conley's 16 lead all scorers at the midway point. In addition to Dallas' 13 turnovers in the first 24 minutes of play, Memphis also out-shot the Mavericks 53 percent to 44 percent in the half. The Mavs did connect on 7-of-14 from three-point land.

Things looked bleak for the Mavericks at the start of the third quarter, as the Grizzlies began the second half on a 17-4 run. Coming out of the locker room, the Mavs also missed nine of their first 10 shots. With Nowitzki struggling and Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo heating up, Memphis built up a 13-point advantage. But Terry continued to muster up offense for Dallas. No. 31 did the job at both ends of the court, pulling his squad to within 73-67 entering the fourth quarter. Nowitzki was 3-of-14 through three quarters.

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
With J.J. Barea dressed but sidelined again due to his sore left ankle, Beaubois began the fourth in the backup point role. The first-year pro's penetration and perimeter defense was much needed, but the Grizzlies continued to hold a controlling edge. Once his team went down 12, Carlisle switched to a three-guard lineup of Kidd, Beaubois and Terry playing next to Nowitzki and Haywood. The unit was able to play at a quicker speed, putting a dent in Dallas' deficit by attacking the rim and getting to the foul line. After struggling all night, Nowitzki stepped up with back-to-back threes to knot the game at 88-all, completing a stretch of 13 unanswered Dallas points.

"Everybody kept battling and Dirk hit those two threes to tie it up. It really energized us and made it tough on them," the coach explained.

"I am just glad that I got going," Nowitzki said. "We really had nothing going for a long time in the fourth. JET (Terry) was really the only guy that kept us in the game. Then they made a run...At that point, it is either go for it or you take the (loss). We went for it."

After Conley and Nowitzki exchanged a pair of scores, the intensity picked up. The game then laid in the balance when Darrell Arthur won a jump ball over Kidd and Memphis called a timeout with 17.5 ticks reading on the clock. But Kidd got his revenge, forcing Mayo into a shot short of the rim as time expired, sending the game into the extra period. The Mavericks finished regulation on a 15-2 run, with the last eight points coming from Nowitzki.

"Energy was great, but we needed a little spark offensively. I was able to get going, so that was great," No. 41 added.

"This team doesn't have any quit in us," Haywood said. "We aren't going to give in. As long as we have a shot, we are going to continue to fight and play hard."

Defensive stops and fast-breaking offense was the story early in the extra five minutes for the Mavericks. Nowitzki became a willing facilitator as Terry continued his assault on the Grizzlies' defense. Still, Mayo would not allow his team to go away quietly, swishing in a three to keep Dallas' edge at one point. But Nowitzki may have put the Grizzlies to bed for the night, raining in a high-arching, fadeaway jumper with 24.0 seconds remaining to put the Mavericks up 101-98. After a pair of free throws from Randolph once again cut the lead to one, Nowitzki answered with a 2-for-2 trip of his own with 11.0 seconds still on the clock.

The Mavericks then intentionally fouled Randolph, keeping Memphis from tying the game with a three but earning Haywood his sixth and final foul of the night. Once again, the first-time All-Star hit both at the charity stripe. And once again, Nowitzki extended the lead with a pair of his own. With just 8.9 seconds remaining, Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins designed a play for Mayo to tie the game after inbounding the ball. The second-year pro got a good look, but bricked it off the iron. Forward Shawn Marion grabbed the rebound and finished the game off at the line, scoring his only two points of the night.

"We hung in. I don't know if stealing it is the right term or not. It would have been easy to cave. The guys were determined," Carlisle said.

In the fourth period and overtime, Nowitzki scored 19 of his 28 points. His team outscored the Grizzlies 39-29 during that stretch. After his early deficiencies, Nowitzki finished the night shooting 9-for-23 from the field and 3-for-6 from behind the arch.

"As a shooter, all you need is to see one go through. Sometimes it might be a free throw. Sometimes it might be a layup that gets you going. I was just happy that one went through and that I stuck with it. My teammates always support me and tell me to keep shooting. Obviously, I needed to step up and be there for my teammates," Nowitzki said.

"Dirk hit a lot of big shots down the stretch. He brought us home," Haywood said.

Terry finished with a game-high 29 points off the bench, connecting on 11-of-24 shots but just 1-for-8 from deep. Kidd, meanwhile, finished just shy of his 105th career triple-double, with 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Butler battled through his stomach illness to record his first double-double as a Mav, grabbing 13 rebounds to go with his 11 points. Haywood (11) and Beaubois (10) made it six Mavericks to score in double figures.

The Mavs needed everything from those six double-figure scorers, as Mayo scored 27, Conley added 25 and Randolph finished with 24.

Dallas did out-shoot Memphis 43 percent to 41 percent. The Mavs also held a 27-16 advantage in fast break points, overcoming 18 total turnovers and capitalizing off of Memphis' 17 giveaways. The Grizzlies finished with a slight edge on the glass, out-rebounding the Mavericks 49-47.

Now, on a quick turnaround, the Mavs return to Dallas to play host to the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center. The Mavs escaped with a 95-85 win in Orlando on Feb. 19 in the first meeting between the teams. That game will air nationally on TNT at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

"It's a great win, but we have to get out of here quick and get ready for the next one," Carlisle concluded.

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-Grizzlies Preview

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com (03/31/10)
Mavs eye historic 50th W in Memphis
Dallas Mavericks (49-25) at Memphis Grizzlies (38-35)

The Dallas Mavericks are on the verge of history, but their recent past is standing in the way.

With a win on Wednesday night, the Mavericks will become just the third franchise to collect 10 consecutive 50-win seasons since the NBA expanded its schedule to 82 games in the 1967-68 season. The Mavs would join the Los Angeles Lakers, who reached 50 wins 12 straight times from 1979 to 1991, and the San Antonio Spurs, who are currently looking to accomplish the feat for an 11th straight time this season.

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)

But the Memphis Grizzlies don't want the Mavericks to join the exclusive fraternity at their expense. And Dallas' three-game losing streak at FedEx Forum says that recent history is on the Grizzlies' side. Starting a back-to-back that concludes Thursday night in Dallas against the Orlando Magic, the Mavericks say No. 50 is going to be a tough victory to come by.

"We haven't won in Memphis in a couple of years and Orlando may be the hottest team in the league right now, so it's going to be a tough week for us," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.

But if any team can do it, the Nowitzki-led Mavericks can.

The ball club from Big D is coming off of perhaps the biggest win of the regular season, downing the Denver Nuggets 109-93 on Monday night and remaining in the second slot of the Western Conference standings. Still, the team is continuing a business-as-usual approach.

"You won't go too far if you put labels on it like (the biggest win of the season)," point guard Jason Kidd said. "That's the way this league is...You move on when the horn sounds."

While the Mavericks couldn't stop and enjoy the win, they could at least sing the praises of Nowitzki, as the 7-footer recorded just his second career triple-double.

No. 41's performance may have been the best all-around game of his career, scoring 34 points, snatching down 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists to will his team to the victory. Nowitzki's only other triple-double came on February 6, 2008 against Milwaukee, when he finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists.

"Very balanced. Timely shotmaking. Terrific passing. He's a terrific rebounder, so that's no surprise. It was good that he could get the triple-double. They are very difficult to get," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of the nine-time All-Star's night.

"He did everything," Kidd said if his teammate.

Now the Mavericks will be calling on Nowitzki to do it again, in an arena that has haunted the squad of late. That includes a 98-82 road loss to the Grizzlies on Dec. 4.

"We struggled with them last year," Carlisle said. "We were 0-for-2 in here last year, so this has been a tough place for us to play."

"They have a nice squad over there," forward Shawn Marion said of the upstart Grizzlies. "You can't take them lightly. They're young, but at the same time, you have to know that if you give a young team confidence then it's hard to knock them out of the box."

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Marion's role will be key. After defending Denver's Carmelo Anthony, holding the league's third-leading scorer to a season-low 10 points on 3-of-16 shooting, Marion will see plenty of time on the explosive Rudy Gay. The Mavs will also try to corral first-time All-Star Zach Randolph and budding star O.J Mayo.

"They've got three legit scorers in Randolph, Mayo and Gay, so they're a tough team," Nowitzki concluded.

Nowitzki, Marion and company will be looking to shut the Memphis trio down, while also going after their third straight win and 50th of the season. The Southwest Division-leading Mavs will also try to hand the Grizzlies a third straight loss.

In a divisional showdown, the Mavs and Grizzlies face off for the third of four matchups between the squads. The season series is knotted at 1-1, with each team winning on its home floor. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7 p.m. CT. The two teams meet for a final time at the American Airlines Center on April 7.

Just 24 hours after the tip against Memphis, Dallas plays host to the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center. The Mavs escaped with a 95-85 win in Orlando on Feb. 19 in the first meeting between the teams. That game will air nationally on TNT at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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

Mavericks-Hornets Recap

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavs leave New Orleans stung and stunned
Dallas Mavericks 99 at New Orleans Hornets 115

Despite dropping two of their last three games at home, the Dallas Mavericks entered New Orleans Arena with plenty of confidence before their fourth and final matchup with the Hornets. That confidence may be wavering now.

The Mavericks came into Monday night's contest with the Hornets on a five-game road winning streak, while also owning the Western Conference's best road record. Dallas also held a 2-1 lead in the season series against New Orleans. But the Hornets had a surprise up their sleeves, as the team announced just before the tip that All-Star point guard Chris Paul would return to the starting lineup after missing 25 games following arthroscopic knee surgery.

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Though Paul played just under 21 minutes, No. 3's return definitely inspired his team, to the Mavericks' dismay. In a game that seemed so promising for the squad from Big D early on, turnovers and lackluster defense translated into a 37-point turnaround and eventually a 115-99 Mavs' loss in the first game of a back-to-back.

"It's disappointing," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "(The players) clearly have a focus problem that we must look at and fix before the postseason. And we have the ability to do it."

Paul's impact was limited early, as the Mavericks turned defensive stops into transition offense. With Jason Kidd's hot hand and Dirk Nowitzki moving past David Robinson for 29th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, the Mavericks quickly jumped out to a double-digit advantage in the first quarter. Dallas didn't take its foot off the gas in the first 12 minutes of play, raining in an array of shots from behind the arch including Jason Terry's 1,500th career three. Terry, who was playing in his third game since returning from facial surgery on March 5, took the court for the first time without wearing his protective mask. After the Dallas lead reached as much as 16, the period came to an end with the Mavs ahead 32-19.

Dallas connected on 14-of-21 shots, while New Orleans struggled to just 7-of-22 shooting in the quarter.

"In the first quarter, we were extremely aggressive and were guarding them well. Our undoing was clearly the second and third quarter," the coach said.

Hornets rookie Marcus Thornton aggressively took charge early in the second period, helping New Orleans cut its deficit to single digits. But after an 11-2 Hornets' run cut the Dallas lead to six, Terry rained in a timely 3-pointer followed by a transition feed to Nowitzki to keep New Orleans at bay. Still, with Paul on the bench, first-year pro Darren Collison and the Hornets continued to come head on, capitalizing off of Dallas' turnovers and sprinting to a 15-0 run to end the first half up 52-45.

"You have to give the Hornets credit. They went out and took that first blow when we were up 16, and they turned it around and went up 7," Kidd said of the first half.

Despite being outscored 33-13 in the second quarter, the Mavericks still out-shot the Hornets 51 percent to 47 percent in the first half. The Mavs' 11 turnovers were what gave New Orleans life, leading to 14 Hornets' points at the other end. Morris Peterson led all scorers at the midway point with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while Terry kept the Mavs afloat with his 13 points.

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Mavericks' miscues continued to come and the Hornets' lead continued to grow early in the third quarter. New Orleans came out of the intermission scoring the first eight points of the period. But after falling behind by as much as 15, the Mavericks began to attack the rim with a fiery anger. With Brendan Haywood becoming a force inside, the Mavericks began their comeback attempt. The 7-footer got plenty of help from Terry, including seven straight Dallas points from No. 31, but the Mavericks still found themselves down 82-70 entering the fourth.

After going scoreless through the first three quarters, Paul looked to both assert himself and put the Mavericks out of their misery in the final period. Behind their lead guard's direction, the Hornets built up a 21-point lead. With his team down 18 and 3:17 remaining, Carlisle emptied his bench in preparation for the second game in as many days.

"We got up 16 points and then basically called it quits," forward Shawn Marion said. "I think we just took it on the chin. We stopped everything we were doing. We got relaxed, and they got aggressive and started getting comfortable and making shots. That was basically it."

The loss gave the Mavericks their sixth straight defeat in New Orleans. Since their 13-game win streak, the Mavs have dropped three of their last four games.

"I think the big thing is we're being inconsistent. Maybe a little bit too relaxed. We understand how important these games are. We only have 13 left. For the last four games, we've played one quarter each game -- we've won games because of that and lost games because of that. It's something we have to look at," Kidd said.

It's not often that the Mavericks lose a game in which they shot 52 percent and connected on 8-of-16 from behind the arch. But Monday night's contest wasn't most games.

In addition to the Hornets' 54 percent shooting, New Orleans hit on 12-of-24 shots from 3-point range. Yet that wasn't the most important stat of the night. The Hornets scored 35 points off of Dallas' 20 total team turnovers.

"When you turn it over 20 times for 35 points, it's going to be hard to win a game," Carlisle said. "The Hornets took advantage of the forced turnovers they created. I just have to give credit to a good team. They dropped five in a row and came here tonight ready to play."

Albeit in a loss, Terry scored 24 points off the bench on 9-of-16 from the floor. Nowitzki (16), Marion (14), Caron Butler (12) and Haywood (10) all scored in double figures.

Thornton finished with a game-high 28 points on 12-of-22 shooting. Meanwhile, David West feasted on the Dallas defense, scoring 25 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing six rebounds. In his return, Paul scored 11 points on 4-of-9 from the field.

Now the Mavericks return to the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night to host the Los Angeles Clippers. Back on Oct. 31, the Mavs captured a 93-84 win in L.A. in the first of three meetings between the teams. 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.

"We have a quick turnaround, and everyone has to bounce back. The Clippers are a very talented and healthy team. We are going to have to do a lot better than we did tonight," the coach concluded.

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-Hornets Preview

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (46-23) at New Orleans Hornets (33-38)

The Dallas Mavericks can't sit around and think about what they didn't do right in Saturday's 102-93 home loss to the Boston Celtics. There's no time to waste.

After winning their fair share of close ball games, the Mavericks admit that the Celtics were the ones making the crucial plays down the stretch.

"You tip your hat to (the Celtics). They were the better team with two minutes left," Mavs point guard Jason Kidd said after the loss.

"It was a tough loss, because we've been winning close games," sixth man Jason Terry added.

But it is a loss the Mavericks will have to learn from quickly. Now the team has to shift its focus to the New Orleans Hornets for the first game of a back-to-back.

(Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Southwest Division-leading Mavericks enter New Orleans Arena in front 2-1 in the season series with the Hornets. Most recently the Mavs claimed a 108-100 home win against the Hornets on Feb. 28. But in that game the Mavericks' owned a 25-point lead, before watching New Orleans fight to cut its deficit to single digits. Though the Mavericks went on to escape the American Airlines Center floor with the victory, it may have started a trend.

In the Mavericks' last two games, late-game execution has been a problem. From watching a 25-point lead end in a 113-106 win over a shorthanded Chicago squad last Wednesday to Saturday night's fourth quarter miscues, execution down the stretch has grown into a concern for Mavs coach Rick Carlisle.

"No excuses. We've got to make plays. It's tough when you are taking it out of the opponent's basket to score...We've got to be better. I'm not going to make any excuses about that," the coach said of his team's play down the stretch of games.

While the Mavericks try to close games better they will also have to contend with the rookie duo of Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
With Chris Paul still recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, Collison exploded for a career-high tying 35 points on 15-of-21 shooting in the Hornets' February loss to the Mavs.

"(Collison) is a talented, young guy," forward Shawn Marion said of the first-year pro. "(Feb. 28) was the first time we actually got a chance to really see him, without CP3 (Paul) on the floor with him. He's tough. He's something to look forward to."

Thornton added 21 points off the bench, albeit in a loss.

"The two young kids (Collison and Thornton) are energetic," Carlisle said. "They've got a lot of fight in them."

Still, the Hornets are fading out of the playoff picture after losing 10 of their last 12 games before beginning a five-game homestand.

Now the Mavericks try to stop the budding stars while also trying to put together a winning equation. Since owning a 13-game winning streak, the Mavs have dropped two of their last three games. Carlisle says if the Mavericks are to correct their recent play then it will start at the defensive end.

"You've got to be able to get some stops. We didn't get stops (against Boston). That was our undoing," the coach concluded.

In the fourth and final regular season game between the two teams, the Mavs-Hornets matchup will appear nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA, airing at 7 p.m. CT.

The Mavericks then return to the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night to host the Los Angeles Clippers. Back on Oct. 31, the Mavs captured a 93-84 win in L.A. in the first of three meetings between the teams. 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.

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

Mavericks-Bobcats Recap

(Photo by Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tickets for both games are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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