Spurs-Mavericks Game 5 Recap (LIVE)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Butler puts Mavs on his back
(7) San Antonio Spurs 81 at (2) Dallas Mavericks 103

The Dallas Mavericks didn't want Tuesday night to be the last time they laced up their sneakers this season. Instead, the Mavericks entered Game 5 of their first-round matchup with the San Antonio Spurs with a workman-like mentality. Not ready to turn in their time cards, the Mavs showed just why they believe there's still work to be done.

Down 3-1 in the series, the Mavs gladly returned to their home floor hoping for a different result than the previous three games, all Dallas defeats. The Mavs did their best to make sure Game 5 went a different way. So did Caron Butler.

Butler put in a full day's work, as the Mavericks routed the Spurs in the American Airlines Center. With his team's season on the verge of a finale, the two-time All-Star produced a masterful performance worthy of Broadway, posting a playoff career-high 35 points and leading the Mavs to a 103-81 runaway win.

"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."

To give his squad an early boost, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle inserted Brendan Haywood at the starting center spot in place of Erick Dampier.

"It was a decision to change the dynamics. I thought Brendan responded well," Carlisle said.

Perhaps the shake up paid off early, as a 7-0 spurt led by Butler turned into a quick advantage for the Mavs in the first quarter. Matt Bonner's long-range shooting kept the Spurs close, but behind Butler's 12 points in the period, the Mavs escaped with a 27-21 advantage after one.

"I was talking to myself, just telling myself to be aggressive. I play better when I'm angry," Butler said.

"Caron is always aggressive, he really is. I thought his great game tonight was not only a function of how well he was playing, but the guys around him had a great feel for getting him the ball -- spacing the floor in a way, so that he could drive it...Making the extra pass to find the hot guy," Carlisle explained.

With Haywood dominating the painted area, the home team put some more distance in between the two squads to start the second quarter. Meanwhile, Butler continued his destruction of the Spurs' defense, as Dallas sped up the tempo and scored in transition.

"We were able to force the tempo of the game. That was the biggest thing," Shawn Marion said.

"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," Carlisle added. "We did a great job of that tonight."

But after the Mavs sprinted to as much as a 17-point lead, the Spurs closed on an 11-2 run, with nine points coming from Tony Parker, to trim Dallas' advantage to 53-46 at the half.

"They're going to make a run, because they're a good team. We've just got to keep our heads," forward Dirk Nowitzki said.

The Mavericks' 49 percent shooting in the first half set the tone, as their defense held San Antonio to 44 percent. Butler's 19 points at the midway point led all scorers, while Parker posted 17 points at the other end.

"We need (Butler) to attack. We need him to be aggressive. I like what he did tonight," Nowitzki said.

The duo of Butler and Nowitzki quickly pushed the margin back into double digits to start the third quarter, a 12-minute stretch that has been the Mavs' downfall in the series.

"We definitely responded the right way coming out of halftime," Nowitzki said.

Dallas began the quarter by scoring the first ten points. All told, the Mavericks opened up a 19-point lead with a 15-3 run. The lead reached as much as 22, with the Mavs outscoring their rivals from the south 82-64 heading to the final period.

"We didn't have that third quarter letdown," Butler said.

Reserve guards J.J. Barea and Jason Terry put the Spurs out of their misery at the start of the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Butler did the job at both ends of the floor. With Spurs coach Gregg Popovich resting his key players down the stretch, it became evident that the Mavs would indeed force a Game 6 in San Antonio. Both teams played most of the fourth with their reserves.

"Our guys are not going to mail it in. 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. This is one step, so we are two steps towards our goal with two wins. And now we have to focus in on the next one," the coach concluded.

Butler was certainly the catalyst towards inching closer to reaching that goal, connecting on 12 of 24 shots, swishing in 3-of-8 from behind the 3-point arch and drilling 8-of-9 at the foul line. The star also pulled down 11 rebounds to record a double-double.

"(Butler) really is one of our tough guys. A lot of the times he went up in the crowd and pulled down rebounds. Offensively, he had a great rhythm going and he was extremely aggressive and made good decisions for the most part," Carlisle said when praising the versatile swingman. "I was really, really thrilled to see him have a game like that. He is just a great guy. He is just one of those kind of guys that you just love to see a guy like that succeed and have that kind of night...He has just been a great pro and a guy that is really into winning."

"I don't know what got into him, but we're going to need it next game," Haywood said of his teammate's performance.

But Butler wasn't alone on the court. Nowitzki added 15 points, while Terry contributed 12 off the bench. Marion and Jason Kidd added 10 points apiece, giving the Mavericks five scorers in double figures. In his first start of the series, Haywood went for eight points while also grabbing eight rebounds.

Parker finished with 18 to lead San Antonio. After his 29 points in Game 4, George Hill scored 12 in his followup outing. The Dallas defense also held Tim Duncan to just 11 points on 3-for-9 shooting, while Manu Ginobili scored just seven after hitting just two of his seven shots.

With a 20-11 edge in assists, the Mavericks out-shot the Spurs on the night, 44 percent to 36 percent.

"What you saw tonight was the ball moving from side to side, and we got exactly what we wanted," Butler said.

The Mavericks also dominated the interior, as evident by their 52-41 rebounding edge, 42-30 advantage in points in the paint and 19-9 margin in second-chance points.

Now the Mavericks try to do it again, heading into the AT&T Center for Game 6 after dropping both Games 3 and 4 in the very same building by a combined seven points. If Dallas can change its luck on the Spurs' home floor, then it will force a Game 7 back in the American Airlines Center.

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

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

Game 6 will air nationally on TNT and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday night.

"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," Haywood said.

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

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Mavericks-Warriors Recap

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clippers-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Birthday Kidd shines with Dirk out
Los Angeles Clippers 96 at Dallas Mavericks 106

Everyone wishes they could celebrate their birthday in style. Jason Kidd made sure that he did.

After dropping three of four games, the Dallas Mavericks needed to shake things up against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night. A change in the starting lineup is what Mavs coach Rick Carlisle thought would do the trick, as his team took the court for the second game of a back-to-back. But by night's end, it would be the play of a 37-year-old Kidd that grabbed the headlines on his birthday.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the team's leading scorer, Dirk Nowitzki, ejected during the third quarter for just the third time in his career, the pass-first Kidd became the Mavs' No. 1 scoring option when the team needed him most. The birthday "kid" did not disappoint, leading his team to a 106-96 victory while writing another chapter in his Hall of Fame novel.

"I thought (Kidd) willed the team with his energy and his enthusiasm," Carlisle said of the 10-time All-Star. "He got guys engaged and it wasn't just play-making -- it was shot-making, it was assists, it was defensive plays, it was giving guys confidence out there."

"With Dirk out, I thought I'd play Dirk," Kidd said. "I didn't want a bad birthday, so I was going to take the blame if we lost with my offensive output."

Before the game, Carlisle made the executive decision to insert center Erick Dampier at the five spot in place of Brendan Haywood. Dampier joined the first unit for the first time since dislocating his right middle finger in a 99-86 road loss to Oklahoma City on Feb. 16.

"I've talked to both Damp and Haywood about starting," Carlisle said. "Hey, they're a team...We have too much inconsistency right now. I think we'll remedy that, but I'm not ready to pencil guys in."

But while the 7-footer tried to stabilize the interior, Nowitzki and Kidd handled the scoring load in the opening quarter. With the Dallas defense scrambling from end to end and Shawn Marion's back-to-back scores to close the period, the Mavericks opened up a 32-24 advantage after one.

The Mavericks turned four L.A. turnovers into 10 points at the other end in the first quarter.

Haywood got his opportunity in the second period and he made the most of it. The former North Carolina standout put in work at both ends of the court, sending back shots with his emphatic rejections and scoring with ease in the paint. Wisely, the big man also left the scoring to Nowitzki and Kidd, as the duo shot the Mavs to a double-digit lead. Despite Clippers forward Chris Kaman's best efforts, Dallas took a 62-48 margin into the half.

Nowitzki's 18 first half points led all scorers at the midway point, connecting on 8-of-10 shots. Kaman paced L.A. with 12 points. The Mavericks out-shot the Clippers 54 percent to 42 percent after 24 minutes of play.

Carlisle's rotation continued to get a facelift in the second half, as the coach waited just 52 seconds into the third quarter before replacing Caron Butler with DeShawn Stevenson. But that's not the sequence that impacted the game most.

At the 9:16-mark of the third, Nowitzki earned himself an early exit, drawing back-to-back technicals for arguing with the officials.

"That was a bad decision by Dirk. It put the team in a terrible situation and he knows it was wrong," Carlisle explained. "If you get a technical, you get one and make your point and you got to let it go. He is too important to us. But hey, we had other guys that stepped up."

With No. 41 in the locker room, the Clippers hacked into the Mavs' lead with a 9-0 run. Kaman then gave the Clippers a 71-69 edge with a floater in the lane. L.A. then proceeded to take a 77-76 lead into the final period. The Mavs shot just 6-of-23 and were outscored 29-14 in the third quarter.

The Mavericks then found life in the play of rookie Rodrigue Beaubois, including the young guard's electric two-hand finish off Kidd's lob pass to open up the fourth period.

"Beaubois was ready to come in and he played big for us...This is one of those games where you have to find a way. We ran the lob play for Roddy, which worked and that got the crowd into it and it just kind of lifted us," the coach said.

The play ignited a fuse in the Mavs, helping the team to eight unanswered points. Kidd then took control, swishing in perimeter shots and scoring in transition to open up an 18-point lead with a 22-3 run to begin the quarter.

"I thought we played a pretty good first half and then we kind of just let down and gave the lead away. We found ourselves in a dogfight, then we responded and we all pitched in and did something well in the fourth," Kidd said.

The Dallas advantage reached as much as 19 before the Clippers climbed to within eight down the stretch with the game securely tucked in the Mavs' pocket. Kidd checked out with 19.1 ticks left to a standing ovation.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
"I can't say enough great things about Jason Kidd. Tonight, and really the two years I have been with him, he's been just phenomenal," the coach added.

"I don't believe he's 37," Beaubois said. "He's lying. When Dirk went out, he really took over the game."

Behind Kidd's season-high 26 points, 12 assists and six rebounds, the Mavericks more than made up for Nowitzki's ejection. The veteran also connected on a season-best six 3-pointers on 11 attempts. He did it all while battling for over 41 minutes.

"It was a nice birthday gift and a good birthday, and I'm glad we got the win," Kidd said.

Though Nowitzki recorded his first ejection since December 26, 2008 at Utah, the star did score 18 points in 19 minutes. The Mavs' role players more than picked up the slack, as Jason Terry (14), Marion (12), Haywood (12) and Beaubois (10) all scored in double figures. Haywood also snatched down 10 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench.

"You got to get the win against the Clippers, because they had nothing to play for. It was a necessity," Haywood explained.

The Dallas reserves outscored their L.A. counterparts 43-5.

Former Mav Drew Gooden led the Clippers with a season-best output in his return to the American Airlines Center. The former Kansas product set season-highs with 26 points and 20 rebounds. Kaman finished with 22 points.

Now the Mavericks try to keep the momentum going as they head out west for a two-game road trip. The journey begins with a nationally televised game on TNT against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night. The game will air at 9:30 p.m. CT. The Blazers have won the first two matchups between the teams, with four regular season games scheduled.

"We haven't beat them all year, so this is a big game for us," Terry said.

The Mavericks return to the American Airlines Center on Monday night when they host the Denver Nuggets. The Mavs and Nuggets have split the first two games of the season series. That matchup will air nationally on NBA TV and locally on KTXA 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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

Timberwolves-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hornets-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mavericks-Hawks Recap

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 111 at Atlanta Hawks 103

Momentum is a funny thing.

Riding a five-game winning streak, the Dallas Mavericks entered Philips Arena out to avenge an 80-75 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 5. Accompanying the Mavs on the road was the momentum from Wednesday night's 101-96 home win over the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

In a game of runs, where momentum was everything, the Mavericks used a late change in the tide to claim a 111-103 overtime win Friday night. Thanks to Jason Kidd's first triple-double of the season and veteran headiness, the Mavericks overcame a late double-digit deficit and extended the NBA's longest current winning streak to six.

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

"The performance that (Kidd) had was an all-time great performance, especially for someone who's 36 years old," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "I've never seen a guy have this kind of impact on a game. You don't get winning streaks without special performances, like the one that Jason (Kidd had tonight). This was one for the ages."

For the second straight game the Mavericks were without swingman Caron Butler, after the former All-Star suffered a bad reaction to medication before the matchup with L.A. Once again newcomer DeShawn Stevenson sled into the starting lineup, playing next to Kidd, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood.

"Right now, we have all three guys from the (Feb. 13 trade) playing key roles. Butler's missed a couple of games, so now Stevenson's a starter," the coach said.

The first quarter was very kind to the Mavericks, filled with above-the-rim finishes from Marion off of Kidd's feeds. With Nowitzki's lights-out shooting, the Mavericks overcame early turnovers with a 16-0 run. The Dallas defense made it possible for the team to run, holding the Hawks without a made field goal for the final 6:10 of the quarter. The result was a 29-19 Dallas lead after one. Marion and Nowitzki combined to score 20 of the Mavericks' 29 first quarter points.

Former Hawk Jason Terry kept the good times rolling for the Mavericks early in the second stanza, as Atlanta continued without a made basket for nearly four minutes of game time in the period. But once the Hawks began to connect from behind the 3-point arch, Atlanta was right back in the game. As Joe Johnson caught fire, the Hawks crept closer. Johnson's transition finger roll with 2:54 remaining in the half put the Hawks ahead 44-43. After a stretch of 16 straight misses, Atlanta made 10 consecutive shots. But Kidd's play at both ends, including a steal to pass Scottie Pippen for fifth on the all-time list, helped the Mavs tie the game at 50-all heading into the halftime break.

The Mavericks found themselves knotted at the half despite out-shooting the Hawks 61 percent to 48 percent through the first 24 minutes of play. Atlanta's 5-of-11 from behind the arch and Johnson's 17 first half points erased Dallas' 14-point advantage. Nowitzki posted 16 points through the first two quarters.

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
The third quarter was a seesaw affair for the first six minutes. But Josh Smith's do-it-all play helped the Hawks open up a double-digit lead. The Mavericks attempted to rallied behind Nowitzki, but the Dallas squad struggled through a stretch of nine straight misses. With the Hawks outscoring Dallas 26-15 in the third, the Mavericks found themselves down 76-65 entering the fourth.

Kidd attempted to rally his troops in the final period with transition offense. Defensively, the Mavericks took Johnson out of the game with a scrambling zone.

"We threw the zone defense out there to throw the Hawks off a little bit," Terry said. "If you don't practice repetition against the zone, it will cause problems for you, and I think that's what happened to the Hawks tonight. At the same time, the Hawks just didn't hit the shots they were hitting earlier in the game, so it took them out of rhythm a little bit."

Switching to a three-guard lineup of Kidd, Terry and J.J. Barea, the Mavericks sped up the tempo on the offensive end. En route to his 104th (third-most in NBA history) career triple-double, Kidd's play at both ends translated to an 18-3 run to pull the Mavs ahead 92-91 with 2:58 remaining. The future Hall-of-Famer then found himself in a shootout with Hawks point guard Mike Bibby. But not even a brief scrum with Hawks coach Mike Woodson was able to cool Kidd down, after the veteran drew a technical foul on the head play-caller when the two colliding outside of the coaching box.

"I saw him on the court and we needed to get a point somehow," Kidd said of the incident. "He's in a suit, and so I had to make the officials make something happen there...There is a coaching box and some of the coaches do stretch that box."

"I don't know if there's ever been a smarter player in this league than Jason Kidd. There may be a few equals out there -- Magic Johnson, (Larry) Bird, a few others, (Michael) Jordan," Carlisle said of his point guard's awareness.

Kidd gave the Mavs a 99-97 edge with 56.4 ticks left on his third consecutive three. Yet after the Hawks tied the game, both Nowitzki and Kidd missed on game-winning fadeaway jumpers in the final possession of regulation. The Mavericks outscored the Hawks 34-23 in the fourth to send the game into overtime.

"Jason Kidd's leadership and fourth quarter play was the difference tonight," Haywood said.

The momentum was clearly with the Mavericks in the extra period, and it wasn't going anywhere. Already up four, Nowitzki iced the game with 1:06 left on the clock, as the 7-footer's three swished in off Kidd's 17th assist of the night. Late scores from Terry and Haywood put the finishing touches on the win.

"We were down 11 points late in the game, and to come back and get this win is phenomenal. We really needed this win to boost our confidence as we go through the second part of this season," Terry said.

Flying under the radar was Nowitzki's 37 points to lead the way on 15-of-26 shooting. That's because Kidd did everything imaginable. Tallying up 19 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds, No. 2's fingerprints were all over the game.

"Jason Kidd is one of the smartest players I've ever seen play. We have a true point guard in him, and his stat line tonight speaks to that. More than that, he just led us tonight, and led us to a big victory," Terry said of his backcourt mate.

Off the bench, Terry posted 17 points. Marion added 14 points, while Haywood recorded his third double-double as a Maverick with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

"I feel like my job is just to be a force inside and a presence on the defensive end," Haywood said.

Johnson led five Hawks in double figures with his 27-point night.

With the late charge, the Mavericks finished the night connecting on 52 percent from the field. The Dallas defense held Atlanta to just 40 percent shooting at the other end. Much of the credit goes to Dallas' 50-41 advantage in rebounding and 29-19 edge in fast break points.

The Mavericks snatched the win from the Hawks' grasp despite 13 turnovers, compared to Atlanta's seven giveaways.

Now, the Mavs return home and play host to the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night. The Mavericks will look to run their win streak to seven, with the game airing nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. The season series is tied 1-1.

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-Magic Recap

(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 95 at Orlando Magic 85

Friday night's matchup with the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic figured to be a benchmark game for the new-look Dallas Mavericks. By night's end, the Mavericks set a new standard.

In a battle between the Southwest and Southeast Division leaders, the squad from Big D headed to Orlando for the third of four games in five nights. After bringing in Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson for the sole purpose of contending for an NBA title, the Mavericks wanted to see just how close they are to the top tier teams in the league. The Mavericks proved that they are also a team to be reckoned with, after a come-from-behind 95-85 road win.

"We had some really good stretches, and there were a few other short stretches where we had some breakdowns," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle summed up the night. "But the key was we just kept battling, kept hanging in. It was a hard fought game."

The Dallas squad has now won back-to-back games, both 10-point wins, after a 99-86 loss in Oklahoma City coming out of the All-Star break. With the win, Dallas became the first Western Conference squad to win in Orlando this season.

"We've been a bit of a streaky team. We have the ability to go on hot streaks as well," Carlisle said.

Because of the tough scheduling, the team has been forced to learn how to play together without practice time.

"This is four in five nights, so we are practicing and at the same time we're playing," point guard Jason Kidd said. "Games are our practice. And we're a veteran ball club, so I think that helps."

(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)

Still yet to hit the practice court together, the Mavs put out a starting lineup of Kidd, Butler, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki and Haywood. For the second straight contest, Haywood began the game in the five spot with center Erick Dampier out indefinitely with a dislocated right middle finger. But while matching up with All-Star big man Dwight Howard, Haywood found himself with two quick fouls in the opening quarter.

"When you have a guy 7-1 out there, it's going to change the geometry of the game, defensively. Guys are going to go in there, they're going to have to change their shots, they're going to see length and long arms up over the rim...(Haywood's) foul trouble is what got him out of the game early," Carlisle said.

With the 7-footer on the bench and veteran reserve Eduardo Najera on the court, the Dallas defense was no match for Howard inside. After a buzzer-beating transition layup by Matt Barnes concluded the period, the Magic took a 33-23 advantage after one. The Magic's 13-for-20 shooting in the first quarter paced the home team in front early.

"We were down 10 at the end of the first quarter but kept battling, and that was the key," the coach added.

The Mavericks found a spark plug in the play of J.J. Barea early in the second quarter. But more than anything, Butler's aggression and finishing ability got the Mavs back into the game. After falling behind by as much as 12, Butler and the Mavs cut their deficit to 47-42 heading into the halftime break.

Howard's 13-point, eight-rebound first half led all players in those categories after 24 minutes of play. But the Mavericks stayed close behind Butler's 10 first half points. After the hot first quarter, the Magic cooled down to 47 percent shooting, which was still better than Dallas' 39 percent at the other end.

"Dwight was just killing there in the first half," Nowitzki said. "He got whatever he wanted. He got to the basket, he got some dunks, he got right shoulder, left shoulder jump hooks. So, we wanted in the second half to just mix it up...We did a decent job of mixing it up on him."

(Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
With Nowitzki having a quiet night by his own standards for the first two quarters, the Mavericks continued to go to Butler on the offensive end. But after Dallas climbed to within one, Howard began to reassert himself at both ends of the floor. As Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis gave Howard aid with shots from behind the 3-point arch, the Orlando lead once again reached double digits. The Mavs responded, finding Nowitzki for easier looks and slicing the Magic's advantage to 69-65 heading into the fourth. Nowitzki posted 13 points in the third.

Beginning at the 1:49-mark of the third quarter, the Mavericks utilized inside-outside play to spark a 19-0 run, eventually taking a 77-69 lead on Kidd's fadeaway jumper with 8:54 remaining.

"We obviously needed that spurt to get back in control of the game," Carlisle said.

With Haywood dominating the paint and Jason Terry coming on strong in the period, the Mavericks attempted to hold off the Magic on its home floor. Buckling down on the defensive end, the Mavericks did just that.

"Defensively, I think we talked better and we were more aggressive," Haywood said. "As a team we doubled Dwight a little bit and that threw them for a loop...It got them into a funk and we did a couple of different post coverages and had more aggressiveness on the screen-and-rolls."

After a 3-pointer from Kidd put some distance between the two squads, the future Hall-of-Famer found a cutting Terry for a layup to put the Mavericks up 90-81 with 51.8 ticks remaining. The Mavs then finished the game off at the foul line, eventually outscoring the Magic 30-16 in the fourth quarter.

"During that third and fourth quarter, we made Dwight become a passer," Kidd said. "We didn't want the layups to keep happening. They turned the ball over and missed some threes. We capitalized on that."

It is the Mavericks' 12th comeback of the season in games in which they trailed by 10 points or more.

Nowitzki led five Mavs in double digits with 23 points, getting help from Butler (16), Terry (16), Haywood (15) and Kidd (10). The play of the bench was lopsidedly in Dallas' favor, as the Mavericks' reserves outscored their Orlando counterparts 27-6.

Haywood finished one board short of a double-double with nine rebounds.

"Brendan had two or three really big baskets in the fourth quarter...He was a big part of the win," the coach said.

"The guys have been great," Haywood added. "Jason Kidd has really been doing a good job of directing me, Jason Terry as well. They have been keeping me in the right spots. And if there is a play I am not familiar with, they run me through it."

Meanwhile, Kidd once again filled up the stat sheet with eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals.

Howard finished the night with a game-high 29 points, as four of the five Magic starters scored in double figures.

But Dallas out-shot Orlando 45 percent to 41 percent. The Dallas defense also disrupted the Magic's outside attack, forcing Orlando into 4-of-25 from 3-point range.

"Howard had a big night scoring, but they weren't able to get going from the 3-point line. We did a little bit of double-teaming, but for the most part, Brendan played him straight up. It allows you to stay closer to the 3-point shooters, so it was a big key," Carlisle said.

"What was really key is, where they get you is with their 3-point shot. I thought we really stuck with their shooters," Nowitzki echoed.

Led by Howard's game-high 16 rebounds, the Magic won the battle on the boards, 47-45. Orlando also held a 52-36 advantage in points in the paint, but the uptempo Mavs used a 17-6 edge in fast break points to sprint to their 18th road win of the season.

"Look, when we get stops and get the ball into Jason Kidd's hands in transition, great things happen for us," Carlisle said.

Saturday night, the Mavs hope great things continue to happen when they put an end to a stretch of four games in five nights and host the Miami Heat at the American Airlines Center. That game will air nationally on NBA TV and 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 Mavs took the first meeting between the two teams, a 106-93 road win on Dec. 11.

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-Nuggets Recap

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

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 91 at Denver Nuggets 127

It's been an up and down journey for the Dallas Mavericks in the first portion of the 2009-10 season. Heading into the All-Star break, the Mavericks hit another bump on the roller coaster that is an 82-game NBA season.

Fittingly, the Mavericks played their last game before All-Star Weekend in the same building where last season ended, traveling to the Pepsi Center to tangle with the Denver Nuggets. As they did in their Dec. 27 meeting in Denver, a 104-96 road win, the Mavs tried to send the Nuggets the message that this is a much-improved Dallas squad. Instead the Nuggets were the ones making a statement, sending the Mavs into the midseason festivities on a losing note. Denver's wire-to-wire 127-91 win handed Dallas their largest margin of defeat this season.

"Disappointing, but fortunately it only counts as one loss," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "Night's like this it can feel like more."

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

Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Mavericks tried to claim consecutive wins on their two-game road trip, after a 127-117 win against Golden State on Monday night. The Mavericks were playing without center Erick Dampier for the second straight game, due to a left knee effusion. Dallas was also without Shawn Marion, as the forward sat with lower back soreness. The Nuggets were fortunate to have the NBA's second-leading scorer Carmelo Anthony back in the lineup, after the All-Star missed eight games with an ankle injury.

"Disappointed, but it was a tough turnaround and a difficult situation," Carlisle said of the tall order of playing on consecutive nights and matching up with Denver shorthanded.

With two of his starters out, Carlisle began the game with a lineup of Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Josh Howard, Dirk Nowitzki and Eduardo Najera. But the opening period was very unkind to the Mavericks. After beginning the game missing five of their first six shots and falling behind by nine early, the Mavericks used an 8-0 run midway through the quarter to get back into the game. The Nuggets then finished the first on a 14-4 run to open up a 32-21 advantage at the end of one. Dallas shot just 6-of-18 in the first, while the Nuggets connected on 13-of-22 at the other end.

"We just looked a little flat, and things just kind of snowballed from there," Nowitzki said of the play early. "(The Nuggets) were all over the place, they had energy and they kind of got hot at the right moment -- just made shots from everywhere."

The cold-shooting night continued for the Mavericks in the second quarter. Meanwhile, J.R. Smith and Ty Lawson powered the Denver reserves and elevated the Nuggets' lead to as much as 21 in the second stanza. While Nowitzki asserted himself on the offensive end to stage a comeback attempt, Denver countered with Nenê inside. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Chauncey Billups lifted the Nuggets to a 65-39 lead at the half.

"That's what a good team does, they put you away," Terry said. "With Chauncey out there, he smelt it. You get up 14, you're either going to make it go down to five and give us some hope, or it's going to go up to 20 and kind of seal the deal. And that's what they were able to do."

Nenê led all scorers with 17 first half points, while Nowitzki led the Mavericks with his 15 points in the first 24 minutes of play. Perhaps playing with tired legs on the back end of two games in as many nights, the Mavs shot just 32 percent in the half. As poorly as the Mavericks were shooting, the Nuggets were equally as impressive while connecting on 58 percent of their shots. Clearly missing Dampier and Marion on the glass, the Mavericks were out-rebounded 27-12 in the first half.

Big man Drew Gooden began the second half on the court in place of Najera, but even Gooden had his problems with Nenê. Meanwhile, the Nuggets caught fire from 3-point range in the third quarter. With Anthony coming to life in the period, Denver took a 103-70 lead into the final quarter.

After emptying their benches late in the third quarter, both squads played their reserves for the entire fourth. The Mavericks fell behind by as much as 39 in the period before falling by 36.

(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Nuggets finished the night out-shooting the Mavs 61 percent to 38 percent, due in large part to Denver's 44-16 dominance in points in the paint. The Nuggets also connected on 11-of-18 from 3-point range, compared to the Mavericks' 7-for-21 from beyond the arch. But the telling statistic was Denver's 47-28 advantage in the rebounding category.

Nenê finished with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Anthony added 19 points, as seven Nuggets scored in double figures.

Nowitzki finished with a team-best 17 points, but it came on 5-for-17 from the field. Terry (16), Howard (14) and James Singleton (11) all scored in double digits.

The Mavericks get their chance for retribution when the Nuggets visit Dallas on March 29. It will be the rubber match for the right to claim the season series.

When the Mavericks return from the All-Star break, the squad will begin a stretch of four games in five days. Dallas will first head to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder on Feb. 16. The Mavericks lead the season series 2-0. The game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7 p.m. CT.

"You recharge your battery over the break, come back and make a push," Terry said. "If you look at the Western Conference, it's the same as last year -- a lot of teams vying for a playoff position. So, every game is going to mean something."

The next night, the Mavs will host the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center. That game will air nationally on ESPN and locally on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS. The two teams have split the first two games of the season series.

"Hopefully, everybody can get away a little bit and get some rest, because even starting after the break we've got four in five nights and tough games too," Nowitzki said. "It's a tough stretch coming up for us.

"Once the All-Star game is over, you've got to go for it. There's not a whole lot of time before the playoffs. So, hopefully we can get back on track after the break."

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

Mavericks-Warriors Recap

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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