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-Kings Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grizzlies-Mavericks Recap (LIVE)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Nuggets-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dirk's triple-double downs Denver a mile deep
Denver Nuggets 93 at Dallas Mavericks 109 (03/29/10)

If the Dallas Mavericks were looking for a tuneup for the postseason, they definitely got one Monday night.

While playoff positioning wasn't finalized when the Mavericks hosted the Denver Nuggets at the American Airlines Center, there was still plenty on the line. The Mavericks proved that they are battle-tested and playoff-ready.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

In the third and final matchup between the two squads this regular season, the winner would not only claim the season series, they would also take charge of the second spot in the Western Conference playoff standings. While the Mavericks sent their deepest sentiments to Nuggets coach George Karl during his bout with throat cancer, the team did look to exert its will against a short-handed Denver squad playing without Karl and forward Kenyon Martin (knee). Mission accomplished. In one of Dirk Nowitzki's best all-around performances of his career, the Mavericks left the American Airlines Center floor with a 109-93 win. Nowitzki filled the stat sheet by recording just his second career triple-double in the victory.

"We needed the win. Obviously, that's the most important stat," Nowitzki said after the effort.

If No. 41 wasn't going to praise his own performance than his teammate Jason Kidd had the 7-footer covered.

"Dirk did everything," Kidd emphatically said.

The Mavericks were determined to be the victors from the initial jump ball, beginning the first quarter by outscoring the Nuggets 9-2. With Nowitzki's sweet shooting stroke, the Mavs' advantage reach as much as 11 in the opening quarter. While Nowitzki did his scoring from the perimeter, forward Shawn Marion preferred to do his damage at the rim. The two combined for 19 points in the first 12 minutes of play, lifting the Mavericks to a 31-23 advantage after one.

The Mavs went 13-of-22 from the field in the period, while the Nuggets connected on 10-of-23.

Things began to resemble last year's heated Western Conference semifinal playoff series between the teams in the second quarter. The emotions and physicality picked up, and cooler tempers did not prevail when Jason Terry was assessed a technical foul for sending a blow J.R. Smith's way at the 10:11-mark. But while the call ignited a Nuggets run that pulled them to within three, the Mavericks answered with back-to-back 3-pointers from Kidd and rookie Rodrigue Beaubois to spark an 8-0 run. The Mavs finished the half with a 55-46 advantage. The Dallas defense held the Nuggets without a made field goal for the final 4:30 of the half, as Denver missed on five straight shot attempts.

"Denver is a terrific team and you have to play really hard and really physical, but you have to have poise to beat them," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "You have to play well, and we did all of those things."

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nowitzki and Marion led all scorers heading into the intermission with 12 points apiece. More importantly, Marion suffocated Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony to just three points on 1-of-8 shooting.

"The key to the game was the job that Shawn Marion did on Carmelo," Carlisle said. "(Anthony) is one of the toughest guys in the league to guard, and (Marion) took the challenge."

"I was just making him take hard, contested shots and making him work on defense, too," Marion said.

Smith led Denver off the bench with 11 point in the half. The Mavs' 49 percent shooting bettered Denver's 43 percent at the other end. Dallas also swished in 6-of-11 from behind the arch in the first half.

Marion continued his assault on the Denver defense to begin the second half. The former All-Star also continued to do the job defensively on Anthony in the third quarter, getting help from center Brendan Haywood as the 7-footer stepped outside of the paint to reject jump shots. The result was run-and-gun basketball, as the Mavericks turned defensive stops into transition scores with Marion and Nowitzki at the finishing end.

"It just goes to show where our team's head was at tonight. It was an extra-pass game. Guys were moving it and doing the right things at both ends," Carlisle said.

But after the Mavericks built up a 17-point lead, the Nuggets closed to within 79-69 entering the fourth.

It didn't take long for the Nuggets to cut their deficit to single digits in the final period. But timely threes from Nowitzki and Terry kept the Nuggets at a safe distance. Meanwhile, Nowitzki also operated as a playmaker, finding the open man out of double teams while tallying assist after assist.

"(Nowitzki) trusted his teammates and that's what he did all night," Terry said.

"We did a nice job of keeping a cushion and hitting timely shots," Nowitzki added.

No. 41's three from the top of the key with 6:45 remaining may have sent the knockout blow, lifting his squad to a 95-79 advantage. The nine-time All-Star followed it up with another bomb from long range to put his team up 19. Nowitzki then found Terry for a 16-footer with 2:15 left to record his 10th assist of the night. Just seven ticks later, Nowitzki exited the game to a standing ovation, leaving the court with a game-high 34 points (7-of-17 shooting, 4-for-5 from three-point range), 10 rebounds and those 10 helpers after just over 37 minutes of game time.

(Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

"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," Carlisle said while praising his superstar's night.

Difficult to get is right. Nowitzki's only other triple-double came on February 6, 2008 against Milwaukee, when the future Hall of Famer finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and a career-best 12 assists.

But like his coach before him, it was Marion that Nowitzki wanted to talk about after the game. No, it wasn't Marion's 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting that had Nowitzki's attention after the game. It was the defense the versatile forward played on Anthony, holding the perennial All-Star to 10 points on 3-of-16 from the field.

"I thought the player of the game was Marion. He did a really fantastic job on Melo," Nowitzki concluded.

"This is a big win for us," Marion said. "We went out there and did what we had to do get this win."

In addition to Nowitzki and Marion, Terry (15), Haywood (10) and Caron Butler (10) also scored in double figures. Off the bench, Smith led Denver with 27 points on 10-of-16 from the floor.

Thanks to Nowitzki's overall output and Marion's scrambling defense, the Mavericks finished the night out-shooting the Nuggets 47 percent to 41 percent. The Mavericks also knocked down 12-for-22 from behind the arch, compared to the Nuggets' 6-for-20 from deep.

The two teams also played each other to a stalemate on the glass and in the interior, as Denver ended the game with a 43-42 rebounding edge and a 38-34 advantage in points in the paint. The Mavs did, however, convert 12 Denver turnovers into 17 points.

But now the Mavericks aren't taking another second to think about the monumental win. Instead, the team has immediately turned its attention to a tough back-to-back.

"That's the way this league is...You move on when the horn sounds," Kidd explained.

First the Mavericks head to Memphis on Wednesday night for a Southwest Division showdown with the Grizzlies. The Mavs have lost three straight games at FedEx Forum, but each team has won on its home floor to knot the season series at 1-1. The third of four matchups between the squads will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7 p.m. CT.

The Mavs then return home a day later, playing host to the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center. Dallas snatched 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.

"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," Nowitzki said while looking ahead.

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

Warriors-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Mavericks return to the court to host the Timberwolves on Friday, with the game airing locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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

Mavericks-Celtics Recap

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 99 at Boston Celtics 90

A case of short-term memory loss is exactly what the Dallas Mavericks needed after the disappointment of Sunday's 110-88 loss in Toronto to begin a five-game road trip.

Monday night made Dallas' misfortunes the day before a distant memory.

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Needing to put Sunday to back of their minds, the Mavericks traveled to Boston on the second night of a back-to-back to meet up with the Celtics for the first time this season. The two division leaders also came in with the second-best records in their respective conferences. With a flawless second half engineered by point guard Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki's 37-point night, the Mavericks made a statement to the rest of the league and erased any recollection of Sunday with a 99-90 win, running their Western Conference-best record away from home to 14-7.

"Well, I don't know if we even know what happened (Sunday)," Kidd said. "Some say we were in Toronto, some say we just came straight to Boston, so you know, that's the league. We had a horrible showing and we were very fortunate to have a back-to-back situation where we could get that taste out of our mouth."

"It was a great win for us and it was much needed," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.

The Mavericks seemed to still have the previous game on their brains to start Monday night's MLK holiday affair, quickly falling behind 9-2 out of the gates. With his team struggling, Kidd picked up the slack with an assault from behind the 3-point arch. Soon the future Hall-of-Famer's teammates followed suit, as the Mavericks briefly went ahead before an 8-0 Celtics' run closed the quarter with Boston up 25-20.

Dallas' five first quarter turnovers greatly contributed to their early deficit.

Playing without Kevin Garnett (knee), Boston needed someone to step up and provide timely scoring. Eddie House did just that early in the second quarter. With Dallas' frustration building and the Celtics' advantage growing, Carlisle was assessed a technical foul at the 5:49-mark of the period. Despite Nowitzki's best efforts, the Mavericks trailed by as much as 11 before entering halftime down 50-41.

Nowitzki led all scorers at the half with 15 points, while Ray Allen's 13 pushed Boston out in front. The Celtics out-shot the Mavericks 55 percent to 47 percent after the first 24 minutes of play, capitalizing off of eight Dallas giveaways with a 12-3 edge in fast break points.

"We just wanted to hang in there and we had a couple of plays at the end of the first half that deflated us a little bit -- a turnover, they scored and a missed shot," Carlisle said. "At halftime, we just said, 'Hey, let's hang around and fight, and lets give ourselves a chance.' We probably played the best we have played during the second half, defensively and offensively."

The third quarter was much more kind to Dallas, beginning the period with a 9-2 run. Led by Nowitzki and center Erick Dampier, who came alive in the painted area, the Mavericks surged ahead on the scoreboard. The two 7-footers combined to score 24 points in the quarter, as Dallas finished the third with 10 unanswered to outscore Boston 34-18 in period. The dominate play gave the Mavericks a 75-68 advantage headed into the fourth.

With Dampier on the bench to begin the final period, Nowitzki was completely fine handling the scoring load. Meanwhile, Kidd's play-making controlled the tempo and got forward Shawn Marion involved around the bucket. The veteran point guard and sixth man Jason Terry then opened up an 89-75 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers with 8:02 remaining. Even when the offense slipped, the Dallas defense took away any Celtic hopes of a comeback, though Allen and Rasheed Wallace did their best with shots from the perimeter.

"The thing that we just have to keep talking about and preaching is the shots are going to come. Shots come and go, but strong defense is something that travels and is something that is a winning formula. We just have to stay with it," Carlisle said.

Nowitzki's jumper at the 3:27-mark ended a stretch of six straight missed shots for the Mavs and gave Dallas a 95-82 lead. With his team nursing a 10-point advantage inside of the final minute, Nowitzki put Boston to bed for the night with a 1-for-2 trip at the foul line with 41.8 ticks left. The two teams then emptied their benches as Dallas closed out its 27th win of the season.

The Mavericks outscored the Celtics 58-40 in the second half.

"We did a great job in the second half," Nowitzki said. "You know, we just gave up 40 points, forced some shots, stuck with their shooters and our offense finally came to us. But it always starts on the defensive end for us, and that's what won us the game.

"We don't want to grind it out all the time...For us to play a free-flowing offense, we need some stops and we finally got some stops in the second half. We were running, we were moving the ball and it was fun to watch."

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Nowitzki's 37 points (22 in the second half) was a game-high, leading five Mavs in double figures. Meanwhile, Kidd filled up the stat sheet with 13 points, a season-high tying 17 assists and four rebounds.

"Dirk putting the ball in the basket helps," Kidd said of the 17 assists. "Just running the pick-and-roll, running the offense, knowing who is going to be there and guys putting the ball in the basket...I had the ball a lot today and I felt comfortable in making the right decision."

Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 24 points while Allen added 21.

Both teams finished the night shooting pretty efficiently, as the Mavericks' 57 percent from the field bettered the Celtics' 51 percent. Attempting eight more free throw attempts (24 total), the Mavericks used the charity stripe to overcome 15 turnovers. Dallas also won the battle on the glass, out-rebounding Boston 35-32, while matching the Celtics in points in the paint, 46-all.

"The defense really keyed everything. We had good transitions and good looks. Dirk got loose, Marion got to the rim and Kidd was spectacular...I just thought that the balance that we were able to keep was key."

The Mavericks hope that balance continues as their journey keeps running through the East Coast, meeting the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. Dallas will try to avenge a 102-91 home loss in the Season Opener. The Mavericks-Wizards matchup will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 6 p.m. CT.

Dallas returns home to host the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 26. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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

Pistons-Mavericks Recap

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Detroit Pistons 93 at Dallas Mavericks 98

There is no better refuge for an NBA team than the basketball court after a disappointing loss.

Tuesday night, the Dallas Mavericks returned to their haven to match up with the Detroit Pistons just two days after a 35-point defeat suffered at the hands of the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. The Mavericks faced a Pistons squad that was reeling on a nine-game losing streak, as Dallas tried to win the season series after snatching a 95-90 win in Detroit on Nov. 15. Though the first half wasn't pretty, behind sixth man Jason Terry and a strong second half effort, the Mavericks got back on track with a 98-93 win on the American Airlines Center floor.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"We definitely didn't get off to a good start but at home, here in the new year, we wanted to make sure we got the win," Terry said. "Whatever it takes to get it done, that is what we did tonight. In the second half we stepped up and played great Maverick basketball."

The Mavericks outscored the Pistons 62-49 in the second half to move to 12-5 at home this season.

"Twenty-four good minutes and 24 lousy minutes," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said when breaking down the win. "Maybe 15, I don't know. We played some good stretches in the first half. But you've got to put two halves together to get where we want to be, to get where we want to go. That's the priority right now."

With the game against Detroit sandwiched in between the lost to L.A. and Friday's game against the division rival San Antonio Spurs, the Southwest Division-leading Mavericks know that though Tuesday was a win, they will have to play a full 48 minutes in their tests ahead.

"Frankly, we haven't played at the level we need to play at in terms of energy, disposition, all those things," Carlisle said. "We've got a couple days to try to get it resolved. We have a tough game at San Antonio. That's kind of where we are.

"If we play that way in the second half, we can probably play that way in the first half, too. I thought the second half was great."

For the second straight game the Mavericks were without their big man in the middle of the lineup, as center Erick Dampier sat once again with a left knee effusion. Stepping in to provide the rebounding and gritty play in the paint would be Drew Gooden.

"We've got a group of good players. It shouldn't matter who starts. We should have enough to win our share of games. Who starts isn't the biggest issue for us. The biggest issue is consistent, hard play. That's where we have to pick it up," the coach said.

The Pistons where playing without combo guard Will Bynum (ankle), who scored 27 points in the November meeting between the two teams. Without a key contributor on the floor for both teams, the play in the opening quarter was sporadic to say the least. With the Mavericks missing on a stretch of seven straight field goal attempts, while Pistons forward Chris Wilcox finished above the rim early and often, the Mavericks found themselves trailing by as much as nine before ending the period down 22-14. Both teams struggled with their shooting in the first, as Detroit's 8-for-21 from the field was just better than Dallas' 6-of-21.

"Early on we were missing bunnies at the basket...What can you do about that but continue to play hard and continue to get stops," Terry said.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

With Charlie Villanueva catching fire from deep early in the second quarter, the Pistons' lead grew to double digits. Meanwhile, Terry did his best to keep the Mavs close. Despite his best efforts, Terry and the Mavs entered the halftime break down 44-36.

"JET (Terry) really carried us offensively all night long," forward Dirk Nowitzki said. "He came in with the energy off the bench. He kept making shots and kept making big plays for us. That was great."

With Villanueva and Tayshuan Prince each scoring 12 first half points, the Pistons connected on 42 percent of their shots and 4-of-7 from behind the 3-point arch. Terry's 11 points helped the Mavericks stay within arm's reach, though Dallas shot just 35 percent in the half.

"We can't expect our fans to get into the game just because they are here," Carlisle said of the play early in front of the home crowd. "We've got to make things happen. Our energy wasn't where it needed to be in the first half. Second half, it was a lot better."

Looking for quick scoring and a boost of energy in the second half, Carlisle inserted Terry into the lineup in J.J. Barea's place to start the third quarter.

"JET (Terry) had it going good in the first half and was really getting into the game, so we decided to start him (in the second half)," Carlisle said.

The combo guard was the spark plug for a Mavericks' comeback attempt, but Terry's fiery play earned him a technical foul for arguing a missed call at the 9:23-mark of the third. With Terry joining Jason Kidd to quicken the tempo, Nowitzki and Shawn Marion took over the scoring duties as Dallas surged ahead briefly before entering the fourth knotted at 68-all. Nowitzki, Marion and Terry combined to score 30 points as the Mavericks outscored the Pistons 32-24 in the third.

"The third quarter came and we pushed the tempo and that is the way we like to play," Terry said. "We like to free will and not so much set it up in the half court, we like to get out and run."

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Terry's assault on Detroit continued at the onset of the fourth, but the Pistons countered with an attacking Rodney Stuckey. That's when Kidd began to put his stamp on the game with his timely play-making, including his no-look bounce pass to Gooden to put Dallas up 85-78 with 5:30 remaining. The veteran lead guard then got Josh Howard into the act, as No. 5's 3-pointer put the Mavericks in charge with a 90-82 advantage with 3:43 showing on the game clock. But after Stuckey and Ben Gordon brought Detroit back to within one in the final minute with a 7-0 run, the Mavs turned to Nowitzki, and the team's leading-scorer kept the Pistons at bay with a pair of free throws with just 10.4 ticks left.

The Mavs then got a bit of luck, as a scrambling defense left Stuckey open for a game-tying 3-point attempt, which the guard missed.

"We got very lucky...Miscommunication and a guy gets a wide-open shot to tie the game," Carlisle said of the play. "That was dodging a bullet. I'm not exactly sure what happened...but sometimes you have to be lucky to win.

"The second half, we played hard enough to where the basketball Gods might give us that kind of a break, but it doesn't happen very often."

Marion grabbed the defensive rebound and, after a subsequent foul, calmly nailed a pair at the charity stripe with 6.5 seconds remaining. Stuckey's second long range miss in the final seconds found its way into Nowitzki's hands and the star dribbled the clock out.

Led by Terry's game-high 26 points and Nowitzki's 22-point, 12-rebound night, the Mavericks captured their 24th win of the season. Marion pitched in 18 points, while Howard added 12 points.

But it was Gooden that had his teammates and coaching staff raving, battling through a 4-for-16 shooting night in Dampier's stead to record 10 points and a season-high 18 rebounds. Though many of which came off of his own misses, the former Kansas standout grabbed a career-best nine offensive rebounds in the win.

"It is amazing what Drew Gooden can do for us and he is a valuable asset," Terry said of his teammate. Especially, without Erick Dampier out there, he is our only big man on the roster, so he has a tough task."

Richard Hamilton led five Pistons in double figures with 20 points, as Detroit finished the night shooting just under 48 percent. Dallas' 47-41 rebounding edge and 19-11 advantage in fast break points helped the Mavericks mask a 44 percent shooting night.


Now the Mavericks prepare to head to face the Spurs in San Antonio in the third of four meetings. The season series is tied 1-1, with each team winning on their home floor, including Dallas' 99-94 win on Nov. 18. The Mavericks-Spurs matchup will air locally on KTXA and KTXA HD on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. CT.

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on the second night of a back-to-back Saturday, hosting the Utah Jazz, with the game airing locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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

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

Mavericks-Kings Recap

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 99 at Sacramento Kings 91

If the first game of 2010 is any indication, then the Dallas Mavericks have a lot to look forward to in the new year.

With a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers looming, the Mavericks entered the state of California focused not on the defending NBA champions but on beginning the new decade with a win against the upstart Sacramento Kings. Despite a late charge from the Kings, Dallas kept its focus on the task at hand and played the brand of basketball that has made the Mavericks one of the league's best road teams, downing Sacramento 99-91 in the middle game of a three-game road trip.

Having narrowly escaped with a 104-102 home win against the Kings on Nov. 20, Saturday night the Mavericks entered Arco Arena with full understanding that they could not look past a gritty Sacramento team in anticipation for Sunday's game against the Lakers. Dallas also looked to rebound from a disappointing end to 2009, falling 97-94 on New Year's Eve to Houston on the road. But it was just business as usual as the Mavericks snatched their 12th win away from home this season.

"The first half we had a lot of turnovers and then the second half we did a great job until the last couple of minutes," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle summed up the win. "Fortunately, we had built up a lead that stood up. It's a great win because these guys have been playing great and this is always a tough place to come.

"Every win in this league is a fight. There's no easy games. So any time you can get one, it's great."

Forward Shawn Marion may have expressed the sentiments for the Mavericks' veteran leadership the best.

"I'm a veteran player, I never look ahead to the next game. You can get beat by anybody, this is the NBA…You have to be ready to play every night and lace them up. You never overlook a team," Marion said.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Mavs looked to put the Houston loss out of their minds immediately. Despite getting a strong effort from combo guard J.J. Barea in the first quarter, the Mavericks found themselves in a back-and-forth game out of the gates with the Kings emerging at the end of the period with a 27-25 edge.

"(Barea) has been solid for us, really since he's been in the starting lineup. He got it going early for us and then as the game went on he made some plays to get other guys involved, too. Having that additional play-maker really helps," Carlisle said.

Battling through an early case of the turnover bug, the Mavericks capitalized off of hot shooting in the early minutes of the second quarter. Meanwhile Dallas' defensive intensity picked up, turning defensive stops into seamless transition offense.

"Teams that play defense, if you look in the past, they all won championships," point guard Jason Kidd said. "That's what we're trying to achieve...If we were going to have any chance to win tonight, we had to play defense and we did that."

With Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki resting on the sidelines, Jason Terry and the Mavs' second unit used fast-breaking offense to sprint out to a 13-0 run and a 42-31 lead at the 6:08-mark of the period. But after Kidd and Nowitzki returned and the Dallas lead grew to as much as 13, rookie sensation Tyreke Evans led the Kings to seven unanswered points. Evans' scoring and play-making cut into the Mavs' advantage, but Nowitzki lived at the foul line in the final minutes of the half to lift Dallas to a 55-48 lead at the intermission.

Dallas outscored Sacramento 30-21 in the second quarter, with the final eight Maverick points coming from Nowitzki.

Led by Barea's 13 first half points, the Mavericks used 57 percent shooting to overcome 10 turnovers in the first 24 minutes of play. At the other end of the court, Dallas forced the Kings into 13 giveaways while holding Sacramento to 45 percent shooting.

Early in the third period the Mavericks picked up where they left off at the end of the first half, calling Nowitzki's number relentlessly as Dallas built a 13-point lead. But after the Mavs' attack slowed, timely scoring from Kidd and big man Drew Gooden continued to keep Evans and the Kings at bay as Dallas took a 77-67 advantage into the fourth.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

An aggressive Josh Howard got the Mavericks started in the fourth quarter by attacking the rim. Dallas' lead began to balloon when Terry's layup put the Mavs up 87-73 with 5:37 remaining in the game. Nowitzki then began to assert himself, putting the Mavericks up 93-76 with a jumper before heading to the bench to rest the final three minutes of game time in preparation for the second night of the back-to-back.

With the Kings continuing to battle in the final minutes, using an 11-0 run to cut the Dallas lead to 93-87, Carlisle called a timeout with 30.1 ticks remaining to defuse Sacramento's momentum. Forced to put Nowitzki back in the game to preserve the win, Carlisle took a big sigh of relief when Howard nailed a pair of free throws with 28.9 seconds remaining and Dallas up eight. The Kings drew to within six on a jumper from Sergio Rodriguez, before the Mavericks continued to keep Sacramento's hopes alive when Howard's lob pass intended for Gooden sailed out of bounds with 8.7 seconds left. After forcing a turnover at the other end, Nowitzki calmly finished of the game at the charity stripe to lift Dallas to their 12th road win of the season.

"We knew they were going to play hard. They give themselves a chance to win every night, and we got a good win," Marion said.

Nowitzki finished with a game-high 25 points, while grabbing seven rebounds. Barea (17), Howard (16), Kidd (14) and Terry (11) all scored in double figures, as Gooden finished just short of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds.

Omri Casspi led the Kings with 22 points. After he scored 29 points and dished out 10 assists in the November meeting between the two squads, the Mavericks held Evans to 14 points on 6-of-18 shooting as the rookie returned after missing a game with a right ankle injury.

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

Out-shooting the Kings 49 percent to 40 percent, the Mavericks dictated the pace of the game with a 24-9 edge in fast break points. The faster tempo allowed the Mavericks to capture the win despite committing 17 turnovers and losing the battle on the boards, as the Kings won the rebounding edge 42-36. Sacramento also outscored Dallas 44-38 in the paint.

"I thought we were really aggressive defensively and smart," Carlisle said. "You hold these guys to 40 percent, that's pretty good because they've been shooting the ball well and they average 108 points in this building. I liked our defensive effort, we rebounded it pretty well, so we're happy to get a win."

Now the Mavericks turn their focus to the Lakers, as the teams with the two best records in the Western Conference meet head-to-head for the second time this season.

"L.A.'s a great team. So, we'll turn our attention to them now," Carlisle said.

Sunday night the Mavericks head into L.A. to play the Lakers after defeating the defending champions 94-80 at the Staples Center on Oct. 30 in the only meeting between the two teams. That matchup will air on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. It is just another trip into an unfriendly environment for the Mavs, a setting where they've thrive at all season long.

"We've played really well on the road. It seems the more hostile the crowd is the better we play. I guess it kind of fuels us a little bit," Marion said.

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Jan. 5 to host the Detroit Pistons. That game will air locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

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

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