Mavericks Practice Report 01/06/10

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Mavericks Practice Report 01/06/10

If practice makes perfect then the Dallas Mavericks are hoping that two days to prepare for the division rival San Antonio Spurs pays off with a strong 48-minute performance come Friday night.

A day after knocking off the Detroit Pistons with a 98-93 home win, the Mavericks returned to the practice court in preparation for the Spurs. Beating Detroit, a team that has now loss 10 straight, was one thing. Heading into San Antonio and knocking off the Spurs, a team just 2 1/2 games behind Dallas in the Southwest Division standings, is a much more daunting task.

(Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images)

"Divisional games are very important for obvious reasons and they all count on the total record," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of the the upcoming meeting with the Spurs. "There's significance in every game you play, and you have to win as many as you can. I'm sure (San Antonio) looks at it the same way."

The two teams split the first two meetings of the season, with both squads winning on their home floor. San Antonio's 92-83 win on Nov. 11, without Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, was answered one week later when Dallas left the American Airlines Center floor with a 99-94 win over a Duncan-led Spurs squad. Having yet to match up against Parker, Carlisle understands just how different Friday night should be with the cat-quick point guard on the floor.

"(Parker) is a great player," Carlisle said. "He was a major problem for us last year, and he's a major problem for everybody. A big part of our game plan will be trying to slow him down...Our whole team is going to have to do a good job, otherwise he's great at getting in the paint, finishing and causing havoc."

Visa versa, the Mavericks are hoping to have their full unit intact. Dallas has played the last two games without starting center Erick Dampier, as the 7-footer has been inactive with a left knee effusion. Carlisle is hopeful that the big man can return to the court on Friday night.

"We're not for sure yet, but (Dampier) is making some gradual progress. We'll see what's what after tomorrow and go from there," the coach said.

If Dampier can't go, the Mavericks are confident that their stable of bigs can step in and contend with Duncan. That assignment will fall on Drew Gooden's shoulders mostly if Dampier continues to sit, though Duncan will see every big body Dallas can throw his way over the course of the night.

"It's a tough job," Carlisle said of defending Duncan. "Last game we had to play without Damp, and it's work. You miss that length when you don't have it out there. But last game, Drew and Dirk (Nowitzki) and Kris (Humphries) guarded him, and if Damp can't go then we're going to have to do it by committee."

"Hopefully we will get (Dampier) back here soon and Drew can continue to still play with the urgency and effort he showed (Tuesday night)," sixth man Jason Terry said.

(Photo by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images)

Though the free agent addition has struggled at times with his scoring near the basket, Gooden has shown a rare ability to snag loose balls off the glass and on the floor.

"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."

The former Kansas standout's hustle was once again showcased in the win over Detroit, as Gooden overcame a 4-for-16 shooting night to post 10 points and grab a season-high 18 rebounds. A career-best nine of the 18 rebounds were offensive boards, though many came off of his own misses. Still, Carlisle loves what the veteran post man brings to the court nightly.

"I love the way (Gooden) pursues the ball. Whether it's in the air, off the rim or if it's on the floor, he's after it. The energy that he exudes in doing that lifts our team up, gets our crowd involved, so it's big for us.

"He didn't have a great shooting night, but he still impacted the game with his tenacity and that's what we need from everybody."

Dallas will need that tenacious energy to be contagious when they head to San Antonio to battle a Spurs team that has won eight of their last 10. In the third of four meetings between the two squads, 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.

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.

Pistons-Mavericks Preview

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Detroit Pistons (11-21) at Dallas Mavericks (23-11)

The true testament of how successful a team will be is how well they respond to defeat and adversity.

Not making any excuses for the way they played against the Los Angeles Lakers in a 131-96 blowout defeat on the road, the Southwest Division-leading Dallas Mavericks don't intend to hang their heads. Instead the Mavericks can't wait to hit their home court for the first time in 2010 on Tuesday night to do battle with the Detroit Pistons, a team riding a nine-game losing streak.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"Once we got on that plan ride, it was such a long flight," sixth man Jason Terry said of the team's trip back after losing in L.A. "We're back at home now, it's a new year and hopefully we can get things off to a good note with a win against Detroit tonight.

"No excuse, no excuse...Whether you lose by forty or one, it's still a loss. Tonight's another opportunity for us to get a win. We want to get off to a great start in the new year, so that's how we're approaching things."

What failed the Mavs against L.A. was the balanced team basketball display that has been featured throughout the season. As Dallas found out in a 95-90 win in Detroit on Nov. 15, the Mavericks will be playing against a Pistons team that runs several isolation plays. The Mavericks will due their best to keep from falling into the loll of mano-a-mano play and focus on a more team-oriented effort.

"They're a movement, pin-down team and some of their possessions end up in one-on-one situations," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of the Pistons squad. "We're not a one-on-one team. We're a movement, pick-and-roll, post-up, fast-break team and if we get into that kind of stuff it's not our game.

"We've got to remember the things that made us an effective team to this point, and that is attention to detail at the defensive end and offensively getting it out and running -- then making sure we have multiple guys touching the ball."

If the Mavericks can return to the balanced play that was so successful before the Lakers loss, then they believe it will lead to improved play at the American Airlines Center. Despite their 11-5 home record, the Mavs admittedly have yet to showcase consistent dominance on their home hardwood. That is is something that must change, the coach said, with four of their next five games at home starting with Tuesday night.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"Anytime is a good time when you're at home. We've played well at times at home but we want to be more consistent and we can. It comes down to the same things I've been repeating over and over and over again -- defense, rebounding and ball movement. Those are the key things and making sure that we're dialed in for 48 minutes," Carlisle said.

"We just need that extra energy here," forward Shawn Marion said of what it will take for better play at home. "We just have to regroup at home tonight and get this thing going."

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night to host the Pistons, 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-Lakers Recap

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks 96 at Los Angeles Lakers 131

The Los Angeles Lakers are the standard in the Western Conference.

But after a 94-80 win in L.A. on Oct. 30, the Dallas Mavericks served notice to the Lakers that Dallas may be ready to contend with the defending champions for the crown. Sporting the two best records in the West, the Mavs and Lakers hooked up at the Staples Center for a second time Sunday night. But this time it was the Lakers leaving their home floor smiling, after making a convincing statement of their own by handing the Mavericks a 131-96 blowout defeat.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)


"Lose by one, lose by forty, either way it counts as one loss, so I guess that is the only positive thing we can take away from tonight," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of the loss.

"We wanted to come out and try and establish ourselves just like we did earlier in the year," reserve forward Tim Thomas said. "I am pretty sure they remembered that game and they wanted to get back."

The 131-point output by L.A. was a season-high for a Dallas opponent.

"Just an embarrassing effort," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "We all own it, so I don't know how else to put it. They played great and we played terrible. You know, it was atypical of the year we've had so far, but it's very disappointing.

"It's the first time all year we really didn't put up the kind of fight we really needed to. That's disappointing...It's on all of us, coaches, players, everybody. It's very disappointing."

After Pau Gasol missed the first matchup between the two squads with a hamstring injury, the Mavericks suffered a similar fate when they lost a 7-footer for the second game in the season series. Center Erick Dampier's status changed to inactive shortly after the pregame warm-ups, sidelined with a left knee injury. Still the Mavericks tried to battle without their starting five, playing on the second night of a back-to-back in the conclusion of a three-game road trip.

But the Mavericks aren't using the loss of Dampier or the schedule as an excuse for their play on Sunday night.

"It's just not an excuse for how we played...No excuses," Carlisle said.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

With Dampier out, big man Drew Gooden stepped into the starting lineup next to Jason Kidd, J.J. Barea, Shawn Marion and Nowitzki. The task for the starters was simple by words, but difficult to put into action: Stop the league's leading-scorer, Kobe Bryant. But early in the first quarter, Bryant deferred to Gasol as the Spaniard dueled with Nowitzki. With Bryant acting as a facilitator first and scorer second, the Lakers' role players set the tone early to take a 30-13 advantage after one. Dallas shot just 16 percent in the opening quarter, as L.A. looked for retribution from their October loss to the Mavs.

"I'm sure that they wanted to come out and play and win the game," Carlisle said.

During a span that ran from the 5:37-mark of the first quarter to 9:51 left in the second, the Mavericks missed on 13 consecutive field goal attempts. Falling behind by as much as 28, the Mavs found themselves down 64-39 at the half.

"Offensively, we just could not get anything going tonight, combined with not getting the stops, that's a rough combination," Nowitzki said. "Some nights you don't have it offensively, but you at least have to get some stops to stay in the game."

Bryant led all scorers at the half with 15 points while dishing out five assists. Nowitzki continued to give the Mavericks hope with 13 points after the first 24 minutes of play, but L.A. out-shot Dallas 59 percent to 28 percent. With a 26-20 rebounding edge, the Lakers held a 32-12 advantage in points in the paint.

"I do not know if it was so much their defense...We had great looks early on and we just didn't make our shots," Kidd said. "If we had, this might have been a different game, but the name of the game is to put the ball in the basket and we just didn't do that this evening."

It was good news for Dallas when the Lakers announced that Gasol would not return in the second half after straining his left hamstring. But the Lakers' supporting cast didn't let up in the third quarter.

With Gasol out, Andrew Bynum took over the scoring responsibilities in the paint and Bryant once again became a willing passer, going scoreless in the period to remain tied with Patrick Ewing for 15th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Meanwhile the Lakers' lead ballooned to 103-63 headed into the fourth.

"They had whatever they wanted. Bynum was on the inside, the shooters were on, Kobe was making shots everywhere. On offense we just couldn't do anything right," Nowitzki said. "Instead of playing the game better, we started forcing shots and everyone started to try and do it single-handedly instead of playing together and playing the way we always do. So we got ourselves in an even deeper hole and it was just a tough outing for us."

In the final period, both teams emptied their benches as the final 12 minutes played out.

Dallas surrendered 63 percent shooting to the Lakers, while the Mavericks hit just 38 percent at the other end. L.A. dominated the interior, outscoring Dallas 52-36 in the paint and out-rebounding the Mavs 44-40. The 3-point line told the story as well, as the Lakers nailed 14-of-24 from behind the arch while the Mavericks connected on just 5-of-21 from deep.

Nowitzki's team-best 22 points came in a losing effort, while Thomas (12), Jason Terry (10) and Barea (10) all scored in double figures. Led by Jordan Farmar's game-high 24 points off the L.A. bench, seven Lakers scored in double figures.

"(The Lakers' bench) played well tonight," Bryant said. "Offensively, they did a good job."

The final two games between the Mavericks and Lakers are home games for Dallas. The Mavericks will look for a bit of revenge themselves when they host the Lakers on Jan. 13 in the third of four meetings. The Mavs' coach hopes his team remembers the feeling after Sunday night's loss when their next meeting with the Lakers comes around.

"I hope we don't forget about it," Carlisle said.

Dallas returns to the American Airlines Center on Tuesday night 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.

Mavericks-Lakers Preview

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (23-10) at Los Angeles Lakers (26-6)

The Los Angeles Lakers are where the Dallas Mavericks want to be, on top of the basketball world.

Without any question, the Lakers are the benchmark for success right now after claiming the NBA title a season ago, but the Mavericks have their eyes locked and glued on raising the Larry O'Brien Trophy above their heads this year. To do so, the Mavericks know they must first go through the Lakers to get to the golden ball. Dallas will get no better practice then Sunday night, as the two best teams in the Western Conference, record-wise, meet at the Staples Center for the second time this season.

"We feel like if we go out there and play the way we've been playing, play hard, get stops, get rebounds, we're capable of beating anybody," center Erick Dampier said.

(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

The Mavericks have been in this position before, walking away from the Lakers' home floor with a 94-80 win over the defending champions on Oct. 30 in the first meeting between the two teams.

"We played really good basketball, but that was a long time ago. We've got a different team now in a lot of ways...They've had a chance to get used to each other and so have we," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.

Two things are different about this matchup. L.A. played without big man Pau Gasol (hamstring), while the Mavs' Josh Howard was sidelined after surgery to repair his left ankle in the offseason. Now both clubs are full strength, making the matchup that much more intriguing.

"Josh will be back with us, so we have a full squad, too," Dampier said. "They're a good team, we're a good team. It's who goes out there and gets the job done, and plays the best."

The Lakers have spent much of their early schedule at home, going 18-3 on their very own hardwood to capture the best record in the league.

"At this point in the season, watching the standings isn't that meaningful," Carlisle said. "Everyone is aware of the Lakers' schedule and their situation, but they are a great team and they're very talented."

Meanwhile Dallas has shown that playing in unfriendly environments is not a daunting task for one of the league's best road teams. Outplaying oppositions away from the nest has brought out the best in the Mavs, sporting a 12-5 road record coming into L.A. The Mavs have split the first two games of a three-game road trip, hoping to cap the stretch with a win Sunday.

"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," forward Shawn Marion said.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

With their ability to take home crowds out of the game, the Mavericks will be able to focus in on shutting down arguably the league's best player and the frontrunner for this season's MVP award, Kobe Bryant. Bryant's 30.6 points per game scoring average is tops in the league, so too are his three buzzer-beaters. Slowing down the NBA's best swingmen has not been a problem for Dallas this season, having already held Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant to relatively quiet nights.

But the Mavericks certainly know what Bryant is capable of, and they don't want to see him live up to his potential before their very eyes on Sunday. Dallas will throw a swarming defense at Bryant, forcing the ball out of the premiere scorer's hands.

"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."

In a battle of the two best teams in the Western Conference, the Mavericks-Lakers matchup will air on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT.

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.

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.

Mavericks-Kings Preview

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earl K. Sneed, Mavs.com
Dallas Mavericks (22-10) at Sacramento Kings (14-18)

The calender marks a new day for the Dallas Mavericks, after 2009 came to a screeching end New Year's Eve night in Houston.

After winning back-to-back games, the Mavericks ended the '09 portion of their regular season with a heart-breaking 97-94 road loss to the division rival Rockets. Falling behind by double-digits early against Houston, a late comeback attempt from the Mavs ran out of gas during the stretch run on the last day of the year.

"We just couldn't come up with enough plays down the stretch. We had a couple of good looks…We had our chances down the stretch, but just didn't have enough to get over the hump," forward Dirk Nowitzki said of the loss.

Now the Mavericks begin the new year by heading to the sunny West Coast for a back-to-back with two Pacific Division challengers, leading the season series 1-0 against both teams. It is the conclusion of four consecutive road games.

Dallas is not looking ahead to Sunday's matchup with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, knowing that they first have a formidable foe standing in their way in the Sacramento Kings. The Mavs squeaked out a 104-102 home win against the Kings on Nov. 20, needing a total team effort to hold off a furious charge in the final minute. Playing without center Erick Dampier (illness) and swingmen Josh Howard (surgically-repaired left ankle) and Shawn Marion (left ankle), the Mavericks' bench played a big role in Dallas getting the victory on that November night, as the Dallas reserves outscored their Sacramento counterparts 52-14 in bench scoring.

(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Mavericks also saw plenty of rookie sensation Tyreke Evans, as the former Memphis standout finished with a game-high 29 points, albeit in a loss. Evans and the Kings are certainly on the Mavericks' radar in the second meeting between the two teams.

"They have a great rookie point guard," sixth man Jason Terry said. "They're a scrappy bunch, and if you don't come out ready to play, it's going to be a grind-it-out game."

"All the games are hard, we know that," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "There are no breaks in the West. Even the teams with lesser records, they're all improving. They all play with a lot of energy and they're all very good on their home court."

The Kings will come in especially hunger after coming just short of a road victory in L.A. on New Year's Day, that was before Kobe Bryant's buzzer-beating three swished through the bottom of the net to give the Lakers a 109-108 win. Evans was out of the lineup in the loss to the Lakers, sidelined with a right ankle injury, but the combo guard says he will be ready to play with the Mavericks in town. Also well aware of what Bryant and the Lakers are capable of, the Mavericks know that they must claim momentum with a win over the Kings before entering the Staples Center for a second time.

"We want to build momentum. That's the idea. And we want to make sure we don't have letdowns," Carlisle said.

The Mavericks open up the new year by traveling to Sacramento to battled the Kings on Saturday night, with the game airing locally on Fox Sports Southwest at 9:00 p.m. CT.

Sunday night the Mavericks head into Los Angeles to play the Lakers for the second time this season, as that matchup will air on KTXA and KTXA HD at 8:30 p.m. CT. Dallas defeated the defending champion Lakers 94-80 at the Staples Center on Oct. 30 in the only meeting between the two teams.

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.