The Mavericks roll into Baron Davis town tonight.  Let's see if they can't grab another win.  

Check out the the Clippers Blog:

Clips Nation

There are just a handful of games left before the regular season comes to a close.  Can the Mavericks notch a few more wins? 

Check out the coverage for Portland: 
Blazersedge

Let's see if the Mavericks can power past the Grizzlies in tonight's showdown.

Go Mavs!

Check out the Grizz Blog: 

Welcome to Loud City

The Okalahoma City Thunder (46-28) come into the American Airlines Center looking to clinch their first ever spot in the Western Conference playoffs.  No one expected the young Thunder to become such a large threat so quickly but they have arrived and many veteran teams would do well to avoid them in the playoffs.  The Dallas Mavericks (50-26) sit diametrically opposed to the Thunder as this team rides into the playoffs with a ton of veteran talent eyeing a deep run.  

Can the Mavericks best the Thunder or do the young guns drop the hammer on Big D?

The Game as a Whole:

The story of the game tonight featured starring roles for both turnovers and late fourth quarter runs.  The defensive light came on for the Mavericks just a tad too late as the Thunder surged on the back of a copious amount of Dallas turnovers.  Dallas coughed up the rock 18 times and that led to 29 points for a Thunder team that can easily beat you if they are given the confidence.

The Mavericks are not a team that is built to win high-scoring affairs, especially against a Thunder team that is going to be infinitely more athletic while looking to dictate their faster pace.  What is so surprising?  The Thunder didn’t need a monster game from Kevin Durant to pull out the win (23 pts on 7-18).  The Thunder sported a balanced attack with six players in double figures.  Not only that, but almost every player on the Thunder scored from the field with the exception of Ibaka. 

Dallas looked like they found themselves briefly with about 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter as they were getting stops and pushing the ball with ease.  A huge spark was provided when Dallas went to a full court press but a dagger three derailed any hopes of a Dallas win.  One has to wonder why the team didn’t stick with the press when it seemed to ruffle the Thunder a bit.

Let’s Look at the Quarters…

Continue reading this post »

With only six games left in the season there is still a very real chance that the Mavericks could see the Thunder in the first round (San Antonio is only a half game behind them).  Dallas is also trying to fight off Phoenix for control of 2nd place, making tonight's game a must win (aren't they all?). 

Let's Go Mavs! 

Check out the Thunder blog:

Welcome to Loud City

Another day and another game.  Let's see if Dallas can grab another win from Orlando.

Let's Go Mavs!

Mavericks gun for their 50th win in tonight's game. 

Let's Go Mavs!

Dallas’ arch-rival in the Denver Nuggets roll into town and this year’s battle for the Western Conference second seed couldn’t be more exciting.  Tonight’s game at the American Airlines Center could be what decides the West and ultimately will spell out Dallas’ fate in the 1^st round of the Western Conference playoffs. 

Do the Maverick’s bring their “A” game or will the Nuggets tip the season series in their favor?   

The Game as a Whole:

Dallas played like a team possessed.  How can you ask for any better of a game when Dirk Nowitzki notches only the second triple double of his career and leads the Mavericks to a 109-93 victory over a very dangerous Nuggets team.  This was a full team effort and the game wasn’t only won on the offensive end of the floor since the defense was stout (Carmelo Anthony only drops 10 points). 

You got the full package tonight.  Kidd was triggering the fast break and had his head on a swivel.  Dirk was attacking the basket, protecting the paint, and hitting the jumper.  Caron Butler was looking for steals and working the midrange.  Haywood was blocking shots and throwing down thunderous dunks.  Last but not least, Marion was flying all over the place doing anything and everything to get the job done.

This was the Mavericks team that every Dallas fan hopes will take the court when the playoffs roll around. 

Let’s Look at the Quarters…

Continue reading this post »

Hopefully we see some sad bench faces tonight from the Nuggets!

Let's Go Mavs!

As always, discuss the game here with your fellow fans.

Please Dallas, give us a win. 

Come Hell or high water, the 42-29 Portland Trail Blazers have found a way to win even with a rash of injuries that should have left this team for dead.  In the hunt for a playoff spot and with Marcus Camby in tow, Portland seems to be coming on at just the right time.  The Mavericks, at 47-24, are pushing toward another 50-win season but they are still struggling to integrate new pieces and find themselves defensively. 

Do the Mavericks continue rolling into the playoffs or does Portland stop them dead in their tracks?

The Game as a Whole:

Just a few weeks ago sports pundits were all high on the Mavericks as they rode a 13 game win streak that had almost no end in sight, and now look at where they have ended up.  In the last 5 games the Mavericks are a meager 3-2 with all of their losses coming against playoff-bound teams.  This is a time when you would expect a team to be playing their best basketball, but the Mavericks are left still searching for intensity. 

On the bright side, the Mavericks are tied for second place in the West. But with the Denver Nuggets only two games away, that could all change very quickly.  Where did it all go so horribly wrong?  The foul shooting was a big factor, as every call seemed to go the Blazers way as they actively attacked the rim.  Dallas is a jump shooting team and that isn’t going to help you when you are trying to win a battle in the paint.

The defense was atrocious, as Dallas can simply not win a game when the score gets up into the triple digits and, honestly, they shouldn’t let the score get that high.  Dallas has lost themselves defensively as they constantly were slow to rotate, lost their defensive assignments and didn’t bother a Blazer when they need to get a stop.  Add an off night for Dirk to the defensive struggles and you have the perfect storm that culminates in a loss. 

Let’s Look at the Quarters…

Continue reading this post »

Tonight's recap courtesy of LJRotter

Well, we’re back to try again. Last night, the Dallas Mavericks disappointed themselves and fans alike after abandoning stellar play in the first quarter to let the New Orleans Hornets run away with a win. The past two losses have had one major thing in common: too few trips to the free throw line. Tonight, as the Mavs take on the inferior Los Angeles Clippers, it will be a test to see if they can play hard all four quarters, and draw the contact that sends them to the line where they are so dangerous. In addition, the Mavericks have to get a grip, literally. Last night, they had an uncharacteristic 20 turnovers, which lead to 35 points for the Hornets. Tonight, as Jason Kidd celebrates his 37^th birthday, veteran team Dallas will need to keep their legs fresh for a full 48 minutes. The Clippers have lost nine out of their last ten games. 

Will the Mavericks take advantage of the lopsided match-up, or will they lose focus and fail yet again? 

Game as a Whole:

What a difference a day makes. The Mavericks started with some solid play for the first half. Dirk got an uncharacteristic double-technical and was ejected from the game halfway through the second, and for the third quarter it looked as though Dallas would collapse yet again. With just over 5 minutes left in the third, the Mavericks lost the lead. Lo and behold, Carlisle took our advice and put Beaubois in the game. Roddy provided an immediate offensive spark, and he helped kick Kidd into super point guard mode. The 16-year veteran scored a season-high 26 points and added 12 assists to his line. 

Brendan Haywood got a double-double as well, and Terry provided a solid 14 points off the bench. He had a scary moment when he took a shot to the face, but ever the resilient player, he brushed himself off and continued the game. Thank goodness he was wearing his mask again! The story of tonight (for the fans, anyway) was the contribution of rookie Rodrigue Beaubois. In just under 15 minutes, he had 10 points, and he scored the last 8 points of the 3^rd quarter. The extra candle on Kidd’s birthday cake? The Nuggets lost in New York. Tonight’s win ties them again, and the two teams will meet at the AAC on Monday for the final regular-season match-up.  
 

Let's Look at the Quarters...

Continue reading this post »

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off of a disappointing loss at home to the Boston Celtics. Once again they couldn’t hold on to the lead, and they allowed guard Rajon Rondo to run right through them at the end of the game. Tonight, they play a Hornets team getting back their superstar point guard, Chris Paul, after a 25-game stint with rookie Darren Collison at the helm. The Mavericks are looking for big games from Shawn Marion, who has been strong as of late, and Caron Butler, who was doing well until his poor showing against Boston. Sitting just a half game behind the Denver Nuggets, Dallas needs to take every game seriously to grab the two-spot in the West.

Will Rick Carlisle play it safe with his veteran lineup, or will he match speed with speed by giving Rodrigue Beaubois significant minutes? 

Game As A Whole:

If only basketball games were comprised of one twelve minute quarter, the Mavericks would be sitting pretty with another win and we could say that they had put the loss to the Celtics behind them.  Unfortunately, this game had four quarters and the Mavericks played without any sort of fire for three of them.  Dallas should have known better to “relax” after the first quarter as the Hornets suddenly became re-energized by the return of Chris Paul.

Beside Paul’s return, the Mavericks fell down in the free throw department.  In their last win (it was the Bulls) they had 33 free throw attempts hitting on 25 of them.  Tonight’s action saw the Mavericks only attempt 13 free throws and convert 7 of them to bring them to a solid 53% for the game.  To compliment the poor free throw shooting, a majority of this Dallas team forgot how to score.  Only Jason Terry had a decent night (24 points) but he had to take 16 shots just to get there. 

Some more bad news, this loss means the Mavericks are 2-2 against a team that isn’t even going to make the playoffs and they are currently 9-8 for the month of March.  Good news, James Posey picks up a flagrant at the end of regulation because he wants to stop a layup that has no effect on the outcome of the game (now that’s smart basketball).

Let’s Look at the Quarters 

Continue reading this post »

The Dallas Mavericks (46-22) are trying to catch up to the Denver Nuggets as the seeding tightens in the Western conference.  They start a stretch of three games in four nights by welcoming the "retribution" seeking Boston Celtics (44-24) to the American Airlines Center. 

Which crafty veteran team comes away with a win in this sure to be slugfest?

Game as a Whole:

The Dallas Mavericks were right there the entire night.  This game is an unfortunate event, as it seemed that the Mavericks grabbed defeat straight from the jaws of victory.  The Mavericks were up 85-72 with around eight minutes to go in the game and they looked like they were finally starting to pull away from the Celtics after playing behind almost the entire night.  That’s when Rajon Rondo started to exploit the speed of Jason Kidd helping to land the knockout blow against this Dallas team.

Only compounding the fact that Kidd was slow on defense was the final miss cue on offense that led to a turnover in the waning minutes of the game with the Mavericks desperately needing a score to try to even the game.  Give both teams credit, they played amazing defense all night but when it really mattered Boston turned up the heat on the Mavericks and they couldn’t take it.  Before the game got to this point, it would have been nice to see Beaubois come in and put some pressure on Rondo.  Instead, Dallas let him drive and dish his way to a Boston victory.   

Some encouraging points can be gleaned from tonight’s loss.  Marion has been coming on late and seems to have his scoring touch back.  The Mavericks scored almost a third of their points in the paint.

Let’s look at the quarters… 

Continue reading this post »

Jason Terry returns for the 45-22 Dallas Mavericks as they welcome the Chicago Bulls to the American Airlines Center.  The Mavericks are getting completely healthy for the home stretch and are looking to gain some momentum going into the playoffs.  The Chicago Bulls, at 31-36, are currently on the outside looking in at the Eastern conference playoff race with an 8 game skid.

Does Dallas start a new streak or will the Bulls finally taste victory?

Games as a Whole:

Even though the Bulls were wearing the green jerseys, the luck of the Irish must have been squarely with the Dallas Mavericks.  Dallas survived a late third/early fourth quarter surge to capture their 46th win of the season (50 wins, here we come).  While it would have been nice to see the Mavericks not give up a big run to end the game, I am sure they will take the win and start to prepare for a stretch of 3 games in 4 nights.

Butler and Barea both responded at different times tonight and it really helped the Mavericks bring home the game.  Butler had a season-high 26 for Dallas and provided early energy in each quarter.  Barea had an offensive explosion in the 4^th quarter going 4 of 5 with two three-pointers.  The Dallas Mavericks have different guys surging at different times, so this is a true team in the sense that it isn’t on any one guy’s shoulders to win the game (anymore).  Anybody can step up and be the hero, and tonight was Barea’s night. 

Let’s not forget that Nowitzki also kicked off the whole night by hitting 7 of 9 in the first two quarters, leading by example.            

Let’s look at the quarters… 

Continue reading this post »

The 45-21 Dallas Mavericks look to defend their home court against a New York Knicks team that they absolutely decimated just a few short weeks ago.  New York, on the other hand, brings its 8-23 road record to the American Airlines Center looking to avenge one of its worst losses of the season and snap Dallas’ 13 game winning streak. 

Do the Mavericks continue to roll or does New York steal the show?

Game as a Whole:

Well, we all knew another loss was coming but surely we all thought it would take much longer than this.  The ride was fun while it lasted and maybe this is just karma sneaking up on the Mavericks after they pummeled the Knicks with a 50 point loss.

Where did it all go wrong? The Mavericks played without Haywood or Dampier for almost the entire game (14 total minutes between the two).  It would seem that Carlisle was trying to counteract a smaller lineup from the Knicks but the gamble did not pay off.  Along with the lack of playing a true center the Mavericks didn’t even try to slow the Knicks down in the paint with their now patented zone.  It was like the Mavericks were playing their first game of the season.

The box score provides all the evidence one would need to point out the defensive failings.  Knicks shot almost 55% from the field and have six players in double figures all while racking up 25 assists (almost doubling the Mavericks total).  The ball was moving for the Knicks and the Mavericks looked clueless.  Read the first two quarters but stop before 3 and 4 if you want to spare yourself any feelings of angst.

Let’s look at the quarters… 

Continue reading this post »

After a short vacation, the game recaps are back! 

The 7-56 New Jersey Nets arrive at the American Airlines Center looking to salvage any shred of respect they can from a truly abysmal season.  While it would take a miracle for the Nets to even sniff the playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks are headed down a completely different path.  Dallas, at 44-21, is within striking distance of the Los Angeles Lakers for first place in the West and currently holds the longest active winning streak in the NBA. 

Will the Mavericks continue to roll or do they decide to take a night off?

Game as a Whole:

Sure the Mavericks looked absolutely awful in the first half and let the Nets run up a 16-point lead before storming back to get the victory, but a win is a win.  The Mavericks didn’t look out of control or even worried as the Nets kept scoring and that speaks directly to their maturity as a basketball team.  There was no need to have a knee jerk reaction and so the Mavericks began to slowly chip away, getting the lead to single digits by the half.

Everyone played his role to a T in notching tonight’s win.  Kidd was directing traffic and dropping in timely threes (he had 5 on the night).  Beaubois poured in 16 points in his 26 minutes of action while only giving up one turnover.  Shawn Marion finished plays and generally kept his defensive assignment in check. Finally, Butler stepped it up in the fourth quarter to help close out the game and seal the win.  The Mavericks are in a great place when their star can go 3 for 16 and still grab the W.

Let’s look at the quarters… 

Continue reading this post »

LJRotter is back with another recap:

The Dallas Mavericks arrived in Charlotte a little before 4:00am, just after a win at home against the Hornets. Their game yesterday started strong, but they let the score get close in the third, ending any chances of giving the starters a rest before the back-to-back. The win gave them their 7^th straight victory, but may have taken too much out of them. The Mavericks are the only team the Bobcats haven’t beaten. Will tonight be their night? 

Game as a Whole:

As luck would have it, no, tonight was not the Bobcats’ night. They led for the majority of the game, but thanks to a poor shooting quarter in the 4^th from Charlotte, the Mavericks were able to capitalize and pull ahead for good. Jason Terry didn’t have a great night to start, but he turned on the jets (pardon the pun) in the 4^th to help Dirk elevate the team for the win. Dirk had his first double/double since January 13^th (27 points/13 rebs) and was helped in the point category by Terry (with 20) and Butler (22). Haywood and Kidd both had a bit of foul trouble (both with 4), and Haywood’s time on the bench further reminded us how much we’re missing Dampier right now. The game was pretty uneventful, but it goes in the win column so the Dallas streak is extended to eight in a row. 

Let’s look at the quarters… 

Continue reading this post »

The New Orleans Hornets have found another great point guard in Darren Collison, too bad it took Chris Paul going down with a knee injury to come to that realization.  While their 31-28 record makes it seem like they are underachieving, the Hornets are only six games back in the race for the 8^th playoff spot.  The "red hot" Dallas Mavericks have rattled off six straight wins since adding Butler, Haywood, and Stevenson from the Washington Wizards.

Do the Mavericks make it 7 straight or do the Hornets play spoiler? 

Game as a Whole:

The game looked like it was in the bag at the half and then late in the fourth quarter I could have sworn the Hornets had Chris Paul back on the court.  While the Mavericks have "renewed energy" and are "The NBA’s hottest team right now", hopefully this game gave them a bit of a wake up call.  Even a championship contender has to play the full 48 minutes to get a win.

The Mavericks clearly took a few possessions off late in the third quarter (all those turnovers) and this happened just as New Orleans started making shots.  Without a spectacular rebounding effort from Brendan Haywood and a handful of clutch baskets from Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks do not escape with the win tonight.  Dallas also got away from the ball sharing that worked so well for them in the first half.  After only seven games together the "new look" Dallas Mavericks are still very much a work in progress. 

Let's look at the quarters...

Continue reading this post »

Another recap courtesy of LJRotter:

The Dallas Mavericks are media darlings this week. They are on a league-best, five-game winning streak, with their latest W coming against the world champion Los Angeles Lakers. Their trade is the talk of the town, due in no small part to the immediate positive effect of their acquisitions. Caron Butler is still out, thanks to some bad medicine, and Erick Dampier is still sidelined by his middle finger. Will Dallas continue riding high after Wednesday’s game, or will the Atlanta Hawks send them back down to earth? 

Game as a Whole:

If ever there was a game of runs, this was it. To start, the teams were about even, but the Mavericks pulled ahead to a 14 point lead at one point in the second quarter. By the end of the half, the game was tied at 50-all. Then the Hawks showed their range with an impressive run of outside shots to put the Hawks up big in the third. Fortunately for Dallas fans, the Mavericks have recently made a habit of coming back from behind for big wins. They caught up with unbelievable clutch shots from all of their big players to force the game into overtime. In the end, Dallas proved the veteran team and pulled out their sixth win. 

Though the play itself was impressive, the stars shined brighter than ever tonight, with Jason Kidd obtaining his 104^th triple double. He hit a dry spell in the middle of the game, but all was forgotten as he put in clutch three after clutch three. Dirk was reliable throughout, hitting key shots when they mattered most, including a huge three in overtime. Barea, who has felt the wrath of Dallas fans for losing his spark, saw extended minutes in place of Marion at the end of the game, and made them worth it with active defense and several important layups. Terry had a respectable 17 points off the bench, and Haywood continued his impressive contribution to the Dallas lineup with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Most exciting? Every Maverick that set foot on the hardwood tonight managed to score. 

Let's look at the quarters...

Continue reading this post »

The Lakers (43-14) come into the American Airlines Center riding high after Kobe Bryant willed them to a two-point win against the Memphis Grizzlies.  The Dallas Mavericks put their four-game win streak on the line as they continue to get acclimated to a new lineup. 

Can the Lakers steal a win in a back-to-back or do the Mavericks come out with too much energy?

Game as a Whole:

The "new look" Mavericks must be doomed without their new marquee player in Caron Butler, right?  News Flash, the Mavericks gut out a tough win and hold their sixth straight opponent under 100 points (thanks Walter).  Has Brendan Haywood proved that he was the key piece the Dallas Mavericks were really looking to acquire in their trade with Washington?

It’s amazing how a trade can shake up a team and get them re-energized at exactly the right moment.  A win over the Lakers is a huge confidence boost but there were also a bunch of other bright spots for Dallas.  DeShawn Stevenson comes in and plays some excellent defense against Kobe Bryant in the first half.  Terry gets his scoring touch back as he nailed clutch basket after clutch basket.  The Dallas team as a whole outworks Los Angeles on the offensive glass.  Finally, Haywood doesn’t pick up his first foul until the fourth quarter.

When the Mavericks play well they can be scary.  They are still working on which point guard will get the bulk of the minutes when Kidd has to go to the bench. The bigger problem is who will the Mavericks sign to backup Haywood as Dampier recovers?

Let's look at the quarters...

Continue reading this post »

Both the Heat and Mavericks have played 4 games in 5 nights; one would expect tired legs and a slow paced game for both teams.  Although both teams have had identical schedules as of late, they are on completely divergent paths.  Miami is without Dwayne Wade and battling to hold onto the seventh spot in the East.  Dallas, on the other hand, is on a two game winning streak and reenergized by the newest additions to the roster.

Game as a Whole:

Jason Kidd looked like he was drinking from the fountain of youth and the Mavericks held their third straight opponent under 100 points for the night.  Call it what you will but the "new guys" that moved from Washington to Dallas definitely have something to do with all this renewed energy.

It would seem that Dallas has finally assembled its "big three" in Kidd, Butler, and Nowitzki.  That is not to discount what Haywood has brought to the team, he has brought a ton, but these three players are what currently make the Mavericks go.  Kidd continues to be an assist machine while also getting his hands into every passing lane.  Butler pours in 20 points and is ready to make big plays at a moments notice.  Nowitzki, as usual, is Nowitzki. 

Combine those guys with a bunch of solid role players and you have got the makings of a champion.

Continue reading this post »

The Mavericks come into tonight’s game trying to quickly accommodate new teammates Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler while licking their wounds from a 13-point loss to the Thunder.  The Phoenix Suns are looking to steal one in Dallas and tip the season series in their favor.  Both teams are on the hunt and every win counts as the season heads toward its conclusion.

Are the "New Look Mavs" up to the challenge at home or do they wilt under the pressure?

Game as a Whole:

The Mavericks needed to prove to themselves that they could still win a basketball game. Standing in their way: a back-to-back against the Phoenix Suns.  Offensive rebounding and active defense got it done for Dallas tonight.  Whenever you can hold a high-octane offense like the Suns under 100 points for the night, you know you are doing something right. 

Haywood gets the start and immediately makes an impact by locking down the paint and sending back five shots.  Kidd gets into the act by chipping in a career-high seven steals, causing the Suns to lose their offensive continuity.  Finally, the fourth quarter was won on the back of offensive rebounding.  Every Dallas player was keyed in toward the end of the 4^th, grabbing the offensive boards and securing another possession for the team.

The most exciting prospect of the night: the Mavericks haven’t even begun to play their best basketball. 

Continue reading this post »

Recap courtesy of LJRotter.  Missed the whole game due to work:(  

In the trade of the season (so far), the Dallas Mavericks acquired former All-Star Caron Butler, along with his Wizard teammates Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson. The Wizards, in return, got Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross. Mavericks fans have been itching for some sort of action from the Dallas front office, and in their first game back from the All-Star Break, the "New Guys" will see some action, despite not having a had chance to practice. Will they provide an instant spark, or will some more work be needed to send the Mavericks back to their winning ways? 

Game as a Whole:

The Mavericks had an auspicious start, with the first quarter going quite well for players new and old. But somewhere along the line at the end of the second quarter, things started to unravel. Terry never really got going, and his few points in the fourth quarter were too little, too late. With all his new toys on the bench, it’s strange that Carlisle brought Barea in during key minutes. He didn’t seem to utilize Haywood as much as I would have liked, though Dampier didn’t have too bad of a game. 

It’s hard to watch the team collapse the same way, game after game. The Thunder are a young, talented team. Some might say they’re up and coming, with their 7-game winning streak, second only to that of the Cavaliers, who have 13 straight wins. This is no excuse for Dallas, who let their defense go soft as the game went on. The teams below them in the West are sneaking up, especially Oklahoma City, who is now just a half game back. The Mavericks, who have dropped 6 of their last 10, need to figure out how to best utilize their three new teammates, and fast. 

Lets look at the quarters...

Continue reading this post »

George Karl and the Denver Nuggets must be mile high as Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony are both back for tonight’s home game against a mediocre Dallas team.  The slumping Mavericks face off against the second best team in the Western conference after needing 127 points just to put the Warriors away.  

Do the Mavericks limp to the finish line or power through for a win? 

Game as a Whole:

The game was over in the middle of the third when the Nuggets already had five players in double figures.  One can’t be all "doom and gloom" as this is just one game, but it is truly disheartening to know that at some point these same Mavericks will find themselves having to match up with the Nuggets if they make an extended playoff run. 

Will rest help Dallas regain some of the confidence that they have lost?  We can all pretend that this is the case but more than likely it is wishful thinking.  Dallas needs to get inspired again on the defensive end and learn to stop giving up 100+ points a game.  I am unsure if this is a Mavericks’ team that even knows how to win a game by keep their opponent in check through four quarters. 

Continue reading this post »

Dallas must be happy that the All-Star break will soon be upon us.  After losing their winning ways in January, the Mavericks are looking to save some face by winning their last two games.  The Golden State Warriors welcome the Mavericks to Oracle Arena looking to avenge the nine-point loss they suffered less than a week ago.

Does Monta Ellis go for 40+ again or is it the Mavericks who find a way to play defense? 

Game as a Whole

Sure, it was a bit hairy at times but Dallas eventually found the stops it needed to dig out a win.  Even with the win, the Maverick team that looked so good early this year is a thing of the past.  The defense, which was once stout gave up 117 points and had to play zone for long stretches to actually stay in the game.  

On the bright side, Howard helped keep the Mavericks in the game by chipping in 25 points.  Terry’s shooting stroke returned as he dropped a season high 36 points with six three pointers on the night.  Finally, the Mavericks end up with 41 fast break points against the Warriors, which is amazing when you consider how much Golden State likes to run.  

Dallas has its problems but a win is a win.  Maybe a long break is all the Mavericks really need.   

Let’s look at the quarters…

Continue reading this post »

The 4 and 21 (away) Minnesota Timberwolves come into Dallas looking to extend their two game win streak that was started by the Clippers and Knicks.  The Mavericks have been up and down lately, looking okay in short spurts but seemingly unable to put together a complete game. 

Does youth outclass veteran cunning? 

Game as a Whole:

The Mavericks are who we though they were.  They return to their losing ways as they crash and burn in the fourth after battling valiantly to get back into the game.  Where did it all go wrong for the Mavericks?  Starting at the end of the third where the Timberwolves made a three at the buzzer, the Dallas Mavericks couldn’t seem to slow Minnesota or figure out how to put the ball in the basket. 

Dallas made it a game with the help of Beaubois and the three-guard line up (expect to see more of that in the future).  Unfortunately for the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki fouls Corey Brewer on a three, which essentially gift-wraps the game for the Timberwolves.  In the end, veteran teams should never let it get that close but this a different Mavericks team. 

Let’s look at the quarters…

Continue reading this post »

As the Dallas Mavericks come in to tonight’s game against the Golden State Warriors one can only hope that they learned their lesson from the last time these two teams met.  In November the Warriors only dressed the minimum six players but still managed to pull out an eight-point win.  

Try as he might that game, Dirk couldn’t save Dallas even as he poured in 28 points (Ellis finished with 37).  Do the Mavericks learn from past mistakes are they doomed to repeat history?  

Game as a Whole:

Welcome back Josh Howard.  After a handful of trade rumors and constant blogging about how Howard has not been helping the team, we see the Mavericks’ swingman go for 19 on 9 for 15 shooting.  Howard was also one of five Dallas players to reach double figures, which the Mavericks needed to overcome a Warriors surge late. 

The other big story of the night was Beaubois soaking up a majority of the minutes usually reserved for Barea.  During Beaubois’ sixteen-minute stint we got to watch as he ran the offense for a majority of the 4^th quarter before seeing Kidd return to finish out the game.  Was he spectacular?  Definitely not, but he played solid enough for a rookie who has not logged a ton of minutes in the NBA. 

Another interesting note, Najera got the start in place of Gooden.  I do like that Carlisle is trying to work Najera into the lineup and keeping Gooden coming off the bench to energize the second unit (which he did effectively tonight).

Let’s look at the quarters…

Continue reading this post »

The road-tested Dallas Mavericks must be looking forward to heading out on the road, escaping the American Airlines center and their lackluster home record (14-8).  The Utah Jazz are definitely in a groove right now after winning 9 of their last ten and currently in the middle of a five game winning streak.  

Tonight the Mavericks will live and die by how fast their rotations are.

Can the Dallas defense rise to the occasion or will the Jazz run them out of the gym?

Game as a Whole:

One could argue that the Mavericks just met a hot team on the wrong night but that would be ignoring most of the evidence pointing to a Mavericks decline. Since November when the Mavericks went 11 and 4, they have seen their wins and losses draw ever closer (December 9-5, January 8-7).  To end January the Mavericks were giving up 101.5 points on the defensive end and getting blocked 4.5 times on the offensive end.

Watching the first half, the Mavericks looked like they were in for a long night before the contest really even ramped up.  While the rest of the Jazz were largely subdued, Paul Millsap went crazy on the boards and in the paint (he ended with 25).  The 2^nd half was a nightmare as the Mavericks got consistently out-hustled on every play that mattered (Jazz had over a +10 rebounding advantage). 

I have a few answers to these problems but first,

Let’s look at the quarters…

Continue reading this post »