Mavs Moneyball

Game Recap: Win Streak Comes to an End, 128-94

2010-03-14T04:09:18Z

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…

1st Quarter:

Didn’t even look like the Knicks jumped for the tip. Haywood has his first shot blocked by David Lee.
Butler notches the first bucker for the Mavericks with a mid-range jumper.
Haywood gets the ball knocked out of his hands by McGrady. The sad part is that no one called out the double team coming.
9:00, Nowitzki gets his first basket of the night in the paint. He is currently 1 for 2 from the floor.
8:18, Back-to-back fouls for the Knicks. It is funny that both of the former Wizards were the ones who went to the line.
6:55, Butler shouldering the scoring load early for Dallas. He has six of Dallas’ eleven points.
5:51, Dirk punches the ball out to Kidd for another possession. Butler forces Gallinari to pick up his second foul. Caron misses both free throws.
4:49, Nowitzki fails to cover the paint as David Lee charges in to pick up the foul.
4:32, Beaubois loves to look for Marion. Beaubois hits Marion deep in the post for an easy bucket.
The Mavericks refuse to put their foot on the gas and are content with letting the Knicks hang around.
3:13. Kidd hits his first three off of a little brush screen. That ties his all-time season high with 140 three pointers made.
1:43, Kidd with a rare 15-foot jumper. It only took four passes and an offensive rebound to get that one basket.
:27, Beaubois gets the and-1 on Eddie House. The rookie misses the free throw.
Knicks take a five-point lead into the second quarter. No fifty point blowout tonight folks.

2nd Quarter:

Chris Duhon comes in. He is going to be pretty cold after not playing for 11 games.
Barea comes back after only a one game absence when he rolled his ankle.
11:04, Harrington is taking advantage of Nowitzki in the paint.
Beaubois getting taken to the cup by Eddie House? I didn’t even know House could drive the ball.
9:42, Another basket for Nowitzki in the paint as the jump shot is not falling.
8:22, No offense to DeShawn but he is not the guy you want taking a mid-range jump shot when you are down by 11.
7:33, Najera with the spin move and the score. The double-team on Nowitzki freed up the paint.
Al Harrington already has 13 points for the night. Going to chalk that up to not playing most of the second quarter with a true center.
6:41, Dallas is taking and missing a ton of long- to mid-range jumpers. That is directly opposite to what the Knicks are doing (attacking the paint hard on every possession).
5:41, Barea with the three to cut the Knicks lead to 8.
4:39, Nowitzki back at the line all thanks to attacking the paint.
Haven’t seen any zone yet from the Mavericks, sure it will show up at some point.
Marion is leading the scoring charge in the second quarter. He and Dirk both have 10.
The Knicks are currently shooting 60% from the field. The Mavericks are still sticking with their smaller lineup.
1:18, Barea knifes into the lane to cut the Knick lead to 8 again.
Two turnovers end the quarter for the Mavericks. They are lucky to only be down ten points after that.

3rd Quarter:

Knicks get an easy bucket to start the second half. Lee follows it up with an uncontested dunk.
10:26, Marion gets the shooters roll on one of his little flip shots. Mavericks aren’t getting any closer to the Knicks as they continue to fail on the defensive end.
Can’t believe Marion’s pump fake behind the three-point line actually gets defenders in the air.
8:42, Chandler picks up the and-1 on Dirk. Nowitzki is notorious for not fouling hard enough when an opposing player is going up for a shot.
Marion is getting a bunch of touches in the paint, not leaving too many touches for anybody else.
7:53, Just the way the night is going, Beaubois is immediately called for traveling after coming into the game.
Dallas continues to shoot threes even though they are only hovering around 23% for the game. Move the ball around a bit, guys.
5:19, Another sign you are having a bad night, Nowitzki bites on the McGrady pump fake and the basket goes. That Gives the Knicks a 22-point lead.
The Mavericks are utterly clueless on the David Lee pick and roll. The Knicks have run the play at least five times as Lee keeps getting great looks.
What a role reversal for Dallas. Going from a 50-point win just a couple of months ago to being down 25.
1:51, Kidd adds another three to his total. He is the only other Maverick to make a three.
Maybe Rick Carlisle should just have some fun with this one. Let’s put Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood in at the same time, see how it goes.

4th Quarter:

Not much to talk about. Mavericks have been down by as much as 30.
8:54, Barea gets away with way too much dribbling. Hits a fall away jumper.
15-21 from the line so far for Dallas, would be nice to have those six points.
Nowitzki gets a technical foul just to prove how frustrated he is. Officiating has seemed a little out of whack but that is no excuse for the Maverick defense.
Matt Carroll actually drills a shot! Silver Lining.

Some Choice Statistics:

Rick Carlisle played for the Knicks during the ‘87-‘88 season. He averaged only 2.8 points and 1.2 steals a game.
This is the third longest win streak in Mavericks history. The longest was 17 games in the ‘06-‘07 season.
The last time the Knicks beat the Mavericks, January of ’06. The last time the Knicks beat the Mavericks in Dallas? 1999.

Final Thoughts:

Even the best teams can take a night off (or if you are the Lakers, you can take three nights).

Knicks at Mavs Open Thread

2010-03-14T01:00:25Z

Dallas favored by 10.5 | Over/Under 213 | Posting and Toasting

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Game Recap: Nets Can't Trap Mavs, 96-87

2010-03-11T04:21:39Z

More photos » Tony Gutierrez - AP

Browse more photos »

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…

1st Quarter:

Haywood gets the start at center tonight.
11:31, Kidd gets fouled right away, makes only his second free throw.
10:05, Devin Harris takes a beautiful three. He got an ovation when he came in to the American Airlines Center. Nets lead 5-1 early.
The Mavericks look a bit too confident. If they try too hard to showboat, they could get in trouble. So far they are scoreless from the field, and Carlisle is wise to take a time out.
8:05, Caron Butler gets the Mavericks their first score with a smooth jumper.
6:20, Shawn Marion takes a rebound coast to coast for an easy lay-in.
4:58, Roddy Beaubois makes a steal and takes it down for a score.
3:27, Beaubois is trying to get the Mavericks back in the game with some young energy.
2:52, Kidd gets a rare close jumper to go in. Let’s hope Dallas is back in this.
With the Nets over the limit, Kidd shoots and makes a pair of free throws.
1:33, Roddy gets a nice feed from Dirk and runs, undefended, to the basket.
:22.7, Dirk makes an angry dunk.
Mavs go into the 2^nd quarter down 33-19.

2nd Quarter:

Dirk gets fouled right off the bat, and he makes both.
Every single shot is going in for the Nets. It’s getting scary.
10:12, Kidd misses a layup but Najera cleans it up. Mavs down 14.
Few things to talk about right now. The Mavericks forgot to show up for this game.
7:36, Haywood gets his own rebound and pounds it in for the and-1. He is able to convert.
6:32, And 1 opportunity for Nowitzki, he ends up shanking the free throw.
5:50, Josh Boone tires to get physical with Nowitzki, ends up picking up his third foul.
Not going to win many games when your team is shooting only 32%.
4:50, Courtney Lee misses a three badly which leads to Beaubois going coast to coast for the basket plus the foul. Mavericks weren’t going to stay down forever.
Net’s announcer claims that Terrance Williams has one of the better "first steps" in the NBA. Not so sure about that.
3:23, Jason Kidd goes into the stands hard for a loose ball and Marion benefits for the dunk. It says a lot when your 36-year-old point guard is still charging for loose balls like it’s game seven of the Western Conference Finals.
3:01, Devin Harris draws the offensive foul on Jason Kidd. Weird to see Kidd try to take it himself instead of dishing it.
2:30, No resistance for Roddy at the cup. He scores with ease. I sense a career night for him.
1:55, Harris goes for the loose ball but comes up short. Dallas gets another possession and it leads to a Beaubois turnover.
Shawn Marion’s offense has disappeared. Marion, come out to play.
Carlisle needs to bring out his best motivational quotes for the 2^nd half.

3rd Quarter:

Mavericks start with a Nowitzki iso early. He misses the shot.
10:44, Boone can’t even play for a full two minutes before he picks up his fourth foul.
10:30, Haywood shows a little range with the jump shot.
9:17, Butler drives hard to the basket for the score. Someone needs to shoulder the scoring load.
8:52, Nowitzki drills a tough jumper. The Mavericks are only down four now.
8:15, One would think that Kris Humphries wouldn’t fall for Nowitzki’s moves. Lucky for Dallas that is not the case.
7:30, Harris coughs up the ball and Butler is right there to feed Marion on the fast break. Marion ties the game from the foul line.
6:56, Nowitzki called for the moving screen, picks up his third foul.
6:22, Kidd hits the three to counter a Harris three.
5:56, Butler picks up his fourth foul, on the offensive end, as he clears out with the left arm.
The Mavericks are continuing to run the ball straight down the Nets throat. Every missed shot Dallas is pushing the ball.
5:33, Dallas finally reclaims the lead since leading at the 1-0 mark in the first quarter.
4:56, Kidd calling from the ball and Dirk gives it up. Great choice by Dirk as Kidd notches the three.
4:06, Loose ball foul by the Nets leads to Dallas foul shots for Haywood.
3:37, Kidd rewards the big man for running the floor. One handed jam for Haywood.
2:48, Marion slams home Kidd’s miss. The Mavericks are starting to attack the glass on the offensive end.
1:43, Haywood cuts off a Brooke Lopez spin off. Lopez gets called for the travel.
Nets Announcer claims that DeShawn Stevenson has the greatest beard in NBA history. Now that is a fact I can get behind.

4th Quarter:

Stevenson gets his first points thanks to a goaltending call on the Nets.
10:51, Beaubois hits a three bringing his total to 16 points for the night.
10:20, Kidd gives the Mavericks back-to-back threes.
9:45, Another three for Kidd and I feel like I am at the three point shooting contest.
Dallas, even with both centers available, is still running with Nowitzki at the 5 and Najera at the four.
8:02, New Jersey goes on an 11-3 run to cut the Maverick lead to three.
7:01, Even though Nowitzki is slow to a loose ball, he forces Humphries to pick up the offensive foul.
6:14, Beaubois picks up his fifth foul as if the Mavericks weren’t short on guards.
5:52, Caron Butler chips in a two-point jumper.
The Mavericks have clawed their way to 42% shooting but have let the Nets back into the game.
3:55, Off another Nowitzki miss, Butler gathers the offensive rebound and gets the put back.
2:41, Dirk passes out of a double team for a clutch three from Kidd.
1:45, Butler seems really relaxed on offense. Drops in a two after taking his time in getting to the position he wants.
1:15, Haywood catches Butler in the nose, nothing looks to be broken but Butler took awhile to get up.
:50.0, Haywood flips in a little bank shot. The catch in traffic was a sight to behold.

Some Choice Statistics:

Before tonight, Dirk Nowitzki had gone 13 games in a row scoring 20+ points. Lebron James leads him by only three games.
The Nets have not won a road game against the West this season and haven’t won a game against the Mavericks since 2000.
Nowitzki is now resting at number 30 on the NBA all time scoring list.

Final Thoughts:

The Mavericks looked comfortable and didn’t seem too worried even as shots weren’t falling. This Dallas squad showed a lot of poise tonight when they easily could have not cared about this game.

Nets at Mavs Open thread

2010-03-11T01:00:40Z

Dallas favored by 11.5 | Over/Under 204 | Nets Daily

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Wednesday Wacky Winks

2010-03-10T20:44:24Z

No, Elmer Fudd did not come up with the title. Good news everyone! Dampy damp and Haywood are expected to be in the lineup tonight. Although our own little "Puerto Rican Rotorooter" is out with a sprained ankle. What a cruel world!

In a quick little blog entry, Todd Davis of the DMN Mavs blog says

The news is not all good on the injury front, however. Backup point guard J.J. Barea will be out with a sprained ankle.

Signor Eddie Sefko has a preview of tonight's Mavs vs Nets game. Some people call them the Nyets since they're not a very good team. Little known fact, in Soviet Union, Nyets play you!

ESPN Dallas asks Shawn Marion what's going on with the team. His response? We're Just Playing Ball.

That's what's up!

Tim Legler of ESPN Dallas says the Mavericks pose a serious threat to the Lakers for the Western Conference championship.

Wowsers! Let's keep our heads cool though, I don't want to jinx anything.

Now, we can't finish off these "wacky winks" without something wacky. This video kicks off a concert series about a "SuperBowl" or something footbally, more info on that here. This is just..I...I just don't know.

Tuesday Toss-Up

2010-03-09T18:09:38Z

Here are your Tuesday links and info on YOUR, DALLAS, MAAAVERIIICKS!

Dallas Mavericks Cruise to 12th Straight Win | Eddie Sefko-DMN

"The night, however, ended on a sour note as J.J. Barea stepped on Darko Milicic's foot with 2:29 left in the fourth quarter. Barea limped to the locker room. X-rays were negative, and Barea said, "I think it'll be OK" as he hobbled around the locker room.

It couldn't put a damper on the winning streak, however. The run is tied for fifth-longest in franchise history, and it'll be another 11 days before they face a team with a winning record. Plus, their next four games are at home."

Darko's suck is so strong, he pulled Barea toward him and caused him to injure his ankle. Hopefully Juan will be alright.

Mavs will play the outdoor game next October and Dirty gets named WPOW. Can I get an Amen?

French may soon call on Beaubois for national team. | Sefko-DMN

An article from yesterday on how the French want to steal Roddy for their own nefarious gain. Viva Le Résistance!

Barkley considers hopping on Mavs bandwagon. | Tim Macmahon-ESPN Dallas

"Noted Mavs critic Charles Barkley is almost ready to jump on the bandwagon. A team that was like a “pretty girl with no brain” has earned Barkley’s respect after a trade that transformed the Mavs’ personality."

We don't have anymore room, fatty.

Depleted Dallas Makes Suns-Like Adjustment For High-Octane Offense | David Lord and Mike Fisher- DB.com

Are we really running and/or gunning?

Mavs Donuts: Microwaved For This 'Golden Age'

They need to really make Mavs donuts. Imagine the possible names, The Dirty Donut, Blueberry Barea, Caron's Strawberry Special.

Do You Know What It Feels Like | Rob Mahoney -TheTwoManGame.com

Peeng, Pahng! I always read that site as the women game :(

Finally, a tale about moi. I hate having long finger nails, so I do a good job of keeping them neat. I also hate when my car, "Roxie", is dirty and unkempt. Most of all though, I am a superstitious guy. How are all these three linked?

I put on my Mavs car window flag the 10th of March when I was going to Jamfest. What happened there? I only met The Blonde Bomber and got his autograph. The flag has been on ever since and we've lost only one game. My nails haven't been cut since then and the car has bird poopy. So the question is...

Poll

Do I cut my nails and temporarily take off the car flag to wash the car?

Mavs at Timberwolves Open Thread

2010-03-09T00:56:53Z

Sue Ogrocki - AP

15 days ago: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (42) collides with Oklahoma City Thunder forward Nick Collison, lower right, as guard Eric Maynor, left, looks on in the third quarter of an NBA basketball game in Oklahoma City, Friday, Feb. 26, 2010. Love had 19 points for Minnesota, but Oklahoma City won 109- 92. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

View full size photo »

Dallas favored by 7 | Over/Under 208 | Canis Hoopus

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Sunday Roundup

2010-03-07T17:10:31Z

More photos » Nam Y. Huh - AP

7 days ago: Dallas Mavericks' Caron Butler, left, celebrates with Rodrique Beaubois after they defeated the Chicago Bulls 122-116 during an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, March 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Browse more photos »

Mavericks riding rookie Beaubois' wave | ESPN Dallas
"He played great. He had like 18 in that third quarter for us, which was a big lift," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "He hit timely shots for us then when the Bulls were on a run. We're going to need him to continue playing like that with Jet out." "It feels pretty good," Beaubois said. "I've gotten the opportunity to play so I'm trying to be aggressive; just play. My teammates have given me good passes. My coaches, everybody, have been helpful."

Sunday Mavs Donuts! One-Of-A-Kind Numbers | Mike Fisher - DB.com
The statistical oddity that is Jason Kidd surfaced again in the Mavericks’ win at Chicago on Saturday. While everyone else was going nuts with the scoring (Dallas shot 56 percent, Dirk/Caron/Roddy combined for 75 points and even Eddie was in double figures with 11), J-Kidd was contributing 11 rebounds and 15 assists. What’s the big whoop? Kidd is the only player in NBA this year with a rebounds/assists double-double … and he’s done it four times.

For the short-handed Mavericks, less was best in win over Bulls | Sefko - DMN
the Mavericks have faith in Najera, who gave them plenty of solid minutes against the Bulls. Second, bringing in another player would have provided six more fouls. But when you look at the Mavericks' upcoming schedule – plus the fact that Erick Dampier should return this week – it's not real obvious that they have a need for more beef. And, while it's subjective, there may be another benefit to not bringing in an unfamiliar body. Going into a game with only nine healthy players can be a terrific bonding agent.

Mavs QUOTEBOARD: Caron On Win At Chicago | DB.com
Caron on the 11-game win streak "I’m enjoying it. A great feeling. I haven’t been a part of something like this ever.’’

Beat goes on: Out-manned Mavericks win 11th straight | Sefko - DMN
The Mavericks scored on seven of eight possessions at one late stage, which was a good thing because they couldn't stop the Bulls, particularly Derrick Rose. "We were really small," said Nowitzki, who hit five of his last six shots and finished with 27 points. "We just couldn't get any stops. We were using trick defenses and some zones, but they kept scoring. But we shared the ball well, had 31 assists, and I think that's a sign of a bunch of guys who want to play with each other."

Mavs at Bulls Open Thread

2010-03-07T01:15:40Z

Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

9 days ago: Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, left, snags a loose ball as Chicago Bulls defenders Hakim Warrick, center, and Luol Deng watch during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, March 4, 2010, in Chicago. The Grizzlies won 105-96. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

View full size photo »

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Saturday Morning Roundup

2010-03-06T14:29:12Z

More photos » Tony Gutierrez - AP

Browse more photos »

Depleted, not defeated: Short-handed Mavs win 10th straight | Sefko DMN
In a sequence of three possessions, Beaubois threw in a 3-pointer, drove by 7-1 center Spencer Hawes for a traditional three-point play and finished off a fast break with another score. Beaubois' show energized the Mavericks. "We needed that extra energy Roddy brings," Marion said. Beaubois has had two consecutive strong games. The telling statistic is the Mavericks have had a 16-point advantage with Beaubois playing and have been outscored by five points with him on the bench.

Mavericks' Kidd doesn't catch many breaks | DMN
Carlisle understands the importance of not burning Kidd to a crisp before the playoffs. Carlisle does not plan on giving Kidd another game off but would like to keep his minutes in the mid-30s range. "Any time we try to talk about a number, it goes up," Kidd said. "The thing is being fresh, but we have to win games now and not worry about the playoffs. We can rest all summer."

Haywood day-to-day; Wafer walks | Jeff Caplan - ESPN Dallas
Center Brendan Haywood experienced stiffness in his lower back Friday morning and then tweaked it on the game's opening jump ball. He left for good after playing just seven minutes in the first quarter. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said Haywood is day-to-day, leaving his status for Saturday night's game at Chicago uncertain.

Saturday Morning Mavs Donuts: 'The Streak Is Alive!' | DB.com
Von Wafer apparently won't be re-upped as his 10-day contract is expiring. Tim Thomas is unavailable, Damp is still more than a week away from returning, Big Wood could only go for seven minutes, Dirk had to play some 5 and Eddie Najera (being stretched to 26 minutes but unfortunately not able to stretch beyond 6-8) is suddenly the most important character to come out of New Jersey since Tony Soprano. Dallas needs a body.

Kings at Mavs Open Thread

2010-03-06T01:00:40Z

Dallas Favored by 8.5 | Over/Under 201 | Sactown Royalty

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Timberwolves at Mavs Open Thread

2010-03-04T01:25:31Z

Dallas favored by 13 | Over/Under 202 | Canis Hoopus

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Tim Thomas likely will not return this season to care for ailing wife

2010-03-02T22:46:39Z

Tim Thomas likely will not return this season to care for ailing wife

The nature of her illness is unknown, but it seems to have been an ongoing problem for about a year now and serious enough for him to put this situation ahead of his sport and profession.

Good luck to Tricia, Tim, and the rest of their family.

(Dallas Morning News via RealGM)

Game Recap: JET Powers Mavs Past Bobcats in Fourth, 89-84

2010-03-02T04:53:06Z

More photos » Chuck Burton - AP

Browse more photos »

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…

1st Quarter:

Mavs win the tip, Marion misses his first shot. Bobcats miss their first as well, but Wallace gets fouled. He misses the first free throw, makes the second.
11:04, HUGE rotation failure on defense gives Wallace all day to make a three.
Dallas’ first points come from a pair of free throws by Haywood.
Kidd misses a three, Stephen Jackson makes a long two on the other end.
9:49, Marion makes one of his weird shots for the Mavs’ first basket.
Defense will need to step up on Jackson, because he’s shooting well.
8:31, Caron Butler hits a midrange jumper. The Mavericks look as though their 4am arrival is affecting their energy.
7:44, Raymond Felton recovers a steal for the Bobcats and takes it down the open floor. The Mavericks look extra sluggish.
Kidd misses ANOTHER three. Maybe try another method for now.
6:57, Butler drives to the basket and gets fouled for the and-one. He makes the extra point.
6:00, Jason Terry comes in and scores a pair for Dallas.
Stephen Jackson is 4-5 already.
5:14, Dirk Nowitzki takes and makes his first shot, and gets a foul in the process. He makes the extra point for the three point play.
Marion and Haywood both miss in close.
4:03, Terry makes a much-needed three from his favorite spot on the baseline.
Mavericks are having a hard time putting the ball in the basket. Kinda defeats the purpose of the game, doesn’t it?
1:34, Dirk gets his defender to bite on a shot fake, and makes the basket.
1:02, Dirk gets double-teamed and fouled, and the Charlotte announcers refer to it as ‘hack-a-Dirk’. Doesn’t have the same ring.
:10.9, Butler drives to the basket and makes it with the foul. He gets the extra point to go for the three point play, bringing the Mavs within 4.

2nd Quarter:

Barea starts the second quarter for Kidd. The announcers from Charlotte seem to think it’s pronounced to rhyme with diarrhea.
11:23, Dirk makes a beautiful long jumper, impossible to defend.
10:43, Butler seems to be willing this team back into it. He makes a nice shot to stay within 2.
9:31, Terry ties the score with a short runner in the lane.
Several players end up on the floor hustling for the ball, and it results in a Dallas steal ending with a Barea score.
7:28, Butler gets some wide open space to take a nice jump shot, putting the Mavs up by three. He then commits a foul on the other end.
6:38, Refs are unable to determine who last touched the ball, so they call a jump ball between Butler and Jackson. Jackson wins the tip.
5:22, Haywood tries to get a foul but just goes ahead and makes the basket in close.
4:24, Kidd finally makes a three. Maybe he’ll go on a run again.
3:54, Terry makes a slick pass to Dirk, who rattles it in.
Dirk looks tired as his jumper falls short.
With less that a minute to go, Graham makes a three, extending the Bobcats lead to 12. Not a great way to go into the locker room.
:04.3 Dirk decides to do something about it and puts in a fadeaway.

3rd Quarter:

11:27, Dirk starts the quarter off right for the Mavericks.
Neither Kidd nor Marion can get the same easy shot to fall.
9:31, Dirk puts a sweet little jumper in, nothing but net.
8:37, Caron Butler makes a long jump shot. Maybe some drives into the lane might be a good idea…
7:44, Apparently Dirk has decided he wants to win this game.
7:03, Thanks to a great offensive rebound from Haywood, Caron is able to make a second chance basket after Dirk misses.
6:25, Somehow Dirk was left open, so of course, he makes his shot. Dallas within 5.
5:46, Butler shows some excellent movement with the ball and shoots over Jackson.
4:43, Haywood with a monster dunk, thanks to the dish from Dirk.
4:09, Same play results in a foul for Haywood. Jackson picks up his 3^rd foul, and Haywood picks up one of two. Four point game.
2:00, At the two-minute warning, Dirk dumps an easy one in. Mavs down 2.
Haywood goes out with 4 fouls
:55.2, Butler ties the game with a jumper.
Dallas goes into the final quarter down by two.

4th Quarter:

10:44,DJ Augustin charges right into Barea for the offensive foul.
First three shots to start the quarter have all been misses for the Mavericks, turnovers for the Bobcats. Score hasn’t changed.
Make that four with a miss from Dirk, followed by a travel for Charlotte.
9:34, Butler gets the first score after losing his defender.
8:28, Terry finally makes one. He’s been cold.
7:42, Terry misses again, but gets the first team foul for the Bobcats from Felton. He makes both free throws. Mavericks still down 2.
7:26, Fast break play caused by a steal from Terry leads to a Marion dunk.
6:50, Apparently Terry is feeling inspired. He takes a quick shot for the Dallas lead. Could this be the turning point?
6:14, Could be! Terry scores again!
5:34, Dirk gives Dallas their biggest lead of the night with his signature shot.
Bobcats are 6 of 23 in the 4^th.
4:45, Suddenly Jason Terry is on fire. He nails a three to put the Mavericks up by 8.
4:02, Off balance, on one foot, Dirk puts it in. Awesome.
1:15, Terry makes a nice little move to the basket.
Kidd fouled after a Bobcat miss, but he misses both free throws, keeping it a two possession game.
:08.8, Dirk fouled on the inbounds. If he makes these, he can ice the game. He does, and that’s it for the Bobcats.

Some Choice Statistics:

Tonight’s win over the Bobcats was the 12^th in a row for Dallas. In fact, Dallas is the only NBA team that Charlotte has yet to beat.
The longest win streak in Mavericks history is 17 wins, during the 06-07 season. That makes 8 games seem kind of weak, doesn’t it?

Final Thoughts:

Over the past few games, we have seen streaks of excellent basketball from the Mavericks. Tonight’s game lacked that luster, but added to the stat for wins by 5 points or fewer. Speaking as a fan, I ask that the Mavericks try to aim for some more convincing wins to close out the season.

Mavs at Bobcats Open Thread

2010-03-02T00:00:02Z

Chuck Burton - AP

14 days ago: FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2010, file photo, Charlotte Bobcats managing partner Michael Jordan, left, talks with player Stephen Jackson during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in Charlotte, N.C. Jordan struck a deal late Friday, Feb. 26, 2010, to buy a controlling interest in the Bobcats, making the NBA's greatest player the owner of the money-losing team in his home state. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

View full size photo »

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Game Recap: Mavericks Hold Off Hornets, 108-100

2010-03-01T06:00:42Z

More photos » Tim Sharp - AP

Browse more photos »

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...

1st Quarter:

Welcome back Caron Butler. Let’s see how that knee holds up tonight.
11:41, West tries to drive to the basket and is immediately met by Nowitzki and Haywood.
11:16, Kidd makes his first three of the game and puts the first Maverick points on the board.
10:46, Butler takes a quick jumper coming off a screen and drills it. That is an early confidence builder for Caron, sans straws.
Mavericks are pushing the ball hard up the floor on every miss. The quicker pass seems to suit them.
8:53, Collison shows why you don’t gamble for the steal on a veteran. Butler gets the fast break two.
7:42, Nowitzki is just watching Butler work right now. Caron takes the feed from Dirk and finishes with a smooth jumper.
7:17, Marion gathers a bunch of offensive rebounds but he can never seem to finish on the put-back.
6:52, Stojakovic takes a "what were you thinking" three and it leads to a fast break bucket for Kidd.
Early timeout comes for both teams. There currently isn’t too much defense being played, and the guys need a breather.
6:14, Nowitzki’s first shot attempt is a rolling lay up in the paint. Attacking the paint early is a little out of character for Dirk.
5:21, Nowitzki gets schooled by Collison on a nasty crossover.
4:59, Nowitzki fights hard and nails his first basket in the paint.
4:43, Haywood running the floor takes the feed from Kidd and finishes at the cup. Have to reward the big man for running the floor.
3:56, First turnover of the game for either team. Hornets cough up the basketball.
Nowitzki has been spending a lot of time bodying up David West. The energy he is saving on the offensive end is flowing right into his defense.
3:11, Terry switches to another gear and knifes into the paint for a score. He then stays back and denies Collison the ball.
ESPN says Jason Kidd got "a man’s triple double", whatever that is.
2:07, Haywood gets an early dunk. Everyone likes easy offense.
1:24, Butler gets another easy score and the Mavericks are running a lay up line.
:33.1, Butler, playing full court defense, gets a quick steal that leads to another quick basket for Dallas.
Mavericks turned up the intensity on defense (really it was only Peja hitting shots) and that led to early offense.

2nd Quarter:

11:43, Assist from Barea to Terry for a short jumper. I am hoping the Mavericks go up big so we get to see Von Wafer.
11:08, Haywood at the line for the second time tonight. Makes both free throws.
10:51, Carlisle makes a smart move by putting Barea on Collison. Even though Barea gives up size at least he can stay with the Hornets point guard.
10:30, Terry gets an excellent look thanks to a Marion offensive rebound. The three ball goes down for the Dallas sixth man.
9:45, The Hornets are giving up a lot of "soft" fouls around the basket. Marion gets the basket and a foul.
9:12, Barea and Marion are playing a little two man game. Nowitzki doesn’t look like he is coming back in anytime soon.
8:35, Give the Barea/Marion duo another basket.
7:19, Collison goes to the crossover again and Barea falls victim.
The Mavericks are currently shooting 65% from the floor. Not going to win many games that way, Hornets.
6:38, Caron gets Najera into the scoring act with the perfect pass. Butler is playing better without the straws.
5:43, You know the Mavericks are having an amazing night when Najera has 4 points in the middle of the second quarter.
5:21, Nowitzki comes back in to practice his jump shot. He gets a front row seat to Butler hitting another midrange jumper.
3:01, Nowitzki is just wearing James Posey down on the offensive end. Posey tries to pull the chair out but Dirk still hits the jumper.
2:11, Nowitzki notches 14 points as the shot clock expires.
1:30, Najera, with a dunk? If only every game was like this.
:46.9, Barea feeds Nowitzki the ball for a lay up. Hornets try to contest but there is little defense to be found.
Didn’t you just want that last three pointer to go in?

3rd Quarter:

Butler starts his quarter off with a short jumper, that gives him 14 for the game.
All of the starters are back on the floor to start the second half. I don’t think they will stay on the floor for long.
10:12 Screen going to the basket for Butler results in a foul. Caron makes 1 of 2.
9:23, Kidd hits another three and is 2 of 3 from behind the arc.
8:36, Butler, after his last made field goal, is currently 8 of 11 from the floor. The knee looks good.
The Hornets go to the zone to try and disrupt the barrage of offense coming from the Mavericks.
6:43, Nowitzki thinks about a lay up but instead goes for the two handed jam.
6:18, Dirk gives up the ball on a fast break to pad Butler’s point total for the night, unselfish play all around.
5:44, The Mavericks are winning by so much that Dirk actually has time to tie his shoe. In case you wondered, it was a double knot.
4:53, Peja doesn’t get an easy basket as Nowitzki fouls him hard on his way to the basket.
4:21, Carlisle takes a timeout to stop a Hornet run, a strategic timeout.
3:35, Dallas has turned into a turnover machine this quarter. They have already racked up seven turnovers and the Hornets are on a 10-0 run.
2:36, Stevenson comes in to give the team more activity on the defensive end. The lead is now down to 14.
1:42, Haywood slows the game down with a post move and gets fouled by Okafor.
As they say, every team makes a run.
See you in the 4^th quarter, starters. There goes any chance of Von Wafer getting into the game tonight.

4th Quarter:

10:58, Barea draws the offensive foul on Thornton. That is the first thing to go the Mavs way this quarter.
10:15, Terry makes the first basket of the 4^th quarter.
10:03, David West picks up a travel, hopefully that gets the Mavericks rolling again.
9:33, Najera sky’s for a lose rebound. Najera negates this play by getting called for a moving screen.
Hornets are insisting that the Mavericks play the full 48 minutes.
8:15, Butler and Kidd come back into the game. Kidd is giving Collison a ton of space so that he doesn’t get taken to the rim.
7:39, Key rebound for Haywood on the last play. The Mavericks need every possession they can get right now.
7:22, Terry hits
7:19, Kidd with a veteran move, wrapping Collison up as he goes to the rim.
7:16, Have there even been back-to-back jump balls in the NBA? Kidd with another crazy play.
6:46, Where does Dallas go when they need a big play? Answer: Nowitzki.
6:21, Haywood tells Emeka "not in my house’. Two blocked shots lead to a shot clock violation.
6:05, Bower picks up a technical foul for the Hornets, for an instant momentum killer.
5:10, Thornton shows his inexperience as he coughs up the ball in the lane. Jason Kidd forces a pass and it ends up going back to the Hornets.
4:16, Nowitzki with another big jumper, that gives him 31 for the night.
3:30, Haywood backs down Peja exploiting the obvious mismatch.
3:21, West and Haywood pick up the double foul as the play gets a little chippy.
2:44, Collison has 32 points, do you bring Roddy in to try and play some defense on him?
2:15, Haywood gathers in a crucial rebound to give Dallas an extra play.
1:54, Butler draws iron on a fade away. Hornets fail to get any points on their next possession.
:58.2, Nowitzki takes the ball straight into the paint and puts it up right over Posey’s head.
:45.0, Butler anticipates Collison’s crossover perfectly and gets a steal to ice the game.

Some Choice Statistics:

Mavericks shoot 67% from the field and 50% from three in the first half.
Jason Terry was +20 for the first half and Darren Collison was -19 for the first half; a tale of two guards?
Brendan Haywood (53%) actually shoots worse from the free throw line than Erick Dampier (59%).

Closing Thoughts:

Rick Carlisle has some great footage to run through with his team after tonight’s game. One can see both how well and how poorly the Mavericks can play just by comparing the two halves. We will all have to wait to see how the Mavericks respond to making this win harder on themselves when they could have embarrassed the Hornets.

Hornets at Mavs Open Thread

2010-03-01T02:00:32Z

Dallas favored by 8 | Over/Under 199 | At the Hive

Discuss the game here.

GO MAVS

Dallas Mavericks representatives declined formal comment Sunday, but one source briefed on the...

2010-02-28T21:26:30Z

Dallas Mavericks representatives declined formal comment Sunday, but one source briefed on the discussions told ESPN.com that Ilgauskas' agent, Herb Rudoy, has informed the Mavericks that Ilgauskas intends to re-sign with the Cavaliers as soon as he's eligible.

Source: Dallas Mavericks told Zydrunas Ilgauskas will return to Cleveland Cavaliers - ESPN

The Jason Kidd Saturday Roundup

2010-02-27T18:43:49Z

More photos » Scott Cunningham - NBAE/Getty Images

Browse more photos »

Pretty amazing performance by Kidd last night -- hope you were able to see it. 19 points, 16 rebounds, 17 assists, 2 steals. In the fourth quarter alone he had 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Then he added four more rebounds and another assist during overtime...

The last time a player had a 15+/15+/15+ triple-double was 1996 -- and it was Jason Kidd (box score). And via mavsstats, since 1986 only four players have had a 19p/15r/15a triple-double -- Magic (twice), Bird, Lever, and Jason Kidd (twice).

And oh yeah, Dirk had 37 and 9.

-------------------

Mavs 111, Hawks 103: The Genius Of Jason Kidd, As Described By, Among Others, Del Harris | DB.com
But the hero of the night was Kidd, who has been terrific in all seven games since the All-Star Break and the Wizards trade (his scoring numbers: 12, 10, 10, 18, 21, 14 and now 19). Here he outplayed everybody on the floor (19 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds gives him his 104th triple-double of his career, third most behind only Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson) … and on one occasion outplayed one guy who wasn’t supposed to be on the floor. ''The coach is not supposed to be on the floor,'' Kidd said. ''You see that a lot in games. The NBA has so many rules, and there is a coaching box, and some of the coaches do stretch that box. For me, it's just a reaction. Make something happen. It was a big play for us. … I thought from there, mentally, we took control of the game.’’

Kidd's savvy coach bump kept Mavs' winning streak alive | Sefko - DMN
"Ask Joe Johnson or any of their players, if they had a chance to do the same thing, they would," he said. "If they thought of it." That's a huge if.

Technical assistance helps Mavericks OT win over Hawks | Sefko - DMN
Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 37 points, hit the free throw on the technical foul. Without it, the Mavericks might not have made it to overtime, where they scored the first seven points and didn't allow the Hawks to score until under a minute was left and the win was in hand. "He's the smartest player I've ever seen," Nowitzki said. Coach Rick Carlisle also had high praise. "I don't know if there's ever been a smarter player in this league," Carlise [sic] said. "There may be a few equals. Magic Johnson, Bird, Jordan, a few others. But I tell you, to have the presence of mind to make that happen at a critical situation is just amazing."

The Hawks lose on a night when losing seemed impossible | Mark Bradley - AJC
The Mavs dusted off their zone — Jamal Crawford: “They saved it for the end; that was smart on their part” — and the Hawks could do nothing against it. Horford: “They couldn’t guard us one-on-one.” But that’s the point. The Mavs overrode their weakness. As Woodson noted, the Hawks “controlled the game until the six- or seven-minute mark.” Then they threw it away.

Woodson takes the hit as Kidd, Mavs stun Hawks | ajc.com
The Hawk said Kidd’s collision with Woodson and the technical foul shifted the game’s momentum. “It kind of changed the game, but that’s not what lost the game for us,” Johnson said. “They went zone, and we couldn’t get no continuity on offense.”

Jason Kidd's unusually clever play | John Hollinger - ESPN
Kidd’s veteran move was one of two rare plays he contributed to in the fourth to help rally Dallas from a 13-point deficit in the last five and a half minutes of regulation. The other was a five-point play with 4:50 to go that cut Atlanta’s lead from 11 to six. First, Dallas got a foul and basket from Brendan Haywood. When he missed the subsequent free throw, Kidd grabbed the offensive rebound and quickly pitched it out to an open Jason Terry, who sank a 3.

Kidd's scoring key to Mavs winning | Jeff Caplan - ESPN Dallas
Kidd's recent point surge has his season average nearing 10.0 a game. It took him until Feb. 5 to take his scoring average consistently into the 9-point-a-game range. When's he's scored in double figures this season, the Mavs are 20-10. More critical is Kidd posting 14 points or more. When he does, the Mavs are 10-3, including 4-0 in the seven games since the All-Star break.

Mavericks' Caron Butler says he'll play Sunday | DMN
After the game, Butler said: "I'm feeling better. I'll be out there Sunday."

Nightly Notable (via nbaus)

2010-02-27T18:10:23Z

Nightly Notable (via nbaus)