Mavs vs. Grizzlies review

The Mavericks rarely do things the easy way, but they definitely know how to find a way to win. You don't win at least 50 games in 10 straight seasons without knowing how to do that.

Down by 13 with 4:25 the Mavs rallied furiously to send the game into overtime where they beat Memphis by a score of 106-102. Dirk Nowitzki ,who had been cold all night, caught fire hitting 2 threes late to tie it, and after Mike Conley hit a shot to put the Grizzlies up two, Dirk hit another shot to tie it again. Jason Kidd then forced O.J. Mayo into a terrible miss to send the game into the extra session. Dirk than hit a jumper and 4 three throws to ice the win.

Some might call it luck(John Hollinger), but if something happens again and again it has to be considered a trend. This Maverick team even when things look dire know how to grab victories from the clutches of defeat and the greatest reason why is number 41.

When people bring up the most clutch performer in the league they will almost universally say it is Kobe Bryant. Certainly one can understand that viewpoint, but for my money give me Dirk. Whether hitting clutch shot after clutch shot or being automatic from the line no one steps up their play late like Nowitzki. It goes way beyond luck and more into the hours upon hours of practice time, a unstoppable work ethic and drive, and resolve that refuses to gives in. That is what makes Dirk so clutch and that is why he has made the Maverickls the consistently elite team it has been for the past decade. He might not have a championship ring yet, but no one will work harder and leave more on the line in their quest for that ultimate glory.

Only three other teams have won at least 50 for at least ten straight years. The Celtics of the 50s and 60s had Russell, the Lakers of the 80s had Magic, and the Spurs of the 2000s have Duncan. The Mavericks have Dirk, and unlike those other superstars he has not been surrounded by future hall of famers and perennial all-stars. He just gets the job done night after night. It might not be flashy but it wins basketball games. Tonight was further proof of that.

Butler misses shootaround

Mavericks swingman Caron Butler missed today's shootaround in Memphis due to stomach problems. The team is optimistic that he will be able to play tonight. If he cannot go Rodrigue Beaubois will likely start in his place.

Mavs vs. Grizzlies preview

Dallas Mavericks(49-25) at Memphis Grizzlies(38-35)

Wed. March 31 7:00 at FedEx Forum, TV:Fox Sports Southwest

Last matchup: Dec. 26 at AAC, Mavs 106 Grizzlies 101

Season series: tied 1-1

All-time series: Mavs 47-10

Grizzlies leaders

PPG: Zach Randolph, 20.9

RPG: Randolph, 11.8

APG: Mike Conley, 5.4

Last results

Mavs 109 Nuggets 93 Mon. at AAC

Bucks 108 Grizzlies 103 Sun. at Milwaukee

Notes: With a victory the Mavericks will win 50 games for the 10th consecutive season, which would tie for the second longest streak in NBA history. After a long domination of the Grizzlies the Mavs have lost three straight in Memphis. The Grizzlies will likely miss the playoffs, but will probaly finish with a winning record after going 24-58 last year.

Western Conference playoffs projection

With just over two weeks remaining in the regular season we definitely know who the eight playoffs teams in the West will be. The seeding order however is totally up for grabs. The only spot that seems secure is that the Lakers will finish first. Here is my attempt to predict how the rest of the season will play out and who will being played who in the first round.

1. LA Lakers(54-20), projected record: 60-22

Despite some inconsistent play without Andrew Bynum of late, the Lakers will once again have the West's best record. They will need Bynum come playoff time but they can win enough without him in the mean time even with a weak bench.

2. Dallas(49-25), projected record:55-27

After losing four out of six after a 13 game winning streak the Mavs have seemingly righted the ship with impressive victories over Golden St. and Denver. The schedule has tough games remaining but most are at home. As long as they defend well and protect there home court they should finish strong.

3. Utah(49-26), projected record:54-28

The Jazz are as hot as anyone in the league right now. A favorable schedule should win them the Northwest division and make them a dangerous playoff foe for anyone.

4. Phoenix(47-26), projected record:52-30

The Suns have been on a role of late but that could change due to the injury of Robin Lopez who was key to an improved defense of late. Other players must pick up the slack on the defensive end of the court.

5. Denver(48-27), projected record:52-30

Things are not going well for the Nuggets right now. They are missing their coach and starting power forward and almost lost all five games on their recent road trip. If they do not turn it around soon they might not have home court advantage in the first round.

6. Portland(45-29), projected record:50-32

The Blazers have played extremely well of late even with their multitude of injures. The trade of Marcus Camby was a key acquisition in a much needed role. If they can be somewhat healthy they will not be an easy out for anyone in the opening round.

7. Oklahoma City(44-28), projected record:50-32

Led by Kevin Durant the Thunder have had a magical season as they will make the playoffs for the first time in five years. The lingering question is whether their inexperience be a problem come playoff time.

8. San Antonio(44-29), projected record: 49-33

The Spurs are hurting right now with Tony Parker out and Tim Duncan struggling. Manu Ginobili is carrying them right now, but their are always injury concerns with them. That being said there is a lot of pride with the Spurs and they cannot be counted out just yet.

projected playoff matchups

1. LA Lakers vs. 8. San Antonio

2. Dallas vs. 7. Oklahoma City

3. Utah vs. 6. Portland

4. Phoenix vs. 5. Denver

Mavs vs. Nuggets review

Now that is how you play the game of basketball.

Led by a Dirk Nowitzki triple-double and suffocating defense the Mavericks dominated Denver 109-93 Monday night in perhaps the biggest victory of the season.

Nowitzki's 2nd career triple-double of 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists is obviously the lead story but not to be overlooked was the immense contributions of Shawn Marion on both ends of the court. Marion scored 21 points and hounded Carmelo Anthony who was only 3-16 from the field. Also struggling for Denver was Chauncey Billups who was 3-14.

The win keeps Dallas in 2nd in the West and gives the Mavs the tiebreaker over the Nuggets by virtue of winning the season series 2-1. The loss drops Denver all the way down to 5th in the standings.

Dirk was great all evening in all aspects of the game. He knocked down 4-5 from 3 point range and passed expertly out of double teams. Denver had no answer for him with Kenyon Martin out of the lineup, although Dirk was able to dominate Martin in last year's playoffs, so its hard to say he could have made that much of a difference.

Roddy Beaubois couldn't carry over his hot shooting from the Bay Area, but keyed the team defensively with 3 2nd quarter steals. Beaubois got most of his minutes at point guard with J.J. Barea out with a sore ankle.

After two consecutive great outings on both ends of the court the Mavs are hopefully gaining much needed momentum with the playoffs around the corner. It looks like the pieces might be in place for an interesting and maybe long playoff run.

Mavs vs. Nuggets preview

Dallas Mavericks(48-25) vs. Denver Nuggets(48-26)

Mon. March 29 7:30 at AAC, TV:Channel 21, NBATV

Last matchup: Feb. 9 at Denver, Nuggets 127 Mavs 91

Season series: Tied 1-1

All-time series: 73-66 Mavs

Nuggets leaders

PPG: Carmelo Anthony, 28.9

RPG: Kenyon Martin, 9.6

APG: Chauncey Billups, 5.7

Last Results

Mavs 111 Warriors 90 Sat. at Oakland

Magic 103 Nuggets 97 Sun. at Orlando

Notes: Kenyon Martin (knee) and coach George Karl(throat cancer) will both miss the game. The winner of the game will not only be in 2nd place in the West but will own the tiebreaker due to winning the season series. This is the first meeting between the teams in Dallas since last years' playoffs as both earlier games were in Denver.

Mavs clinch playoff berth

The Mavericks clinched their 10th consecutive playoff appearance with Memphis' loss to Milwaukee this afternoon. Also clinching playoff spots due to the Grizzlies' loss were Denver and Utah. The 10 year streak is even more remarkable when you consider Dallas had missed the playoffs in the 10 years previous to the streak's beginning.

Mavs vs. Warriors review

I would like to dream that Rick Carlisle read by blog post on Rodddy Beaubois, but I know however that would be ridiculous. With that being said he did take my advice and boy did it pay off.

Beaubois scored an incredible 40 points in the Mavs much needed 110-90 dismantling of Golden St. He was unbelievably efficient going 15-22 from the field including 9-11 from three point range. He also added 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks. The 40 points was 2 short of a Mav rookie record held by Mark Aguirre and set a team record for point off the bench by a Mav that was previously held by Tony Dumas. Like you were expecting anybody else.

Beaubois entered the game in the first quarter with the Mavs down by 5 and immediately made his presence felt by scoring 16 points in 5 minutes on his way to a 26 point half as the Mavs took a 67-41 lead. I can't imagine after an effort like that Beaubois not getting regular playing time from here on out. He just gives the team so much while he is out on the court and his teammates really respond to him and pick up their own play.

Also of note was the Mavericks holding the Warriors to a 33% shooting percentage. If the Mavs can hold a high scoring team like Golden St. down there is no reason why they cannot play defense like that on a more consistent basis.

Every rotation player contributed positively despite Brendan Haywood being limited to only 8 minutes. Haywood jammed a finger but he appeared to be O.K. and was probably held out due to the lopsided nature of the game and the Warriors' small lineups.

The story of the night however was the play of Roddy Beaubois who has shown enough to hopefully become an important player for the Mavs for the rest of this season and beyond.

Mavs vs. Warriors preview

Dallas Mavericks(47-25) at Golden State Warriors(20-51)

Sat. March 27 9:30 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, TV:Channel 21

Last Matchup: Feb. 8 at Oakland, Mavs 127 Warriors 117

Season Series: 2-1 Mavs

All-Time Series: 70-55 Mavs

Warriors Leaders

PPG: Monta Ellis, 25.7

RPG: Andris Biedrins, 7.8

APG: Stephen Curry, 5.6

Last results

Blazers 101 Mavs 89 Thurs. at Portland

Warriors 128 Grizzlies 110 Wed. at Oakland

Notes: Former Mavs coach and current Warriors coach Don Nelson is four wins away from breaking Lenny Wilkens record for NBA career coaching victories. However if he fails to break the mark this season he might not get the chance to do next year with an upcoming ownership change. Since falling to the Warriors in the 2007 playoffs the Mavericks are 7-3 against Golden State.

Should Roddy be playing more?

With the Mavericks currently struggling its only natural to think the team needs a spark. One player who can definitely give the team that spark is rookie guard Rodrigue Beaubois. He showed that on Tuesday night against the Clippers when he entered the game with the Mavs trailing late in the third quarter and helped lead the team to pull away for a 10 point win. So why did Beaubois not enter the game against Portland until the final minute?

Only Rick Carlisle truly knows why but I will try to examine what the coach might be thinking and whether those thoughts are sound judgement.

Of course with Beaubois being a rookie he prone to mistakes. Carlisle, like most coaches hates those mistakes, but are those mistakes reason enough to not play him? I think that as long as Roddy learns from those mistakes and minimizes them to the best of his ability then there should be no reason not to play him if he is producing otherwise.

Another factor in Beaubois' playing time is the team's depth. Jason Kidd plays heavy minutes at point guard, and with the playoffs coming up there is no reason to think that is going to change. So what about those minutes when Kidd is out of the game? It seems Carslile prefers J.J Barea to play those backup minutes because he is more comfortable running the offense and is a better pure passer than Roddy right now. I think that those reasons are sound but I would still like Beaubois to get minutes at the point when Barea is either struggling on offense or lacks the size to guard his man effectively.

But what about minutes at shooting guard you ask? That it is where I see Beaubois getting most of his minutes if and when he plays from here on out.

Beaubois seems to excel playing alongside Kidd as the veteran is good at complimenting the rookie's game and knowing how to give him scoring opportunities. It also gives Roddy the chance to guard opposing point guards as Kidd has the size to guard shooting guards.

The one problem Carlisle might have with this plan is it might decrease the playing time of Jason Terry. My answer to that is Terry is a very streaky shooter and when is shot is not falling that might be a good time to see if Roddy can pick up the offensive slack.

In conclusion while he probably will be unable to play big minutes come playoff time I think there is a role for Rodrigue Beaubois to play on this team and that he can be that spark this team needs at times while playing at either guard position.

Mavs vs. Blazers review

Another night, another disappointing game by the Mavericks. The Mavs were frustrated all night in Portland, falling to the Blazers 101-89. The loss puts Dallas in a three way tie for 2nd in the West with Denver and Utah.

A lot went wrong for the Mavs that contributed to the squad's 4th loss in 6 games after a 13 game win streak. The defense was again a problem as Dallas allowed another opponent to shoot 50% or more from the field. Also concerning was the Mavs inability once again to get to the free throw line. The team only shot 9 free throws for the game. Dirk Nowitzki had a tough night as well as Portland hounded into only 15 points.

With the season coming to a close you like the team to be playing better ,but hopefully this team has it in it to start gaining some momentum entering the playoffs. If they do not it could be a short run through the postseason.

The Mavs will stay out west to face Golden St. Saturday night before heading home to face Denver in a huge game on Monday.

Mavs vs. Blazers preview

Dallas Mavericks(47-24) at Portland Trail Blazers(42-29)

Thurs. March 25, 9:30 at the Rose Garden, TV:TNT

Last Matchup:Jan. 30 at AAC, Blazers 114 Mavericks 112(OT)

Season Series: 2-0 Blazers

All-time Series: 69-54 Blazers

Blazers Leaders

PPG: Brandon Roy, 22.2

RPG Marcus Camby, 11.6

APG: Andre Miller, 5.5

Last Results

Mavs 106 Clippers 96 Tues. at AAC

Suns 93 Blazers 87 Sun. at Phoenix

Notes: Andre Miller scored a career high 52 points in the teams last meeting. A win by Dallas gives them wins against every team in the league this season. This is the teams first meeting since the Mavs traded for Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, and Portland traded for Marcus Camby.

Jason Kidd: A Career in 4 Acts

Act one: With the second pick in the 1994 draft the Dallas Mavericks, the worst team not only in basketball but in all of professional sports, are looking to draft a savior. They think have found one by drafting California point guard Jason Kidd. Kidd lives up to hype early on helping the team improve by 23 games and earning the NBA co-rookie of the year award. Kidd is a highly gifted passer with great quickness who is also able to play excellent defense. His one glaring weakness is his lack of outside shooting prowess.
However after that early success thing begin to fall apart for Kidd off the court which leads to locker room dysfunction. He feuds with his 3J's counterparts Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn over among other things the affection of pop singer Toni Braxton. After a tough start to the 96-97 season which includes many disagreements with new coach Jim Cleamons, Kidd is traded by the team's new ownership to Phoenix ending what had started out as such a promising new era for Dallas.

Act two: Kidd's performance continues to improve with a new start in Phoenix. Surrounded by a talented supporting cast Kidd is widely regarded as the game's preeminent point guard. However postseason success eludes Kidd and the Suns as the team only manages to win one playoff series in Kidd's five year stay in Phoenix. Most disappointing is Kidd's arrest on domestic violence charges after hitting his wife. This incident causes the team to trade Kidd into basketball exile in New Jersey marking another disappointing end to Kidd's tenure with a club.


Act three: Instead of sulking in New Jersey Kidd instead makes the team a winner for the first time since its days in the ABA. Kidd is the runner-up for MVP in 2002 and leads the team to consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. However the teams falls in both series and things begin to one again deteriorate. Kidd is blamed for the ouster of coach Byron Scott and the team's play begins to gradually go downhill. Kidd is still playing at a high level but some question whether he has lost a step and still the player he once was. Eventually the team decides to rebuild and Kidd is sent back to Dallas at the trade deadline in 2008.

Act four: Back on a contending team in Dallas Kidd remakes himself as a crafty veteran who has become an elite three point shooter. However questions come up after the Mavs are eliminated in the first of the 2008 playoffs and the player New Jersey received for Kidd, Devin Harris becomes an all-star. Those questions begin to put the rest after the Mavs beat the Spurs in the 2009 playoffs and are put to bed after an exceptional season this year. The only question still left unanswered for Kidd is whether he will ever achieve the status of NBA champion. With the way he is playing and the leadership and maturity he is displaying we know he will not fall short because of lack of effort or desire.

Mavs vs. Clippers review

Trailing entering the fourth quarter the Mavs rode on the backs of a 37 year old who refuses to play like his age and a rookie who refuses to play like one, to a 106-96 victory of the Los Angels Clippers Tuesday night.

Dallas jumped on the Clippers early and carried a 62-48 lead into haltfime before the shocking 3rd quarter ejection of Dirk Nowitzki sucked the life out of the Mavs and they quickly fell behind. That is where Jason Kidd and Roddy Beaubois took over.

Kidd led the way on his 37th birthday contributing 26 points and 12 assists and showing no signs that age is catching up with him.

Beaubois gave the Mavericks a much needed boost of energy scoring 10 points and considerably changing the trajectory of the game.

Nowitzki's ejection was bizarre to say the least as was whistled for two quick technicals by referee Bill Kennedy after a miss push in the back by Drew Gooden. Kennedy needs to be reminded that people pay to watch players like Dirk play and not to see him officiate. One technical call would have been sufficient.

For the Clippers the big story was former Mav Gooden who had 26 points and 20 rebounds in the loss. Its too bad Washington couldn't have just bought him out so the Mavs could resign him.

The Mavs did acquire a lot in that trade however and Brendan Haywood, who was benched in favor of Erick Dampier showed how important he can be for this team by scoring 12 points, grabbing 10 boards and blocking four shots.

The win coupled with Denver's loss in New York puts the Mavs in a second place tie in the West with the Nuggets with two remaining games in Portland and Golden St. before next Monday's showdown with Denver at the AAC.

NBA Draft Top 10

With the NCAA Tournament in progress and lottery teams in full tanking mode I thought now would be a good time to unveil my list of the top 10 players for the 2010 draft.

1. John Wall, PG Kentucky- The consensus top draft prospect and national freshman of the year is the latest in along line of John Calipari coached one and doners. Wall has excellent athleticism and speed and can get to the basket at will. He could still use some work on his outside shot and cut down on his turnovers but that can be said about a lot of elite young guards.

2. Evan Turner, SG Ohio St.- The best player in college basketball does it all for the Buckeyes. Turner is a triple-double waiting to happen that can impact the game in so many ways. While perhaps lacking the upside of Wall, Turner is polished and ready made for the pro game. If a team with the #1 pick is set at point guard, as many lottery teams are, they might have to give Turner a serious look.

3. Derrick Favors, PF Georgia Tech- A super-athletic big man Favors might not have put up the numbers some would have hoped for in his freshman year but that can be attributed to the lack of solid guard play at Georgia Tech. He still was the ACC's top freshman and does not have similar character concerns that a Cousins has. That is why he edges out Cousins out for the #3 spot.

4. DeMarcus Cousins, C Kentucky- No one can deny Cousins talent but many are concerned about his character and maturity which might give some NBA teams pause. Still he is only a freshman and has time to grow up. Cousins has been extremely productive but can disappear at times as well, but he will still manage to be a top 5 pick because of his size and skill level.

5. Wesley Johnson, SF Syracuse- Not exactly on anyone's radar to begin this season, this Iowa St. transfer has impressed the basketball world with his strong all-around play all year. Johnson is very athletic, can score, and causes havoc on the defensive end. He might never be a superstar but he is definitely a player that will contribute greatly to a team's success on both end of the floor.

6. Greg Monroe, PF Georgetown- A big man who has exceptional skills Monroe can pass like few his size can. He may not have the exceptional athleticism of a Favors or a Cousins but Monroe makes up for that in so many ways. His main knock might be that he is too unselfish which might not be the worst thing in the world.

7. Ed Davis, PF North Carolina- His sophomore season has not exactly met expectations, with his wrist injury and team's disappointing play but Davis still has immense pro potential. A very good rebounder a shot blocker Davis still needs to improve his offensive game but then again not having Ty Lawson to get him the ball has hurt him too.

8. Al Farouk-Aminu, PF Wake Forest- Like Davis Aminu is still raw offensively but is a great rebounder and athlete that can definitely improve with time.

9. Eric Bledsoe, PG Kentucky- The other freshman point guard for the Wildcats, Bledsoe has at times stepped out of Wall's shadow. Bledsoe has a good feel for the game and can shoot the ball from outside. He is helped by this being such a weak draft for point guards.

10. Epke Udoh, PF Baylor- A shot blocker with few peers Udoh proved to be key to Baylor's great season. A transfer from Michigan Udoh like so many others has room to grow on offense but his defense will definitely earn playing time.

Mavs vs. Clippers preview

Dallas Mavericks(46-24) vs. Los Angeles Clippers(26-44)

Tues. March 23 7:30 at the AAC

Last Matchup:Oct. 31 at LA, Mavs 93 Clippers 84

Season Series:1-0 Mavs

All-time Series:77-45 Mavs

Clippers Leaders

PPG:Chris Kaman, 18.7

RPG:Kaman, 9.1

APG:Baron Davis, 7.9

Last Results:

Hornets 115 Mavericks 99 Mon. at New Orleans

King 102 Clippers 89 Sun. at LA

Notes: Drew Gooden makes his return to Dallas after being sent to Washington in the Butler-Haywood deal. He was then traded by Washington to the Clippers in a three team deal.

Mavs vs. Hornets review

It appears that all the momentum the Mavericks had after their big trade has disappeared. After falling to the Hornets 115-99 in New Orleans Monday night, Dallas has lost 2 straight and 3 out of 4 after a 13 game winning streak.

Why the sudden poor play? The most obvious answer is on the side of the ball the trade was supposed to make the biggest difference on. The defense of late has been nothing short of pathetic and that is with both Brendan Haywood and Erick Dampier in the lineup.

Both have not been the same players they were before their respective injuries and it showed again against the Hornets. Once again the Mavs allowed an opponent to shoot over 50% and allowed the Hornets 96 points in the final three quarters. After establishing an early 15 point lead the Mavs fell apart not just on the defensive end but on offense as well.

Despite shooting the ball well Dallas was hampered all night by turnover problems and each of those 18 giveaway seemed to immediately lead to Hornets baskets.

Also of concern was the Mavericks lack of free throw attempts as the team only went 7-13 for the game. The Mavs are primarily a jump shooting team but should still be shooting a lot more throws especially because they shoot such a high percentage.

Of course there is still time to correct to all these problems but I suggest they start as quickly as possible since that big matchup with Denver looms less than a week away.

Paul to play, start

Chris Paul will return to the lineup tonight against the Mavs, and will be in the starting lineup a Hornets spokesman said. Paul has missed the Hornets last 25 games after knee surgery.

Chris Paul update

Chris Paul will be a game-time decision for the Hornets tonight in their game against the Mavericks. Hornets coach Jeff Bower says the odds are currently 50-50 on whether Paul will play. Paul has missed the last six weeks after having surgery to repair his injured left knee. Despite good play from Paul's replacement, rookie Darren Collison, the Hornets have struggled without Paul including losing 12 of their last 15 games.

Mavs. vs. Hornets preview

Dallas Mavericks(46-23) at New Orleans Hornets(33-38)

Mon. March 22 7:00 at the New Orleans Arena

Last Matchup:Feb. 28 at Dallas, Mavs 108 Hornets 100

Season Series:2-1 Mavs

All-Time Series:37-18 Mavs

Hornets Leaders

PPG:Chris Paul, 20.4

RPG:Emeka Okafor, 9.3

APG:Paul, 11.2

Last Results

Celtics 102 Mavs 93 Sat. at Dallas

Jazz 106 Hornets 86 Sat. at Utah

Injuries

Hornets: Chris Paul(knee surgery) and Peja Stojakovic(lower ab strain) are out

Update: Chris Paul might actually return tonight.

Mavs vs. Celtics review

Another game another uninspiring home performance. You always hear that championship teams have to be able to win on the road. but it is also true that those teams must be able to not just win but to dominate at home.

Unfortunately for the Mavericks Saturday night's 102-93 loss to the Celtics one again showed that so far the Mavericks lack that ability.

Not to take anything away from Boston, who has been great on the road but have also struggled at home, but the Mavericks need to be ale to pull game like that out. They cannot count on being able to win in Los Angeles or Denver reguarly come playoff time. They may be able to steal a game on the road but they must defend their home court.

The Mavs trailed for most of the game but took a seven point lead in the 4th quarter by making a run against the Celtics bench. That is when the Celtics stars took over.

Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen hit big shots down the stretch while only Dirk stepped up for the Mavs. Jason Terry was quiet late after a big first half while Caron Butler struggled all night going 3-14 from the field.

If this Maverick team is going to live up to its potential both Terry and Butler must give Dirk consistent help especially during crunch time.

The Mavs post-trade was great but its time to step up the play even more if this team to reach its peak come playoff time.

Mavs vs. Celtics preview

Dallas Mavericks(46-22) vs. Boston Celtics(44-24)

Sat. March 20 8:00 AAC

Last Matchup: Jan. 18 at Boston, Mavs 99 Celtics 90

Season Series: 1-0 Mavs

All-Time Series:33-24 Celtics

Celtics Leaders

PPG:Paul Pierce, 17.7

RPG:Kendrick Perkins, 7.7

APG:Rajon Rondo,9.7

Last Results

Mavs 113 Bulls 106 at Dallas Wed.

Celtics 94 Rockets 87 at Houston Fri.

Terry to keep mask for now

Jason Terry will continue to wear a "Phantom of the Opera" style face mask despite his initial plans to ditch the mask after one game.
"I probably going to have to protect it again here for another week or two," Terry said, "just to protect it until I get the feeling back on my left side."
Perhaps if Terry gets hot shooting the ball he will make the mask a permanent fixture ala Richard Hamilton.
Then again he probably won't.

Mavericks vs. Bulls review

The final score might not indicate it but the Mavericks for the most part dominated the injury depleted Bulls in a 113-106 victory. Despite an ugly fourth quarter where the Mavs let a 25 point lead at one point drop to 7 there was a lot of positives to take out of tonight's game. Dirk was Dirk scoring 26 points on what seemed like an effortless 10-16 from the field. Just about every shot he made in the first half was a swish. Caron Butler continued his recent strong play with 27 points including going 14-16 from the line and Jason Terry came back strong in his return with 9 first half points.
The Mavs raced out to an early lead for once leading by 12 after one quarter and by 20 at halftime. The lead was still 16 entering quarter 4 but that is when Chicago, with its 3 top scorers out with injuries, made its run led by Dallas native Acie Law. J.J. Barea took over from there for the Mavs letting Jason Kidd continue to rest on the bench by scoring 10 consecutive points to ice the game.
Overall this was a needed win after the Knicks debacle tying the Mavs back up with Denver for 2nd in the West. Although it would have been nice not to have let the Bulls back in the game this team seems to lose concentration at times with comfortable margins especially on the defensive end. Hopefully this will not be an issue come playoff time where full concentration is needed.
The Mavs get another two days off before facing their biggest challenge in some time with Boston Saturday night at the AAC.
The Bulls continue their recent slide coinciding with their missing stars by dropping their ninth straight games.
P.S.-Just because it's St. Patrick's day doesn't mean the Bulls should be wearing green uniforms. They looked like the Celtics out there. At least Michael Jordan never had to wear those jerseys.

NBA Awards Update

With only one month left in the NBA season this is how I currently see the NBA awards races.

MVP
1.LeBron James
2.Kobe Bryant
3.Kevin Durant
4.Dirk Nowitzki
5.Carmelo Anthony

Rookie of the Year
1.Tyreke Evans
2.Stephen Curry
3.Brandon Jennings

Coach of the Year
1.Scott Brooks
2.Scott Skiles
3.Rick Carlisle

Defensive Player of the Year
1.Dwight Hoard
2.Ron Artest
3.Anderson Varejao

6th Man of the Year
1.Jamal Crawford
2.Jason Terry
3.Anderson Varejao

Most Improved Player
1.Kevin Durant
2.Andrew Bogut
3.Aaron Brooks

Maverick vs. Bulls preview

Dallas Mavericks(45-22) vs. Chicago Bulls(31-35)
Wed. March 17 7:30 at American Airlines Center

Last Matchup: The Mavs won their 11th straight game by beating the Bulls 122-116 in Chicago on March 6. Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 27 points with Caron Butler and Roddy Beaubois each chipping in 24. Jason Kidd added 15 assists and 11 rebounds. Derrick Rose led the Bulls with 34 points.

Notes: The Mavericks hope to get a new winning streak going after the Knicks ended their 13 game winning streak with a 128-94 drubbing Saturday night. Jason Terry returns after a five game absence due to facial surgery to repair a broken orbital bone. The Bulls enter the game on a 8 game losing after falling to Memphis 104-97 Tuesday night. Adding to Chicago's woes is the expected absence of their 3 leading scores Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah.

Bulls Leaders
PPG: Derrick Rose,20.4
RPG:Joakim Noah,11.4
APG:Rose,5.7

season series:1-0 Mavericks
all-time series:30-28 Mavericks

All-Time Mavericks team

In this the Mavericks 30th season I thought it would be a good time to compile my all-time team of the greatest Mavericks. Like the All-NBA teams I will name a 1st,2nd and 3rd team. Both peak performance and longevity as a Maverick were considered.

1st Team
PG-Derek Harper(1983-94,96-97)-Wasn't as good as a Kidd or Nash but Maverick career included twice as many games as those two. Perhaps the best player never to make an All-Star team. Franchise leader in assists and steals. 2nd team all-defense in 86-87 and 89-90 seasons.
SG-Rolando Blackman-1981-92)-Franchise 2nd all-time leading scorer was considered one of the best shooting guards of his era. Ranks second in Mavs history with four all-star game selections(85-87,90). Number 22 is retired by the franchise.
SF-Mark Aguirre(1981-89)-One of the top scorers of the 80s holds team single season record for points per game(29.5 in 83-84). Made three all-star teams(84,87,88). Was drafted first overall in 1981.
PF-Dirk Nowitzki(1998-present)-All time Mavs leader in Points, Rebounds, Games, three pointers and free throws. 2006-07 NBA MVP and 9 time All-NBA selection( first team in 05-07 and 09). Nine time all-star(02-10) is by the greatest Mav ever.
C-James Donaldson(1985-92)-Best of a bad bunch was a actually an All-Star in 1988. 2nd in franchise history in rebounds and FG% and 3rd in Blocks.

2nd Team
PG-Steve Nash(1998-2004)-Two time all-star and all-NBA third team selection(both in 02 and 03) as a Mav. Team all-time leader in FT% also ranks in top 5 in assists,3 pointers made and 3 point percentage. Has done O.K. for himself since leaving the Mavs.
SG-Michael Finley(1996-2005)-also made 2 all-star teams(00 and 01) as Mav. Top five in numerous team categories including points.
SF-Josh Howard(2003-2010)-20007 NBA all-star ranks 9th in scoring in team history. Was 2nd team all-rookie in 2004.
PF-Sam Perkins(1984-1990)-Underrated performer who excelled on both ends of the floor. Ranks 3rd in team history in rebounds.
C-Erick Dampier(2004-present)-Much maligned but has value on defensive end. 7th in team history in rebounds and 4th in blocks.

3rd team
PG-Jason Kidd(1994-96, 2008-present)-Future hall of famer ranks 3rd in assists and 4th in steals in team history. All-star as a Mav in 1996 and 2010 and 94-95 co-rookie of the year.
SG-Jason Terry(2004-present)-Clutch scorer whether starting or coming of the bench. 2008-09 6th man of the year is 3rd in franchise history in 3s made.
SF-Jerry Stackhouse(2004-09)-Valuable 6th man who provided scoring and toughness. 18th in scoring in franchise history.
PF-Roy Tarpley(1986-91,94-95)-1987-88 6th man of the year whose career was cut short by drug and alcohol abuse. 9th in team history in rebounding.
C-Shawn Bradley(1997-2005)-On second though is it too early to consider Brendan Haywood? Is Mavs all-time blocks leader.

Honorable Mention
Brad Davis-PG(1980-1992)-Got his number retired for being white and scrappy.

Mavs Tuesday news

The big news today is that Jason Terry will return to the lineup tomorrow night against the Bulls after missing five games after surgery to repair his fractured orbital bone. Terry of course will have to wear a protective mask. He practiced today using the mask and showed no problems but said he might take off the mask if he starts missing shots.
In other news Denver's loss to Houston last night put the Mavericks back into a tie with the Nuggets for second in the West at 45-22. It's becoming more and more likely that the March 29 between the two teams at the AAC will decide the #2 seed.