Warriors 105 Mavericks 98: Game 25 Recap

The Lead
Mavs can't overcome big early deficit against the league's top team as the Warriors when their 15th straight.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 24
Rebounds: Jefferson, 13
Assists: Ellis, Nelson, 5
+-: Wright, +6
Warriors
Points: Curry, 29
Rebounds: Barnes, 9
Asissts: Curry, 8
+-: Ezeli, +14

Game Ball
Stephen Curry
29 points, 8 assists, 9-22 FG, 3-11 3PT, 8-9 FT

X-Factor
Draymond Green
20 points, 8 rebounds, 5-8 FG, 8-10 FT

Goat Horns
Jae Crowder and Al-Farouq Aminu
Combinded for 2 points on 1-9 FG and 0-6 3PT

Play of the Game
Midway through the third quarter, Marreese Speights loses his shoe. When Steph Curry tries to toss it back to him, Tyson Chandler swats the shoe away out of bounds.

Stat of the Game
The Mavericks were outscored 39-18 in the first quarter. Even though they outscore the Warriors by 14 in the last three quarters they never seriously threatened to take the lead.

Of Note

• Chandler Parsons missed the game with a sore back. Richard Jefferson started in his place and recorded a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds.
• Andrew Bogut (right knee tendinitis) and David Lee (strained right hamstring) sat out for Golden State.
• The Mavericks shot only 40% from the field and 5-25 on threes. The Warriors have yet to allow an opponent to shoot over 50% this season or shoot over 45% during their 15 game winning streak.
• Dirk who has struggled shooting threes lately did not attempt a shot from behind the arc. He did go 11-20 on twos for 23 points.
• Dallas is now 0-5 against the top 6 teams in the West.

Grades
Nowitzki: B+
Jefferson: A-
Chandler: B
Ellis: B-
Nelson: D+
Crowder: D
Harris: C-
Wright: B+
Barea; D
Aminu: D-

Quote of Note
 "They hit us with a lot of shot-making and a lot of good defense. We just didn't play well, and once we got hit back on our heels, we picked it up. You dig out of a 21-point hole in the first 12 minutes, it's just hard to do against a team that good. We've got to be all there from the very beginning until the very end. The first quarter did us in."
Rick Carlisle on the first quarter.

They Tweeted It
 

For double ot, all the players shoes are placed at center court and they have to run out and put them on when the whistle blows #HoopIdea
— netw3rk (@netw3rk) December 13, 2014

Next Up
The Mavericks (17-8) have two days off before the head east Tuesday to face the floundering Knicks (5-20) at the Garden.