Mavericks at Thunder: Game 75 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (45-29) at Oklahoma City Thunder (42-32)
Wed. Apr. 1, 7:00 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Thunder by 2.5


2014-15 Matchups
Dec. 28 at Dallas
Mavs 112 Thunder 107
Feb. 19 at OKC
Thunder 104 Mavs 89
Mar. 16 at Dallas
Mavs 119 Thunder 115

All-Time Series
Thunder 73 Mavs 69

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 106.8 (5th)
Def. Rating: 102.9 (16th)
Point Differential: +3.2
Thunder
Offense: 103.9 (11th)
Defense: 102.2 (13th)
Point Differential: +2.5

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Dion Waiters
SF: Kyle Singler
PF: Enes Kanter
C: Steven Adams

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.1
RPG: Chandler, 11.4
APG: Rondo, 6.4
PER: Stoudemire, 19.7
Win Shares: Chandler, 9.1
Thunder
PPG: Westbrook, 27.6
RPG: Kanter, 10.7
APG: Westbrook, 8.6
PER: Westbrook, 29.3
Win Shares: Westbrook, 9.5

Of Note

• Monta Ellis is listed as questionable with his hip injury, but practiced on Tuesday and is optimistic about playing. J.J. Barea expects to return after missing four games with a sprained ankle.
• The Thunder are without Kevin Durant who underwent season-ending foot surgery as well as Serge Ibaka with knee soreness.
• The Mavericks have lost in 8 out of their last 9 visits in OKC including the postseason.
• The Mavs have a magic number of 3 to clinch a playoff spot. Any combination of that number of Dallas wins and New Orleans losses will the Mavs in the postseason.
• After averaging 31.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game in February, Russell Westbrook followed that up by averaging 30.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 10.2. assists for March.

Mavericks at Pacers: Game 74 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (45-28) vs. Indiana Pacers (31-41)
Sun. Mar. 29, 6:00 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Pacers by 1

2014-15 Matchups

Pacers 111 Mavs 100

All-Time Series
Mavs 39 Pacers 27

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 106.9 (5th)
Def. Rating: 102.8 (16th)
Point Differential: +3.3
Pacers
Offense: 100.2 (25th)
Defense: 101.3 (10th)
Point Differential: -0.4

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Devin Harris
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Pacers
PG: George Hill
SG: C.J. Miles
SF: Solomon Hill
PF: David West
C: Roy Hibbert

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.1
RPG: Chandler, 11.4
APG: Rondo, 6.3
PER: Stoudemire, 20.3
Win Shares: Chandler, 9.1
Pacers
PPG: Hill, 15.9
RPG: West, Hibbert, 7.0
APG: Hill, 4.7
PER: Hill, 21.4
Win Shares: Stuckey, 3.8

Of Note

• Monta Ellis is highly doubtful to play after injuring his right calf against the Spurs on Friday. He has played in 237 straight games.
• J.J. Barea remains questionable with a sprained ankle. He has missed the last three games.
• For the Pacers, Rondey Stuckey (sore calf) and David West (illness) are questionable to play.
• This is the Mavericks final game of the season against the East. They have an overall record of 21-8 including a 13-1 mark on the road.
• The Mavs are 1-6 on the road since the All-Star break, with five of the losses coming by at least 15 points. Their only win is against the lowly Lakers.

Mavericks at Spurs: Game 73 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (45-27) at San Antonio Spurs (45-26)
Fri.. Mar. 27, 7:30 at the AT&T Center
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Spurs by 8

2014-15 Matchups
Oct. 28 at San Antonio
Spurs 101 Mavs 100
Dec. 20 at Dallas
Mavs 99 Spurs 93
Mar. 24 at Dallas
Mavs 101 Spurs 94 

All-Time Series
Spurs 97 Mavs 66

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.2 (5th)
Def. Rating: 102.8 (16th)
Point Differential: +3.6
Spurs
Offense: 105.4 (7th)
Defense: 100.2 (5th)
Point Differential: +5.0

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Spurs
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Tiago Splitter

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.3
RPG: Chandler, 11.4
APG: Rondo, 6.4
PER: Chandler, 19.8
Win Shares: Chandler, 9.0
Spurs
PPG: Leonard, 16.0
RPG: Duncan, 9.2
APG: Parker, 4.9
PER: Duncan, 21.9
Win Shares: Duncan, 7.4

Of Note

• The Spurs blowout win over the Thunder on Wednesday put them 1/2 game up on the Mavs for sixth place in the West. A Dallas win would give the Mavs the season series 3-1 and the potential tiebreaker.
• The Mavericks last won a regular season game in San Antonio on Nov 26, 2010.  They have lost eight in a row since at the AT&T Center.
• J.J. Barea will miss his third straight game with a sprained ankle while Richard Jefferson is questionable with back stiffness.
• In three games against the Spurs this year, Monta Ellis is averaging 34 points and shooting 59% from the field and 57% on threes.
• The Mavs win over the Spurs on Tuesday, was the Spurs only loss in regulation in their last 14 games.

Mavericks 101 Spurs 94: Game 72 Recap

The Lead
The Mavs bounce back with a much needed win as Monta ties his season high in scoring.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 38
Rebounds: Nowitzki, 13
Assists: Ellis, Rondo, 5
+-: Nowitzki, +15
Spurs
Points: Leonard, 19
Rebounds: Leonard, 9
Assists: four with 3
+-: Ayres, +6

Game Ball
Monta Ellis
38 points, 5 assists, 16-27 FG, 4-4 FT

X-Factor
Dirk Nowitzki
15 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists

Goat Horns
Tony Parker
8 points, 3-11 FG, 4 TO

Play of the Game
Al-Farouq Aminu went baseline for a jam and was fouled to give the Mavs  a game high 17 point lead with 9:55 to go. The Mavs had trailed by as many as 14 in the first half.

Stat of the Game
Monta's 38 points, 23 of which came in the second half,  tied a season high also set against the Spurs. Ellis was coming off a 4-22 shooting outing against Phoenix on Sunday.

Of Note

• Fresh off watching the birth of his second child and first son on Monday, Dirk grabbed his 10,000th rebound of his career, becoming the first player in NBA history with at least 25,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 1,000 blocks and 1,000 threes.
• J.J. Barea missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle while Richard Jefferson left the game in the first half with back spasms.
• With the Spurs hosting the Thunder on Wednesday, Gregg Popovich sat Tony Parker and Tim Duncan for the entire fourth quarter.
• The win put the Mavs percentage point behind the Spurs for sixth in the West and gave them the edge in the season series 2-1.
• With Barea out, Raymond Felton got 8 minutes of playing time, during which the team was a +10.

Grades
Nowitzki: A-
Parsons: A-
Chandler: B+
Ellis: A+
Rondo: B
Aminu: B
Harris: A-
Stoudemire: B
Felton: B+

Quote of Note
"Too much Monta, don't you think?"
Rick Carlisle postgame

They Tweeted It
 

Dirk should have babies everyday.
— Leigh Ellis (@LeighEllis) March 25, 2015

Next Up
The Mavericks (45-27) will take a couple days off before the rematch against the Spurs (44-26) on Friday in San Antonio.

Mavericks vs. Spurs: Game 72 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (44-27) vs. San Antonio Spurs (44-25)
Tues. Mar. 24, 7:00 at the AAC
TV: TNT
Line: Spurs by 3.5

2014-15 Matchups
Oct. 28 at San Antonio
Spurs 101 Mavs 100
Dec. 20 at Dallas
Mavs 99 Spurs 93


All-Time Series
Spurs 97 Mavs 65

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.3 (5th)
Def. Rating: 103.0 (16th)
Point Differential: +3.6
Spurs
Offense: 105.2 (7th)
Defense: 100.3 (5th)
Point Differential: +4.7

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Spurs
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Danny Green
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Tiago Splitter

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.0
RPG: Chandler, 11.4
APG: Rondo, 6.4
PER: Chandler, 20.0
Win Shares: Chandler, 9.0
Spurs
PPG: Leonard, 15.9
RPG: Duncan, 9.3
APG: Parker, 5.0
PER: Duncan, 22.0
Win Shares: Duncan, 7.4

Of Note

• This is the first of back-to-back games against the Spurs for the Mavs. The teams will play in San Antonio on Friday.
• J.J. Barea is out with a sprained ankle while Devin Harris is questionable with a illness.
• Manu Ginobili is expected to play after missing the Spurs' last four games with a sprained ankle.
• The Mavericks win over the Spurs on Dec. 20 in Rajon Rondo's first game with the Mavs broke a 10 game regular season losing streak to the Spurs. The Spurs however were without just about every key player.
• Dirk's wife Jessica gave birth to the couple's second child yesterday, a son named Max. Dirk missed shootaround but is expected to play tonight.

Mavericks at Suns: Game 71 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (44-26) at. Phoenix Suns (37-33)
Sun. Mar. 22, 8:00 at the US Airways Center
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 3.5

20-14-15 Matchups
Dec. 5 at Dallas
Suns 118 Mavs 106
Dec. 23 at Phoenix
Suns 124 Mavs 115

All-Time Series
Suns 76 Mavs 66


Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.6 (5th)
Def. Rating: 103.0 (16th)
Point Differential: +3.7
Suns
Offense: 104.2 (11th)
Defense: 103.3 (17th)
Point Differential: +0.6


Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Suns
PG: Eric Bledsoe
SG: P.J. Tucker
SF: Marcus Morris
PF: Markieff Morris
C: Alex Len

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.1
RPG: Chandler, 11.4
APG: Rondo, 6.4
PER: Chandler, 20.2
Win Shares: Chandler, 9.0
Suns
PPG: Bledsoe, 17.0
RPG: Len, 6.6
APG: Bledsoe, 6.0
PER: Wright, 19.4
Win Shares: Bledsoe, 6.4

Of Note

• J.J. Barea will miss the game after spraining his ankle during practice.
• Trade deadline acquisition Brandon Knight is out for Phoenix with a sprained ankle.
• The Mavs are only 2-12 against top 10 teams in the West on the road.
• Former Mav Brandan Wright has averaged 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds in 19.7 minutes per game in his 29 games as a Sun.
• Amar'e Stoudemire, of course spent his first 8 seasons in Phoenix, where he was a 5 time all-star, a 4 time All-NBA selection and won Rookie of the Yaear.

Mavericks vs. Grizzlies: Game 70 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (44-25) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (47-21)
Fri. Mar. 20, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 3

2014-15 Matchups
Dec. 9 at Memphis
Grizzlies 114 Mavs 105
Jan. 19 at Memphis
Mavs 103 Grizzlies 95
Jan. 27 at Dallas
Grizzlies 109 Mavs 90

All-Time Series
Mavs 56 Grizzlies 21

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.7 (4th)
Def. Rating: 102.9 (16th)
Point Differential: +3.9
Grizzlies
Offense: 103.2 (14th)
Defense: 100.1 (5th)
Point Differential: +3.4

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Grizzlies
PG: Mike Conley or Beno Udrih
SG: Courtney Lee
SF: Jeff Green
PF: Zach Randolph
C: Marc Gasol

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.2
RPG: Chandler, 11.4
APG: Rondo, 6.5
PER: Chandler, 20.3
Win Shares: Chandler, 8.9
Grizzlies
PPG: Gasol, 17.8
RPG: Randolph, 11.2
APG: Conley, 5.3
PER: Gasol, 21.9
Win Shares: Gasol, 8.7

Of Note

• The Mavs are looking to win four games in a row for the first time since they won six in a row from Dec.26-Jan. 5
• Mike Conley is questionable for Memphis with a sprained ankle.
• Dirk is looking to score 20+ points in three straight games for the first time all season.
• The Grizzlies have struggled of late, losing 7 out of their last 13 games.
• Since losing to the Grizzlies at the AAC on Jan. 27 the Mavericks have gone 10-3 at home.

Mavericks 107 Magic 102: Game 69 Recap

The Lead
After building a 22 point early third quarter lead, the Mavs hold on for dear life in the fourth for their third straight win.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Nowitzki, 25
Rebounds: Nowitzki, Chandler, Aminu, 8
Assists: Rondo, 11
+-: Ellis, +12
Magic
Points: Oladipo, 19
Rebounds: Payton, 10
Asissts: Payton, 12
+-: O'Quinn, +7

Game Ball
Dirk Nowitzki
25 points, 8 rebounds, 9-15 FG, 5-6 3PT

X-Factor
Al-Farouq Aminu
7 points, 8 rebounds, 5-6 FT

Play of the Game
Late in the first half, Rajon Rondo threw a no-look pass over his head from the backcourt that found a streaking  Monta Ellis for the easy layup.

Stat of the Game
The Mavericks shot 69% in the first half, enabling them to take a 65-48 lead going into the break.

Of Note

• With Dirk's 5-6 effort from behind the three point stripe, he is now 16-27 on threes in the last 6 games.
• Monta Ellis scored 17 points on 8-9 shooting in the first half but had only 4 points on 1-8 shooting in the second half.
• The Mavericks committed an out of character 20 turnovers, 8 of which were by Rajon Rondo who did also have 11 assists.
• The Mavs finished the season 8-7 at home against the East. They are 13-1 on the road with a game at Indiana still remaining.
• Dallas had its full compliment of players available with Al-Farouq Aminu returning from his shoulder injury. Dwight Powell and Greg Smith were inactive.

Grades
Nowitzki: A+
Parsons: C
Chandler: B
Ellis: B
Rondo: B
Villanueva:A-
Harris: A-
Stoudmire: B-
Barea: B
Aminu: A-

Quote of Note
 "To me, it's not disappointing at all. They put their pants on just like we do. We knew they weren't going to lay down, but we got the win. It's tough to get wins in this league. The Spurs lost to the Knicks the other night. It's easy for teams to let their guards down. You have to give them credit. It's not like we're the best defensive team in the league. We struggled at times and they made plays. They made shots when needed and we didn't. ... They stuck with it, hung in it. That's just basketball."
Rajon Rondo on if it was disappointing the game got so close.

They Tweeted It

The next F Rondo gives will be his first: https://t.co/z3jtWof8Lb
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) March 19, 2015

Next Up
The Mavericks (44-25) finish up their homestand with a Southwest Division showdown on Friday with the Memphis Grizzlies (47-21).

Mavericks vs. Magic: Game 69 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (43-25) vs. Orlando Magic (21-48)
Wed. Mar. 18, 7:00 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, ESPN
Line: Mavs by 11.5

2014-15 Matchups

Jan. 31 at Orlando
Mavs 108 Magic 93

All-Time Series
Mavs 29 Magic 23

Team Stats
Mavs
Offense: 4th (107.7)
Defense: 16th (102.9)
Point Differential: +3.9
Magic
Offense: 26th (99.5)
Defense: 26th (105.4)
Point Differential: -6.0

Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Magic
PG: Elfrid Payton
SG: Victor Oladipo
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Dewayne Dedmon
C: Nikola Vucevic

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.2
RPG: Chandler, 11.5
APG: Rondo, 6.3
PER: Chandler, 20.6
Win Shares: Chandler, 9.0
Magic
PPG: Vucevic, 19.6
RPG: Vucevic, 11.2
APG: Payton, 6.0
PER: Vucevic, 22.1
Win Shares: Vucevic, 6.0

Of Note

• Devin Harris and J.J. Barea both missed practice due to illness, and are listed as questionable. Al-Farouq Aminu, who has missed the last two games with a left shoulder injury is also questionable.
• This is the Mavs final home game of the year against the East. They are only 7-7 in those games compared to 13-1 on the road.
• The Mavericks have won 6 straight games against the Magic.
• The last time the Mavs faced Orlando, Richard Jefferson accidentally kneed Rajon Rondo in the face, causing Rondo to miss 6 games with a broken orbital bone and facial fractures.
• Dirk has hit a hot streak on threes, making 11-21 over the last five games, including 4-7 against the Thunder.

Mavericks 119 Thunder 115: Game 68 Recap

The Lead
Mavs come back from a 15 point second half deficit as Parsons once again leads the way.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Parsons, 31
Rebounds: Chandler, 7
Assists: Rondo, 13
+-: Rondo, +12
Thunder
Points: Westbrook, 24
Rebounds: Kanter, McGary, 13
Assists: Westbrook, 12
+-: Collison, +11

Game Ball
Chandler Parsons
31 points, 10-14 FG, 3-5 3PT, 8-9 FT

X-Factor
Rajon Rondo
11 points, 13 assists, 5-8 FG

Goat Horns
D.J. Augustin
6 points, 3-11 FG, 0-7 3PT

Play of the Game
Chandler Parsons ties the game with 8 second left in the third quarter on a three while being fouled. He would miss the free throw, but his shot erased what was a 15 point Thunder lead earlier in the quarter.

Stat of the Game
The Mavericks are now 34-0 when leading or tied after three quarters. They are 31-0 when leading and 3-0 when tied.

Of Note

• Al-Farouq Aminu missed his second straight game with his injured shoulder while Devin Harris missed the second half with an illness.
• The Thunder of course had no sympathy, as they were without Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka.
• Rajon Rondo's points-assists double-double were his first since his second game as a Mav on Dec. 22 against Atlanta.
• In the two games this year at the AAC against the Thunder, the Mavs held Russell Westbrook to 42 points on 13-40 shooting and 12 turnovers.
• The Mavericks were able to win despite being badly outrebounded 59-37.
• The win moved the Mavs into 5th place in the West, 1/2 game ahead of both the Clippers and Spurs and 5.5 games ahead of the 8th place Thunder.

Grades
Nowitzki: A
Parsons: A+
Chandler: B+
Ellis: B-
Rondo: A+
Villanueva: B+
Stoudemire: B+
Jefferson: C+
Barea: B

Quote of Note
"Probably that we were down 15 and not playing too well."
Chandler Parsons on what triggered their comeback.

They Tweeted It
 

Westbrook: 24 pts, 7-of-17 (1-of-4), 12 assists, 7 turnovers, 6 fouls. Rondoooooo
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) March 17, 2015

Next Up
The Mavericks (43-25) take a break from the Western Conference gauntlet on Wednesday when they host the Orlando Magic (21-47).

Mavericks vs. Thunder:Game 68 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (42-25) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (37-29)
Mon. Mar. 16, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 3

2014-15 Matchups
Dec. 28 at Dallas
Mavs 112 Thunder 107
Feb. 19 at OKC
Thunder 104 Mavs 89

All-Time Series
Thunder 73 Mavs 68


Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.7 (4th)
Def. Rating: 102.9 (15th)
Point Differential: +3.9
Thunder
Offense: 103.4 (12th)
Defense: 101.4 (11th)
Point Differential: +2.7


Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Dion Waiters
SF: Andre Roberson
PF: Enes Kanter
C: Steven Adams

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.1
RPG: Chandler, 11.5
APG: Rondo, 6.1
PER: Chandler, 20.8
Win Shares: Chandler, 8.9
Thunder
PPG: Westbrook, 27.4
RPG: Kanter, 9.4
APG: Westbrook, 8.4
PER: Westbrook, 29.8
Win Shares: Westbrook, 8.2

Of Note

• AL-Farouq Aminu, who missed Friday's game with a left shoulder injury, is listed as questionable. 
• For the Thunder, Kevin Durant is still out after foot surgery, while Serge Ibaka is questionable with knee soreness.
• After starting the season 0-5 against the other top 8 teams in the West, the Mavs have gone a more respectable 6-8 since.
• In the 11 games since he was named All-Star Game MVP, the amazing Russell Westbrook has averaged 32.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 11.1 assists.
• In the last two games, Chandler Parsons has scored 40 points on 15-24 shooting including going 8-10 on threes.

Mavs 129 Clippers 99: Game 67 Review

The Lead
The Mavs get a much needed win, as the offense awakens to throttle the Clippers.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Parsons, 22
Rebounds: Chandler, 12
Assists: Rondo, 7
+-: Nowitzki, Stoudemire, +30
Clippers
Points: Redick, 17
Rebounds: Jordan, 18
Assists: Paul, 7
+-: Hawes, +7

Game Ball
Chandler Parsons
22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 8-12 FG, 5-6 3PT

X-Factor
Tyson Chandler
14 points, 12 rebounds, 6-7 FG

Goat Horns
Spencer Hawes
4 points, 2-8 FG, 0-3 3PT

Play of the Game
With a little less than eight minutes left in the quarter, Rajon Rondo intercepted DeAndre Jordan's pass in the backcourt and then hitMonta Ellis with a behind-the-back bounce pass for a jumper that put the Mavs up 70-62.

Stat of the Game
A Mavericks team that has struggled to shoot the ball of late, had no such trouble shooting 61% from the field and hitting 16-28 threes.

Of Note

• The win gives the Mavs a win over every West top eight team expect Golden State.
• After scoring only 21 points in the first quarter, the Mavericks scored 108 points in the final three quarters compared to the Clippers 75.
• The 30 point win was the third biggest winning margin of the year for Dallas behind a 53 point win over Philadelphia on Nov. 13 and a 34 point win over the Lakers on Nov. 21.
• Seven Mavs scored at least 14 points, including three bench players.
• The Mavericks outrebounded the Clippers 43-32 despite 18 boards from league leader DeAndre Jordan. Jordan also made his first career three-pointer in the first quarter.

Grades
Nowitzki: A
Parsons: A+
Chandler: A+
Ellis: A-
Rondo: A-
Villanueva: A
Harris: A
Stoudemire: B
Jefferson: A-
Barea: A

Quote of Note
"It felt good. I think this is the best I've been since I've been here as far as the play-calling. Charlie got hot, CP got hot, I knew the right plays to call to get those guys shots and not necessarily the same plays every time down the floor because teams load up on the same plays you run. I was able to give different play-calling signals and get guys those looks."
Rajon Rondo on the play-calling

They Tweeted It

What the Mavs have shown tonight is that writing off a talented veteran team with great coaches and 16 games left is questionable at best
— Jeff Wade (@SkinWade) March 14, 2015

Next Up
The Mavericks (42-25) will have another tough home matchup against one the league's top point guards, when Russell Westbrook and the Thunder (36-29) visit on Monday.
  

Mavericks vs. Clippers: Game 67 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (41-25) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (42-23)
Fri. Mar. 13, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBATV
Line: Mavs by 2.5

2014-15 Matchups
Jan. 10 at Los Angeles
Clippers 120 Mavs 100
Feb.9 at Dallas
Clippers 115 Mavs 98


All-Time Series
Mavs 86 Clippers 54

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.3 (5th)

Def. Rating: 102.8 (14th)
Point Differential: +3.5
Clippers
Offense: 109.4 (1st)
Defense: 103.1 (15th)
Point Differential: +6.1

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Clippers
PG: Chris Paul
SG: J.J. Redick
SF: Matt Barnes
PF: Spencer Hawes
C: DeAndre Jordan

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.2
RPG: Chandler, 11.5
APG: Rondo, 6.1
PER: Chandler, 20.6
Win Shares: Chandler, 8.7
Clippers
PPG: Griffin, 22.5
RPG: Jordan, 14.6
APG: Paul, 10.1
PER: Paul, 24.9
Win Shares: Paul, 11.6

Of Note

• All six of the Mavericks losses since the All-Star Break have come by double-digits.
• The Mavs have dropped 9 out of 12 to the Clippers since Chris Paul joined the team.
• Still feeling the effects of injuries, Tyson Chandler has failed to score over 12 points in his last 10 games. He also only has one game with more than 10 rebounds in his last six.
• Blake Griffin (elbow) and Jamal Crawford (calf) are out for the Clippers.
• The Mavs have scored more than 102 points only once in their last 13 games.
• Starting with his 27 rebound game against the Mavs on Feb. 9, DeAndre Jordan has grabbed at least 14 rebounds in each the 13 games since. He is averaging 19.2 rebounds per game in those games.

Mavericks vs. Cavaliers: Game 66 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (41-24) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (40-25)
Tues. Mar. 10, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBATV
Line: Cavs by 3.5

2014-15 Matchups

Jan. 4 at Cleveland
Mavs 109 Cavs 90

All-Time Series
Cavs 34 Mavs 32

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 107.4 (4th)
Def. Rating: 102.5 (14th)
Point Differential: +4.1
Cavs
Offense: 107.4 (4th)
Defense: 104.0 (21st)
Point Differential: +4.1

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Cavs
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: J.R. Smith
SF: LeBron James
PF: Kevin Love
C: Timofey Mozgov


Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.2
RPG: Chandler, 11.6
APG: Rondo, 6.2
PER: Chandler, 20.6
Win Shares: Chandler, 8.6
Cavs
PPG: James, 26.0
RPG: Love, 10.2
APG: James, 7.3
PER: James, 25.8
Win Shares: Irving, 8.1

Of Note

• The Mavericks begin a five game homestand that includes tough tests against the Cavaliers, Clippers, Thunder and Grizzlies.
• The Mavs have won 8 out of  9 against Cleveland, however LeBron James was not in uniform for the Cavs in any of them. Dallas has failed to beat a James led team since Game 6 of the 2011 Finals.
• Shawn Marion, who is out with an injured hip, will make his final trip to the AAC as a player before he retires at the end of the year. In 50 games this year The Matrix  is averaging 4.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 20 minutes per game.
• Devin Harris is listed as questionable after missing the last two games with an injured thumb.
• Rajon Rondo's play has picked up as of late. In the last four games Rondo is averaging 12.8 points, 6.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds.
• Al-Farouq Aminu has recorded at least four steals in four out of his last five games.

Mavericks vs. Blazers: Game 63 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (40-22) at Portland Trail Blazers (39-19)
Thurs. Mar. 5, 9:30 at the Moda Center
TV: TNT
Line:
 
2014-15 Matchups
Nov. 6 at Portland
Blazers 108 Mavs 87
Feb. 7 at Dallas
Mavs 111 Blazers 101 (OT)

All-Time Series
Blazers 76 Mavs 65

Team Stats
Mavs
Offense: 108.3 (3rd)
Defense: 102.6 (14th)
Point Differential: +4.7
Blazers
Offense: 104.9 (9th)
Defense: 99.9 (6th)
Point Differential:  +5.0

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Richard Jefferson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
Blazers
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Nicolas Batum
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Robin Lopez

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.4
RPG: Chandler, 11.7
APG: Rondo, 6.0
PER: Chandler, 21.0
Win Shares: Chandler, 8.3
Blazers
PPG: Aldridge, 23.3
RPG: Aldridge, 10.5
APG: Lillard, 6.2
PER: Aldridge, 22.3
Win Shares: Lillard, 8.5

Of Note

• Tyson Chandler (hip) is probable to play, while Chandler Parsons will miss his 6th straight game with a sprained ankle and bone bruise.
• In seven games since the All-Star break, Devin Harris is averaging  12.1 points and 3.7 assists in 23.1 minutes per game, while shooting .459% from the field and .955% from the line.
• The Mavericks are 5-11 against the top 8 teams in the West.
• Only Golden St. and Atlanta have more road wins than  the Mavs 19.
• In four games as a Maverick, Amare Stoudemire is averaging 22.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Mavs Notes: James Signed for Rest of Season, Mavs Intrested in McGee

The Mavericks announced today they have signed Bernard James for the remainder of the season. The third year center has completed two 10 day contracts after returning from playing in China this season. He has averaged 4.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in 17.4 minutes in 5 games including 2 starts.

In other big man news, according to Marc Stein the Mavericks are one of several teams interested in signing JaVale McGee, who waived by Philadelphia on Monday. McGee, 27 was acquired by the Sixers from Denver at the trade deadline. In 23 games this season between the Nuggets and Sixers, McGee has averaged 4.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 11.1 minutes per game.

Mavericks 102 Pelicans 93: Game 62 Recap

The Lead
Behind an aggressive Rondo and strong second half defense, the Mavs get a key win to break a two game losing streak.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Ellis, 20
Rebounds: Nowitzki, 8
Assists: Rondo, Ellis, Stoudemire, Harris, 2
+-: James, +23
Pelicans
Points: Cole, 19
Rebounds: Ajinca, 12
Assists: Evans, 7
+-: Ajinca, +10

Game Ball
Rajon Rondo
19 points, 5 rebounds, 9-15 FG

X-Factor
Richard Jefferson
16 points, 5 rebounds, 5-6 FG, 2-2 3PT, 4-4 FT

Goat Horns
Omer Asik
2 points, 3 turnovers, -16

Play of the Game
With the Mavericks up 8 with two minutes to go, Bernard James hustles to recover a loose ball and then finds Dirk open for a dagger three.

Stat of the Game
After getting burned by 9 Pelicans threes in the first half, the Mavs holds New Orleans to only one three in the second half on their way to allowing only 35 points for the half.

Of Note

• Chandler Parsons missed his fifth straight game with a sprained ankle and Tyson Chandler missed his third straight with a hip pointer. The hope is for both players to be ready by the next game on Thursday.
• Rondo scored 13 of his 19 points in the first quarter.
• The Mavs dominated inside in the absence of Anthony Davis, outscoring the Pelicans in the paint 50-24.
• The Mavericks seven turnovers tied a season low.
• The Mavs took the season series from the Pelicans 3-1. They are now 6-6 in games inside the Southwest Division.

Grades
Nowitzki: B
Jefferson: A
James: B+
Ellis: B+
Rondo: A
Aminu: B
Stoudemire: B+
Barea: C
Harris: A-

Quote of Note
"Well, I'm not going to disagree with my teammates, so I agree."
Rajon Rondo after Devin Harris said the team is better when he attacks like he did tonight.

They Tweeted It
 

Amar'e Stoudemire on wine baths in Dallas: "I researched that. I couldn't find one anywhere."
— Bryan Gutierrez (@BallinWithBryan) March 3, 2015

Next Up
The Mavericks (40-22) start a three game West Coast trip in Portland against the Trail Blazers (39-19) on Thursday night. 

Mavericks vs. Pelicans: Game 62 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (39-22) at New Orleans Pelicans (32-27)
Mon. Mar. 2, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by

2014-15 Matchups
Nov. 1 at New Orleans
Mavs 109 Pelicans 104
Dec. 10 at Dallas
Mavs 112 Pelicans 107
Jan. 25 at New Orleans
Pelicans 109 Mavs 106

All-Time Series
Mavs 34 Pelicans 12

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 108.2 (3rd)
Def. Rating: 102.5 (14th)
Point Differential: +4.6
Pelicans
Offense: 105.7 (7th)
Defense: 105.5 (26th)
Point Differential: +0.5
  
Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Monta Ellis
SF: Richard Jefferson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Bernard James
Pelicans
PG: Tyreke Evans
SG: Eric Gordon
SF: Quincy Pondexter
PF:Dante Cunningham
C: Omer Asik

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Ellis, 19.3
RPG: Chandler, 11.7
APG: Rondo, 6.2
PER: Chandler, 20.9
Win Shares: Chandler, 8.3
Pelicans
PPG: Davis, 23.9
RPG: Davis, 10.3
APG: Holiday, 7.1
PER: Davis, 31.2
Win Shares: Davis, 9.9

Of Note

• Both Tyson Chandler (hip flexor) and Chandler Parsons (sprained ankle) are listed as questionable. Chandler has missed the last two games, while Parsons has missed the last  four.
• The Pelicans have won five games in a row despite being without Anthony Davis (shoulder), Ryan Anderson (knee) and Jrue Holiday (ankle).
• The Mavs have failed to score 100 points in seven out of their last eight games.
• Dallas is 20-2 all-time at home against New Orleans.
• Monta Ellis has scored 12 points or fewer in four out of the last seven games. He is 12-48 from the field in those games.

UPDATE: Both Parsons and Chandler will not play.