Dirk Is Staying

Maverick superstar Dirk Nowitzki agreed to a new four year contact for over 80 million dollars on Saturday. Dirk could have made more but decided to take less to give the team more financial flexibility to acquire a big name acquisition. The contract makes Nowitzki one of only two players in the NBA with a no-trade clause joining Kobe Bryant. Dirk opted out of the final year of his previous contract to become a free agent.

Mavs Draft Review

When the Mavericks were left without a fist round pick in this year's draft due to the Jason Kidd trade they went out and bought one. Dallas paid 3 million dollars to Memphis for the rights of the 25th overall pick, Dominique Jones a guard from South Florida. Jones was one of the best scorers in college basketball last year averaging over 21 points a game. The strongest are of his game is getting to the rim as he averaged 8.5 free throw attempts a game. The Mavericks traded their #50 overall pick, Florida St. Center Solomon Alabi to Toronto for a 2013 2nd rounder and cash.

All in all it seems to be an excellent night for the Mavs as they were able to get a player who can help right away and all they had to do was pay Mark Cuban's money for him. It is yet another example of Cuban's commitment to this franchise.

News and notes

Roddy Beaubois has been named to the French national team for this summer's World Championships. He should see plenty of playing time with Tony Parker sitting out the games. J.J. Barea will play for Puerto Rico. The Mavericks are working on a contract extension with Dirk Nowitzki, who can opt for free agency. Nowitzki was named 2nd team all-NBA, the 10th straight year he has been selected to an all-NBA squad. He has been 1st team 4 times, 2nd team 4 times and 3rd team twice. Jason Kidd confirms he was sick during the Spurs series, but will not use it as an excuse.

Conference Finals predictions

West: Lakers in 5

East: Magic in 6

Mavericks vs. Spurs game 6 review

The Mavericks season ended Thursday night with a 97-87 defeat to the Spurs. The Spurs won the series in 6 games, taking all three in San Antonio.

The Mavs fell behind early, trailing 22-8 after one and by as much as 22 points. The team battled back to take a lead in the third but were outplayed in the fourth once again.

Dirk led the way for the Mavs scoring 33 despite picking up 4 first half fouls. Caron Butler added 25 and Roddy Beaubois took advantage of rare playing time with 16. Once again however the two Jasons, Kidd and Terry combined for only 5 points on 2-13 shooting.

Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with 26 points. George Hill had 21 and Tim Duncan had a double-double of 17 and 10 rebounds.

The Spurs will move on to face Phoenix in the next round while the Mavs head for another offseason that will start way too early.

Mavs vs. Spurs game 6 preview

Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs

Western Conference quarterfinals game 6

Spurs lead series 3-2

Thurs. April 29 7:00 at the AT&T Center

TV: Ch. 21, TNT

Series results

Game 1: Mavs 100 Spurs 94 at Dallas

Game 2: Spurs 102 Mavs 88 at Dallas

Game 3: Spurs 94 Mavs 90 at San Antonio

Game 4: Spurs 92 Mavs 89 at San Antonio

Game 5: Mavs 103 Spurs 81 at Dallas

Series leaders

Mavs

PPG: Dirk Nowitzki, 25.4

RPG: Nowitzki, 8.8

APG: Jason Kidd, 7.2

Spurs

PPG: Tim Duncan, 18.4

RPG: Duncan, 9.4

APG: Tony Parker, 5.2

Mavs vs. Spurs previous game 6 results

2003: Spurs 90 Mavs 78 at Dallas

2006: Spurs 91 Mavs 86 at Dallas

Notes: Caron Butler's 35 points was the most for a Maverick other than Dirk since Jason Terry had 35 in Game 5 of the 2006 Finals. The Mavs are 1-8 in Game 6s in the Dirk Nowitzki era with the only win coming in the series clincher of the 2006 West Finals in Phoenix. The only 2 playoff road wins the Mavs have in their last 17 games came last year in San Antonio. In the last two games Tim Duncan is 4-18 from the field while Manu Ginobili is 6-23.

Mavs vs. Spurs game 5 review

With his team's back against the wall and his play so far in the series so underwhelming he was benched for an entire half, Caron Butler picked a good time to remind everybody that he can still be an all-star level player. If he keeps it up the this season has a good chance to continue.

Led by Butler's career playoff high of 35 points, the Mavs blew out San Antonio by a 103-81 score Tuesday night. The win puts the series at 3-2 in favor of the Spurs with game six now set for Thursday night in San Antonio.

Butler, who also had 11 rebounds was on his game from the start as the Mavs grabbed a 17 point first half lead which was cut to only 7 at halftime. The Mavs though came out strong in the third going on a 8-0 run to begin the half and were never threatened again.

A big game was not needed from Dirk but he still added 15 points and 9 rebounds. Jason Kidd had 10 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in easily his best game since game one. Brendan Haywood was added to the starting lineup and responded with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks.

The Mavs clamped down on the defensive end holding the Spurs to only 36% shooting. Tim Duncan only scored 11 on 3-9 shooting while Manu Ginobili had 7 points on 2-7 from the field.

If Dallas can bring this level of play and intensity in game 6, then there will be a good chance for a game 7 back in Dallas on Saturday with a team that is much more than a one man show it was in games 3 and 4.

Teams that came back from 3-1 deficits

2006 2. Phoenix Suns(54-28) vs. 7. Los Angeles Lakers(45-37) West Quarterfinals

2003 1. Detroit Pistons(50-32) vs. 8. Orlando Magic(42-40) East Quarterfinals

1997 2. Miami Heat(61-21) vs. 3. New York Knicks(57-25) East Semifinals

1995 6. Houston Rockets(47-35) vs. 2. Phoenix Suns(59-23) West Semifinals

1981 1. Boston Celtics(62-20) vs. 3.Philadelphia 76ers(62-20) East Finals

1979 1. Washington Bullets(54-28) vs. 2. San Antonio Spurs(48-34) East Finals

1970 2. Los Angeles Lakers(46-36) vs. 4. Phoenix Suns(39-43) West Semifinals

1968 2. Boston Celtics(54-28) vs. 1. Philadelphia(62-20) East Finals

Mavs vs. Spurs game 5 preview

Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs

Western Conference quarterfinals Game 5

Spurs lead series 3-1

Tues. April 27 8:30 at the AAC

TV: Ch. 21, NBATV

Series results

Game 1: Mavs 100 Spurs 94 at Dallas

Game 2: Spurs 102 Mavs 88 at Dallas

Game 3: Spurs 94 Mavs 90 at San Antonio

Game 4: Spurs 92 Mavs 89 at San Antonio

Series leaders

Mavs

PPG: Dirk Nowitzki, 28.0

RPG: Nowitzki, 8.8

APG: Jason Kidd, 7.3

Spurs

PPG: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, 20.3

RPG: Duncan, 10.3

APG: Ginobili, 6.0

Mavs vs. Spurs previous game 5 results

2001: Spurs 105 Mavs 87 at San Antonio

2003: Mavs 103 Spurs 91 at San Antonio

2006: Spurs 98 Mavs 97 at San Antonio

2009: Mavs 106 Spurs 93 at San Antonio

Notes: The Mavs have lost 15 of their last 17 road playoff games. Dallas is 2-5 in the Dirk Nowitzki era when trailing a series 3-1. Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood are the only Mavs shooting over .423% in the series. Dirk who is 34-35 from the line in the series is the only Maverick to shoot more than 12 free throws in the four games.

Mavs vs. Spurs game 4 review

I have to admit, John Hollinger was probably right, the Mavs weren't as good a team as we thought. Through four games the Spurs look like the superior team despite their # 7 seed.

Dallas fell behind the Spurs 3-1 with a 92-89 loss Sunday night. An 11 point halftime lead was erased by a 30-11 third quarter in favor of the Spurs. Dallas was never able to recover.

The Mavs have now lost an astonishing 15 of 17 road playoff games. They let a golden opportunity slip by with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili struggling but once again with Dirk seeing constant hard double-teams the rest of the team could not step up. George Hill stepped up for the Spurs scoring 29 on 11-16 shooting including 5-6 on threes.

The Mavs looked like the oldest team in the league with Jason Kidd and Jason Terry struggling against the Spurs younger and more athletic guards. Caron Butler was given plenty of opportunities but failed to take advantage of them needing 18 shots to score 17 points. Dallas has been outshot badly in the last three games and it is hard to win when that happens, if that don't turn around then the season will be over very soon.

Mavs vs. Spurs game 4 preview

Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs

Western Conference quarterfinals Game 4

Spurs lead series 2-1

Sun. April 25 6:00 at AT&T Center

TV: Ch. 21, TNT

Series results

Game 1: Mavs 100 Spurs 94 at Dallas

Game 2: Spurs 102 Mavs 88 at Dallas

Game 3: Spurs 94 Mavs 90 at San Antonio

Series leaders

Mavs

PPG: Dirk Nowtizki, 31.7

RPG: Nowitzki, 8.0

APG: Jason Kidd, 8.0

Spurs

PPG: Tim Duncan, 25.7

RPG: Duncan, 10.0

APG: Manu Ginobili, 5.7

Mavs vs. Spurs previous game 4 results

2001: Mavs 112 Spurs 108 at Dallas

2003: Spurs 102 Mavs 95 at Dallas

2006: Mavs 123 Spurs 118(OT) at Dallas

2009: Mavs 99 Spurs 90 at Dallas

Notes: The Mavs are 3-5 in Game 4 when trailing 2-1 in the Dirk Nowitzki era. Brendan Haywood and Erick Dampier have combined for 6 points in the last two games. Nowitzki is the only Mav exceeding his regular season scoring average in the series. Manu Ginobili will play despite breaking his nose during Game 3.

Mavs vs. Spurs game 3 review

The Mavericks are finding out that you can't win playing 1 on 5 in the playoffs, even when that one is Dirk Nowitzki.

Despite a brilliant 35 point effort from Dirk, Dallas fell to the Spurs by a 94-90 score Friday night, giving San Antonio a 2-1 series edge. The problem for the Mavs was no one else came close to stepping their game up. The rest of the starting lineup combined for a measly 16 points on 5-19 shooting. The worst culprits were Caron Butler(2 points) and Shawn Marion(7 points), who were benched for the start of the 2nd half with Butler not to return.

The Mavs played well in the 3rd quarter taking a four point lead into the 4th, but the team fell apart in the 4th with Jason Terry and J.J. Barea tiring out by playing the entire 2nd half. It would have been worth it to play Butler, if anything to give Terry and Barea a rest.

The Spurs won despite not making a 3 pointer going 0-7 from long range. Tim Duncan led the way again for San Antonio with 25 points, while Tony Parker added 18 including 3 key jumpers late in the 4th. Manu Ginobili scored 11 of his 15 points in the 4th after returning from a broken nose.

The Mavs now find themselves up against the wall with a game 4 loss probably leading to a first round exit. We know Dirk will come to play, but will any other Mav come to join him?

Mavs vs. Spurs game 3 preview

Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs

Western Conference quarterfinals game 3

Series tied 1-1

Fri. April 23 8:30 at AT&T Center

TV: Ch. 21, ESPN

Series results

Game 1: Mavs 100 Spurs 94 at Dallas

Game 2: Spurs 102 Mavs 88 at Dallas

Series leaders

Mavs

PPG: Dirk Nowitzki, 30.0

RPG: Erick Dampier, 9.5

APG: Jason Kidd, 9.5

Spurs

PPG: Tim Duncan, 26.0

RPG: Duncan, 12.5

APG: Tony Parker, 6.0

Mavs vs. Spurs previous game 3 results

2001: Spurs 104 Mavs 90 at Dallas

2003: Spurs 96 Mavs 83 at Dallas

2006: Mavs 104 Spurs 103 at Dallas

2009: Mavs 88 Spurs 67 at Dallas

Notes: The Mavs are 6-7 all-time in the playoffs in San Antonio having won 6 of the last 10. The winner of game 3 has won all four previous Mavs-Spurs series. Dallas only got two points in game 2 from its center combination of Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood. San Antonio is shooting .462% on threes in the series.

Mavs vs. Spurs game 2 review

After his team's game one loss Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said said some on his team played like "dogs". In game two it was the Mavericks who played like dogs with the Spurs playing the part as their master.

The Spurs never trailed on their way to a convincing 102-88 victory that tied the series at a game a piece. The Spurs big three one again led the way with Tim Duncan proving he can still play a little with 25 points and 17 rebounds while Manu Ginobili added 23 points and Tony Parker 16 points of his own. It was though the Spurs main game one canine, Richard Jefferson, who stepped up by scoring 17 of his 19 points in the first half.

For the Mavs it was a disappointing night on both ends of the floor as they could only manage 36.5% shooting while allowing the Spurs to shoot 48.2%. Dirk Nowitzki was held to only 9-24 shooting for 24 points while Jason Tery scored a game high 27.

The Spurs jumped out to an early double digit lead as the Mavs were ice cold from the field, and although Dallas was able to cut that lead to one in the 2nd quarter it was back up to 12 at halftime.

The lead would increase to 20 in the third before a Mavs rally cut it to 5 in the 4th before San Antonio once again took over putting the game away led by Duncan's brilliance.

The series now heads to the Alamo city for games 3 and 4 where the NBA's best road team will hope to at least get a split in a arena where they have had a lot of recent success. This series appears to be a long one with these two rivals trading punches but with a knockout being hard to come by.

Mavs vs. Spurs game 2 preview

Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs

Western Conference Quarterfinals game 2

Mavericks lead series 1-0

Wed. April 21 8:30 at AAC, TV: Ch. 21, TNT

Series results

Game 1: Mavs 100 Spurs 94 at Dallas

Series leaders

Mavs

PPG: Dirk Nowtizki, 36.0

RPG: Erick Dampier, 12.0

APG: Jason Kidd, 11.0

Spurs

PPG: Tim Duncan, 27.0

RPG: Duncan, Antonio McDyess, 8.0

APG: Manu Ginobili, 6.0

Mavs vs. Spurs previous game 2 results

2001: Spurs 100 Mavs 86 at San Antonio

2003: Spurs 119 Mavs 106 at San Antonio

2006: Mavs 113 Spurs 91 at San Antonio

2009: Spurs 105 Mavs 84 at San Antonio

Notes: A Mavericks win will give them their first ever 2-0 series lead against the Spurs. The Mavs have won four consecutive overall games and four straight playoff games against San Antonio. Dallas is 27-18 all-time in playoff games at the American Airlines Center.

Mavs vs. Spurts game one review

Single-team him, double-team him, even triple-team him the Spurs have no answer for Dirk Nowitzki, as was once again proven Sunday night.

Nowtizki was remarkably efficient going 12-14 from the field and 12-12 from the line as he led the Mavs to a 100-94 game one victory over the Spurs as Dallas took a 1-0 lead in the best of seven first round series.

For most of the first three quarters Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who doubled Dirk during last year's playoff matchup, covered him with only one defender and Nowitzki repeatedly took advantage either by driving to the basket or shooting over the top over the many San Antonio defenders who feebly tried to cover him. It got so bad for the Spurs that they tried a hack-a-Damp strategy late in the 3rd quarter, but even that backfired as Erick Dampier made 4-6 free throws. Nowitzki saw more double-teams and even some triple-teams in the fourth but he was able to locate the open man. Dirk's 12 made throws add to a total of 86 straight makes counting the end of the regular season.

Dirk was not alone however as Caron Butler had 22 points in his first playoff game as a Mav and Jason Kidd contributed 13 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Dallas was able to overcome an off-night for Jason Terry as he only went 2-9 from the field.

The Spurs were only able to get contributions from its three big stars as Tim Duncan had 27, points, Manu Ginobili 26 and Tony Parker 18. The futility of the rest of the Spurs roster which only had 23 points was probably best exemplified by off-season acquisition bust Richard Jefferson who only had four point.

Other keys to the Mavs victory was a +13 differential at the free throw line and 17 Spurs turnovers. Dallas also won the rebound battle by a 45-37 count.

It was though most of all a Dirk night as he once again showed that come playoff time, and especially against the Spurs there just is no stopping #41.

Mavericks career playoff averages

player
G PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3PT% FT%

Dirk Nowitzki
87 25.7 11.4 2.7 1.2 1.1 .457 .382 .878
Jason Kidd
111 15.2 7.5 8.7 2.0 0.3 .402 .317 .772
Jason Terry

56 17.3 3.0 3.7 1.0 0.2 .444 .369 .836
Shawn Marion
65 17.1 10.9 1.4 1.5 1.5 .463 .346 .811
Caron Butler
25 15.6 8.3 2.8 2.0 0.5 .413 .217 .838
Brendan Haywood
25 9.4 5.6 0.8 0.8 1.6 . 586 .000 .653

Erick Dampier

52 5.1 6.2 0.4 0.4 1.0 .565 .000 .533
J.J. Barea
13 6.5 1.5 2.7 0.2 0.0 .453 .389 .600
Eduardo Najera
54 4.1 3.3 0.6 0.5 0.2 .451 .417 .750
DeShawn Stevenson
15 7.9 2.1 1.9 0.6 0.2 .309 .298 .806
Matt Carroll
4 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 .500 .000 .000

NBA playoffs preview

Here are the breakdowns for the other seven first round series besides Mavs-Spurs.

West

1. Los Angeles Lakers(57-25) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder(50-32)
Season series: 3-1 Lakers

Prediction: Lakers in 6. The Lakers enter the playoffs not playing their best basketball and with Andrew Bynum's status in doubt. However their championship experience along with a coach who has lost only one series when his team had home court advantage should be enough to move on. The Thunder however will not be a pushover as their young talent should push the Lakers more than an ordinary 8 seed would.


3. Phoenix Suns(54-28) vs. 6. Portland Trail Blazers(50-32)
Season series: 2-1 Blazers
Prediction: Suns in 5. Portland gave the Suns a lot of trouble during the regular season, but with Brandon Roy out and the Suns on a serious hot streak, Portland just does not have the firepower to keep up with Suns.


4. Denver Nuggets(53-29) vs. 5. Utah Jazz(53-29)
Season series: 3-1 Nuggets
Prediction: Nuggets in 7. This is a hard series to make out with Denver missing their coach and Utah's uncertain health of Boozer and Kirilenko. The Nuggets though get a slight edge due to the homecourt and winning the season series.

East


1. Cleveland Cavaliers(61-21) vs. 8. Chicago Bulls(41-41)
Season series: Tied 2-2

Prediction: Cavs in 4. This is obviously the biggest mismatch of the first round with the Cavs having the league's best record and Chicago making the playoffs on the regular season's last day. The Bulls might be able to take a game in Chicago but that will probably be it.

2. Orlando Magic(59-23) vs. 7. Charlotte Bobcats(44-38)
Season series: Magic 3-1

Prediction: Magic in 5. Orlando decided not to rest its starters late in the year as they gained plenty of momentum entering the postseason. They should make Charlotte's first playoffs appearance a short one.

3. Atlanta Hawks(53-29) vs. 6. Milwaukee Bucks(46-36)

Season series: 2-1 Hawks
Prediction: Hawks in 5. Milwaukee has overachieved all year, but will be hampered by the loss of Andrew Bogut. The Hawks superior roster should be too much for the Bucks tenacity and grit.

4. Boston Celtics(50-32) vs. Miami Heat(47-35)

Season series: 3-0 Celtics

Prediction: Celtics in 7. The Celtics have struggled the entire calender year while the Heat finished up strong and have the series best player. Boston can hope that their season series sweep and home court advantage will be enough to barely squeak by.

Mavs vs. Spurs series preview

2. Dallas Mavericks(55-27) vs. San Antonio Spurs(50-32)
Western Conference quarterfinals

Season series: 3-1 Mavs

Nov. 11: Spurs 92 Mavs 83 at San Antonio

Nov.18: Mavs 99 Spurs 94(OT) at Dallas
Jan. 8: Mavs 112 Spurs 103 at San Antonio
April 14: Mavs 96 Spurs 89 at Dallas

All-time playoff series: Mavs 2 Spurs 2

2001 West semifinals: Spurs 4 Mavs 1

2003 West finals: Spurs 4 Mavs 2
2006 West semifinals: Mavs 4 Spurs 3

2009 West quarterfinals: Mavs 4 Spurs 1

Mavs season leaders

PPG: Dirk Nowitzki, 25.0
RPG: Brendan Haywood, 9.3

APG: Jason Kidd, 9.1

Spurs season leaders

PPG: Tim Duncan, 17.9

RPG: Duncan, 10.1
APG: Tony Parker, 5.7

Expected starting lineups

Mavs: PG-Jason Kidd, SG-Caron Butler, SF-Shawn Marion, PF-Dirk Nowitzki, C-Erick Dampier

Spurs: PG-Tony Parker, SG-Manu Ginobili, SF-Richard Jefferson, PF-Tim Duncan, C-Antonio McDyess

Notes: Including the playoffs the Mavs have won 8 of the last 10 meeting between the teams. Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan are the only players to play in every Mavs-Spurs playoff series. The Mavericks have won at least 50 games for the last 10 years, while the Spurs have done it for 11 years. The Mavs and Spurs are the only playoff teams from the Southwest Division. The winner of the series will play the winner of the Phoenix-Portland series in the next round.

Prediction: Mavs in 6. The Mavs have the confidence they can beat the Spurs and are not intimidated playing in San Antonio. Although Manu Ginobili missed last year's series the Mavs are a much improved team, replacing Josh Howard, Antonie Wright and Brandon Bass with Caron Butler, Shawn Marion and Brendan Haywood. Also the Spurs still have health concerns with Tony Parker not at 100% and with George Hill's ankle injury. The Spurs will not be an easy out as you know they will not go down without a fight, but this year's Mavs team is well equipped to take them out and could once again eliminate the Spurs on their own home court.

Carlisle is West coach of the month

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was named today Western Conference coach of the month for April. The Mavericks won their final five games of the regular season after losing their first two games of the month. Carlisle has now been named coach of the month for all three teams he has coached.

Mavs vs. Spurs playoff schedule

Game 1 Sun. April 18 at Dallas 7:00 TNT, Ch. 21

Game 2 Wed. April 21 at Dallas 8:30 TNT, Ch. 21

Game 3 Fri. April 23 at San Antonio 8:30 ESPN, Ch. 21

Game 4 Sun. April 25 at San Antonio 6:00 TNT, Ch. 21

Game 5 Tues. April 27 at Dallas TBD TDB, Ch. 21 (if necessary)

Game 6 Thurs. April 29 at San Antonio TDB, TDB,Ch. 21 (if necessary)

Game 7 Sat. May 1 at Dallas TBD TNT, Ch. 21 (if necessary)

Mavs vs. Spurs review

For a game that was supposed to be a playoff preview, we did not learn what much on what to expect when the Mavs and Spurs face off in the playoffs. What we did learn is the Mavericks are exactly where they want to be.

The Mavs 96-89 win over a Spurs team without Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili clinched the number two seed in the West and a first round playoff date with San Antonio. The Spurs rested their stars with not much to play for, and probably as a result the Mavs looked flat at times. However they got the win and nobody was forced to play extended minutes.

Caron Butler led the way for Dallas with 20 points, returning from a one game absence. Dirk Nowitzki added 19 points and ended the season with 74 consecutive made free throws. Jason Kidd provided an early spark scoring 13 of his 18 points in the third period before resting the entire fourth quarter. Brendan Haywood contributed heavily on the defensive end with 15 rebounds and 5 blocks.

The Spurs were led by rookie Dejuan Blair with 27 points and 23 rebounds. TonyParker, the lone Spurs star to play had 16 points. In addition to Duncan and Ginobili sitting out, George Hill was forced to leave the game for San Antonio after five minutes due to a sprained ankle.

After a 16-2 run to end the first, Dallas led comfortably the remainder of the game even though the Spurs cut the lead to 6 in the fourth quarter.

The Mavericks finish the regular season with a 55-27 record, good for fourth best in the league. Their 27-14 road record tops the entire NBA. They finished by winning 23 of their final 29 games after the trade with Washington including winning streaks of 13 and 5 to finish the season.

The Mavs will see a much different Spurs team when the series starts on Sunday, but they know they matchup well with the Spurs, winning 8 of the last 10 contests between the teams. Now it is just a matter of them hitting their peak at the right time hoping it continues for a long and memorable playoff run.

Mavs vs. Spurs preview

Dallas Mavericks(54-27) vs. San Antonio Spurs(50-31)

Tues. April 14, 7:00 at AAC, TV: Channel 21

Season series: 2-1 Mavs

Last matchup: Jan. 8 at San Antonio, Mavs 112 Spurs 103

All-time series: 83-60 Spurs

Spurs leaders

PPG: Tim Duncan, 17.9

RPG: Duncan, 10.1

APG: Tony Parker, 5.7

Last results

Mavs 117 Clippers 94, Mon. at LA

Spurs 133 Timberwolves 111, Mon. at SA

Notes: The Mavericks can clinch the number two seed in the West with a victory or a Utah loss to Phoenix. If neither happen they will finish third. If the Mavs win they will meet the Spurs in the playoffs. A loss would probably match them up with Portland. Counting the playoffs the Mavs won 7 of their last 9 games against San Antonio.

My NBA awards

MVP

1. LeBron James- Best player on the planet on the best team.

2. Dwight Howard- Best defensive player and rebounder on second best team.

3. Kevin Durant- League's leading scorer on league's most improved team.

4. Kobe Bryant- Injuries have hurt his play of late but still one of the game's best.

5. Dirk Nowitzki- Clutch and consistent, all he does is play hard and win.



Rookie of the Year

1. Tyreke Evans- Joins elite company of MJ, LBJ and Big O in rookies averaging 20,5 and 5.

2. Stephen Curry- Lethal outside shooter who can rack up big assists numbers as well.

3. Brandon Jennings- Shooting numbers are awful but contributed heavily to Milwaukee's surprising success.



Defensive Player of the Year

1. Dwight Howard- League leader in rebounds and blocks again.

2. Josh Smith- Elite shot blocker who stepped up his game on both ends.

3. Shawn Marion - Holds in check nearly all the league top perimeter players.



Coach of the Year

1. Scott Skiles- Led what was thought to be one of the NBA's worst teams to the playoffs without its best player for the most of the year.

2. Scott Brooks- More than doubled his team's victory total of last year.

3. Nate McMillen- Kept Portland among the West's best despite numerous significant injuries.



Sixth Man of the Year

1. Jamal Crawford- Made playoffs for first time in career by being clutch scorer the team needed.

2. Jason Terry- Shooting numbers are down but still a dangerous and clutch shooter.

3. Anderson Varajeo- Brings plenty of energy and defense when he enters games.



Most Improved Player

1. Kevin Durant- Took the very difficult step from star to superstar.

2. Andrew Bogut- Went from draft disappointment to one of the league's top centers.

3. Aaron Brooks- Picked up scoring in the absence of Yao Ming.



All-NBA



First Team

F- LeBron James

F- Kevin Durant

C- Dwight Howard

G- Kobe Bryant

G- Dwayne Wade



Second Team

F- Dirk Nowitzki

F- Carmelo Anthony

C- Tim Duncan

G- Steve Nash

G- Deron Williams



Third Team

F- Amare Stoudamire

F- Chris Bosh

C- Andrew Bogut

G- Brandon Roy

G- Jason Kidd



All-Rookie



First Team

Tyreke Evans

Stephen Curry

Brandon Jennings

Darren Collison

Marcus Thornton



Second Team

Ty Lawson

James Harden

Johnny Flynn

Taj Gibson

Dejaun Blair



All-Defense



First Team

F- Shawn Marion

F- Josh Smith

C- Dwight Howard

G- Rajon Rondo

G- Thabo Sefolosha



Second Team

F- Gerald Wallace

F- Anderson Varajeo

C- Marcus Camby

G- Jason Kidd

G- Kirk Hinrich

Mavs vs. Clippers review

With the playoffs fast approaching it can be said the Mavericks are playing their best basketball of the season. The hope is that the strong recent play will not only carry over into the postseason but get even stronger.

The Mavericks were near perfect in their dominating 117-94 victory over the Clippers Monday night. The win, which gives the Mavs a perfect 3-0 road trip, guarantees they will finish no worse than third in the West with the number two spot right there for him. All they need to do to clinch is either win their finale against the Spurs on Wednesday or have the Nuggets win tomorrow or have Utah lose either of their last two games.

The Mavs were led by strong contributions from throughout the team with Dirk Nowitzki leading the team in scoring 25 points in 23 minutes. Dirk was 9-13 from the field, making all three of his three pointers and all four of his free throws. He has now made 72 free throws in a row.

Shawn Marion returned to lineup adding 21 points while Jason Kidd had a double-double with 12 points and 12 assists including a highlight pass off the backboard to Marion for a dunk.

Rodrigue Beaubois started for an injured Caron Butler and had 11 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in 18 strong minutes. Butler missed the game with a hip flexor that is not considered serious.

The Mavs jumped to a quick lead which they would not relinquish. They led 37-26 after one quarter and 64-43 at halftime. The lead would balloon to 30 at 99-69 at the end of three before growing to as many as 37 in the 4th quarter. The lone bright spots for the injury depleted Clippers were Craig Smith and Steve Novak who contributed 15 a piece off the bench.

Portland's win over Oklahoma City means the Mavs will face either Portland or San Antonio in the first round with the Spurs being the likely opponent assuming the Mavs can wrap up the two seed and Porltand beats Golden St. in its finale.

The win also means the Mavs will at worse tie for the league's best road record at 27-14, a record will give the team added confidence in the postseason that they can be anybody anywhere at anytime if they continue to play like they have on this road trip.

Dirk named player of the week

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki was named Western Conference player of the week for the fourth time this season. Dirk averaged 33.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in three games last week, all Mavericks victories.

Mavs vs. Clippers preview

Dallas Mavericks(53-27) at Los Angeles Clippers(28-52)

Mon. April 12, 9:30 at Staples Center

Season series: 2-0 Mavs

Last matchup: March 23 at AAC, Mavs 106 Clippers 96

All-time series: 78-45 Mavs

Clippers leaders

PPG: Chris Kaman, 18.5

RPG: Chris Kaman, 9.3

APG: Baron Davis, 8.0

Last results

Mavs 126 Kings 108, Sat. at Sacramento

Clippers 107 Warriors 104, Sat. at LA

Notes: The Mavs can clinch the #2 seed in the West by either: winning their two remaining games, splitting their two games combined with a Utah loss, or splitting their two games combined with Denver winning their last two games.

Dirk Nowitzki has made a team record 68 consecutive free throws. The NBA record is held by Michael Williams, who made 97 consecutive in 1993.

Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman were teammates on the 2008 German Olympic team.

Mavs vs. Kings review

Another night, another Dirk Nowitzki masterpiece.

24 hours after scoring 40 points in leading the Mavs to victory in Portland, Nowitzki was at it again, this time scoring 39 as the Mavericks blitzed the Kings 126-108 to stay in second place in the Western Conference.

Nowitzki was 12-20 from the field, making both of his three point attempts. He made all 13 of his free throw attempts as he gone 30-30 the last two nights, which puts him at a team record 68 consecutive makes. He scored 22 of his points in the 3rd quarter, essentially putting the game out of reach.

Dirk was not alone in his heroics as Jason Kidd added his 105th career triple-double with 111 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Jason Terry contributed 25 points off the bench while passing Michael Finley for second on the Mavericks all-time three point leaders.

Dallas got off to a fast start, leading by 11 after one and by 12 at the half. They would never trail the entire night as their offense clicked on all cylinders. They shoot 53% as a team, including an amazing 13-21 from three point range. They also would make frequent trips to the line hitting on 29-34.

The win, the Mavs third in a row puts them a game up on Denver and Utah for the West's number two spot. Denver fell to San Antonio tonight by a score of 104-85.

Sacramento was paced by Carl Landry's 30 points and rookie Tyreke Evans spectacular all-around game that produced 27 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

But this night like so many others would belong to the Mavericks and their franchise star, who continues to reach new heights as the regular season winds down and the postseason begins.

Mavs vs. Kings preview

Dallas Mavericks(52-27) at Sacramento Kings(25-54)

Sat. April 10, 9:00 at Arco Arena, TV:Fox Sports Southwest

Last matchup: March 5 at AAC, Mavs 108 Kings 100

Season series: 3-0 Mavs

All-time series: 73-60 Mavs

Kings leaders

PPG: Tyreke Evans, 20.1

RPG: Jason Thompson, 8.4

APG: Evans, 5.8

Last results

Mavs 83 Blazers 77, Fri. at Portland

Kings 116 Mavs 94, Thurs. at Sacramento

Notes: The Mavericks control their own destiny in the race for second in the Western Conference. Sacramento rookie Tyreke Evans is looking to join Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James as the only rookies in NBA history to average 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Evans is currently averaging 20.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 5.8 APG. King head coach Paul Westphal served as a Mavericks assistant coach during the 2007-08 season.

Mavs vs. Blazers review

The game itself might not have been pretty, but the results and its implications certainly were.

Led by Dirk Nowitzki's 40 points the Mavs defeated Portland for the first time in four attempts with an 83-77 victory. The win clinched the Southwest division title for the Mavs and vaulted them back into second place in the West. With their toughest remaining challenge in the victory column the Mavs now find themselves in very good shape for that #2 seed as long as they take care or their remaining business. The victory also gives Dallas wins over every NBA team this season.

In a game where points were hard to come by the Mavs needed their franchise player even more than usual and Nowitzki carried the team on offense as he accounted for nearly half of the team's points and made all 17 of his free throws.

The entire team did the job on the defensive end especially on the Blazers backcourt duo of Brandon Roy and Andre Miller. Roy was hounded into scoring only 13 points on 4-14 shooting, while Miller who burned Dallas for 52 points earlier this season scored only 6 on 2-12 shooting. With this effort combined with the game against Memphis the Mavs are showing the defensive intensity they will need come playoff time.

For now though the team must continue to finish the season strong as they look to secure the West's second best record and gain serious momentum entering the postseason.

Mavs vs. Blazers preview

Dallas Mavericks(51-27) vs. Portland Trail Blazers(48-30)

Fri. April 9, 9:00 at the Rose Garden, TV: Fox Sports Southwest, NBATV

Last matchup: March 25 at Portland: Blazers 101 Mavs 89

Season series: 3-0 Blazers

All-time series: 70-54 Blazers

Blazers leaders

PPG: Brandon Roy, 22.0

RPG: Marcus Camby, 11.6

APG: Andre Miller, 5.4

Last Results

Mavs 110 Grizzlies 84, Wed. at AAC

Blazers 93 Clippers 85, Wed. at LA

Notes: Portland remains the only team the Mavericks have not beaten this year. Shawn Marion is questionable with a strained left oblique. A Mavs win and Spurs loss tonight would wrap up the Southwest Division title for Dallas.

Mavs vs. Grizzlies review

With five games remaining in the regular season for the Mavericks two things were clear. The team needed to get on a roll entering the playoffs, and Caron Butler needed to be a big part of that roll. If Wednesday's game was any indication the Mavs are definitely on the right track.
Dallas dominated Memphis by a score of 110-84 as Butler led the way with 23 points. The Mavs never had to come from behind in this one as they never trailed. The Mavericks played together on both ends of the court, shooting 55% from the field and limiting Memphis to only 84 points. The improved defense was much needed as the team forced 19 Grizzlies turnovers.
Dirk Nowitzki added 22 points and Jason Kidd posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists. The Mavs bench came up huge outscoring their Memphis counterparts 49-7.
With Shawn Marion out of the lineup, Dallas needed Butler to step up his game and get over his recent struggles, which he did and then some. He scored 17 points in the first half as the Mavs took a 57-45 lead into intermission. The Mavericks really broke open the game in the 4th quarter increasing their lead from 12 to 26 led by the strong play of J.J. Barea(14 points, 6 assists, 4 steals). Deshawn Stevenson started for Marion and played good defense despite his continued inability to shoot the ball well.

The win gives the Mavs the number two seed back in the Wes,t and increased their division lead over San Antonio to three games. With a three game Pacific trip looming, with two of those games they should take win rather easily, the Mavs should hope their good play from tonight can continue on into the playoffs.

Mavs vs. Grizzlies preview

Dallas Mavericks(50-27) vs. Memphis Grizzlies(39-38)

Wed. April 7 7:30 at AAC, TV: Channel 21

Last matchup: March 31 at Memphis, W, 106-102(OT)

Season series: 2-1 Mavs

All-time series: 48-10 Mavs

Grizzlies Leaders

PPG: Zach Randolph, 20.8

RPG: Randolph, 10.8

APG: Mike Conly, 5.3

Last results

Thunder 121 Mavericks 116 Sat. at AAC

Rockets 113 Grizzlies 113 Tues. at Memphis

Notes: Shawn Marion is out for the Mavs with a strained oblique muscle suffered in Saturday's loss to Oklahoma City. Since winning in Memphis last Wednesday Dallas has dropped two in a row at home to Orlando and to Oklahoma City. Dallas is only 5-6 since their 13 winning streak ended.

What's wrong with Caron Butler?

When the Mavericks made their big trade for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and Deshwan Stevenson it was assumed that Butler would be a huge upgrade over the struggling Josh Howard and give the Mavs a legitimate number two option. While no one wants Howard back, Butler's play of late has been disappointing as his scoring numbers are way down. So why has Butler been struggling?

Some will point to the fact that Butler is starting at shooting guard instead of his customary spot at small forward. While this is a factor it probably is not a huge one. For one the two positions are becoming increasingly interchangeable in the league. Butler has been a good enough shooter in the past, especially from mid-range that him playing the two shouldn't take him away too much from his comfort zone.

Speaking of comfort a more likely reason for Butler's struggles would be his transition onto a new team. Unlike a player like Haywood, whose role in pretty much the same, Butler has become a secondary option in Dallas, playing off a superstar in Dirk Nowitzki. This leads to Butler playing off the ball a lot more in sets he is not comfortable in. The hope for the Mavericks is that with more time Butler will grow into better understanding of his role.

Another explanation that the Mavericks hope is not true, is that Butler is simply a player in decline. His numbers were down this year even before the trade with his shooting percentage going from 45.3% to 42.4%. This might just be a fluke but Butler is having trouble finishing around the basket which might mean he has lost some explosiveness. He did just turn 30 so his prime might be behind him, but he should have a few productive years left in the league and maybe this year has been an anomaly.

No matter what is wrong with Butler if he does not step up his play come playoff time the Mavericks will be in for a early exit.

Mavs vs. Thunder review

Another night, another disappointing home loss for the Maverics.

Dallas dropped its second straight at the AAC Saturday night as they fell to Oklahoma City by a score of 121-116.

To say the defense was bad would be an understatement. Despite holding Kevin Durant in check for the most part(23 points, 7-18 FG), the Mavs still allowed the Thunder to score 121 points on 52% shooting and 32-38 from the line. Despite their own strong offensive play the Mavs could not keep up, falling behind by 19 in the fourth quarter before making a late rally that came up short.

The Thunder seemingly got whatever they wanted offensively as Nick Collison, of all people was unstoppable scoring 17. Jeff Green had 22 while Russell Westbrook added 17. Rookies James Harden and Eric Maynor combined for 25 points off the bench for Oklahoma City.

Dirk Nowitzki(30 points, 13 rebounds) and Jason Kidd(24 points) had great nights for Dallas. Once again however Caron Butler and Jason Terry struggled, going a combined 5-21 from the floor. Shawn Marion had to leave the game in the second quarter for the Mavs with an injury to his side.

The win clinches a playoff spot for the Thunder, while the loss puts the Mavs in a four-way tie for second in the West of which they hold the tiebreaker. With the West standings so tight, the Mavericks are in danger of losing home court in the first round even if they win their division.

Mavs vs. Thunder preview

Dallas Mavericks(50-26) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder(46-28)

Sat. April 3 7:30 at AAC, TV:Fox Sports Southwest

Last matchup: Feb. 16 at Oklahoma City, Thunder 99 Mavericks 86

Season series: 2-1 Mavs

All-time series: Tied 62-62

Thunder leaders

PPG: Kevin Durant, 29.7

RPG: Kevin Durant, 7.6

APG: Russell Westbrook, 8.0

Last Results

Magic 97 Mavericks 82, Thurs. at AAC

Thunder 109 Celtics 104, Wed. at Boston

Notes: The Mavericks were held to 32% shooting in the teams' last contest, the first game after the All-Star break and after the trade with Washington. The Mavs held Kevin Durant to 29.7% shooting from the floor this season in three games. Dallas is 4-2 against the Thunder since the team's move from Seattle.

Mavs vs. Magic review

This time the Mavericks could not overcome a 4th quarter deficit.

Unable to make shots or defend the three point line, Dallas fell to Orlando Thursday night by a score of 97-82. Trailing almost the entire game the Mavs failed to launch a sustained run against the Magic and were unsuccessful in their attempt to sweep the season series between the teams.

The Mavericks struggled on offense all night, shooting only 38% from the field and totaling a puny 7 assists. Caron Butler was held scoreless from the field while Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd managed to go a combined 4-17. If were not for the 4th quarter play of J.J. Barea(16 points), the game would have really been out of hand. Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 24 points.

Dwight Howard was excellent on both end of the floor for Orlando with 17 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Mickeal Pietrus was also huge for the Magic totaling 24 points on a perfect 6-6 on threes. Orlando as a team was 14-24 from downtown after going only 4-25 in the team's first meeting.

Perhaps it might be expected after such a hard fought game the night before, but the Mavs have too many weapons to struggle as much as they did on offense. The guy who needs to step the most is Caron Butler who needs to rediscover his all-star form for the Mavs to make a serious playoff run.

The loss drops Dallas into a 2nd place with Utah, who has the tiebreaker over the Mavs by winning the season series. With Phoenix and Denver also in the mix, now is not the time for a losing streak if the team wants home court advantage in the playoffs.

Mavs. vs. Magic preview

Dallas Mavericks(50-25) vs. Orlando Magic(52-22)

Thurs. April 1 7:00 at AAC, TV:TNT

Last matchup: Feb. 19 at Orlando, Mavs 95 Magic 85

Season series: 1-0 Mavs

All-time series: 22-21 Mavs

Magic leaders

PPG: Dwight Howard, 18.6

RPG: Howard, 13.3

APG: Jameer Nelson, 5.3

Last Results

Mavs 106 Grizzlies 102(OT) Wed. at Memphis

Magic 103 Nuggets 97 Sun. at Orlando

Notes: The Mavericks held Orlando to 4-25 on threes in the earlier meeting. Dwight Howard leads the NBA in both rebounds and blocks for a second consecutive season. He also led the league in rebounding in 2008. Brandon Bass makes his return to the AAC after two seasons as a Maverick.