Mavericks 112 Thunder 107: Game 32 Recap

The Lead
With Chandler out, the Mavs go small to beat OKC led by 30 points from center Dirk.

Box Score 

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Nowitzki, 30
Rebounds: Smith, 8
Assists: Rondo, 7
+-: Rondo, +17
Thunder
Points: Ibaka, 26
Rebounds: Ibaka, 10
Assists: Westbrook, 9
+-: Perkins, +4

Game Ball
Dirk Nowitzki
30 points, 5 rebounds, 8-13 FG, 2-3 3PT, 12-12 FT

X-Factor
Chandler Parsons
26 points, 5 rebounds, 10-16 FG, 5-9 3PT

Goat Horns
Russell Westbrook
18 points, 5 TO, 6-23 FG

Play of the Game
With 8 and a half minutes left in the 4th quarter, Rajon Rondo throws a cross-court  bounce pass to Charlie Villanueva who buries a three to put the Mavs up by two.

Stat of the Game
Dirk, in his first start at center since 2010 scores 30 points, the most by a Mavs starting center since he scored 34 against Sacramento in Feb. 2005.

Of Note

• With Tyson Chandler out with back spasms, the Mavs started an extra small starting five with J.J. Barea joining Rondo and Monta in the backcourt.
• Monta Ellis left the game with a sprained left ankle with 1:57 to go. After the game he told reporters "I'm not missing no games".
• The 18 points by Russell Westbrook were the fewest he has scored this season in a game he played start-to-finish. It also ended a streak of 11 straight 25+ point games for him.
• The win gives Dallas a three game winning streak over the Thunder. Prior to that they dropped 11 in a row to OKC including the playoffs.
• Serge Ibaka was red-hot for the Thunder scoring 26 points on 11-14 shooting, however he only took one shot in the 4th quarter.
• Raymond Felton made his season debut, playing a scoreless 1:13.

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

Quote of Note
"I took a nap earlier today and I had a dream that I was coaching against a Don Nelson team. Then I got up and I checked my phone and there was a text from Casey Smith saying Tyson is out tonight. It just got me thinking that we needed to try something different against this team because athletically and strength-wise we just don't match up. It was a bit of a whimsical thing but I talked to Dirk about it and he was fine with it so we just took a shot with it."
Rick Carlisle on what inspired him to go small.

Tweet of the Night
 

I would love to see Dirk and Larry Bird have a shootout like that Jordan/Bird McDonald’s ad.
— Leigh Ellis (@LeighEllis) December 29, 2014

Next Up
Another tough home game awaits Tuesday, as the 22-10 Mavericks take on John Wall and the 21-8 Wizards.