My 2016-17 NBA Predictions

West
1. Golden State
2. L.A. Clippers
3. San Antonio
4. Utah
5. Houston
6. Oklahoma City
7. Portland
8. Dallas
9. Memphis
10. Minnesota
11. Denver
12. New Orleans
13. Phoenix
14. Sacramento
15. L.A. Lakers

East
1. Cleveland
2. Boston
3. Toronto
4. Indiana
5. Atlanta
6. Detroit
7. Charlotte
8. Washington
9. Chicago
10. New York
11. Orlando
12. Milwaukee
13. Miami
14. Philadelphia
15. Brooklyn

West Finals: Golden State over L.A. Clippers
East Finals: Cleveland over Boston
NBA Finals: Golden State over Cleveland

Awards
MVP: LeBron James
Rookie of the Year: Joel Embiid
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert
Coach of the Year: Quin Snyder
6th Man of the Year: Zach Randolph
Most Improved: D'Angelo Russell

All-NBA
First Team
F: LeBron James
F: Kevin Durant
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
G: Stephen Curry
G: Russell Westbrook

Second Team
F: Kawhi Leonard
F: Paul George
C: DeAndre Jordan
G: James Harden
G: Chris Paul
Third Team
F: Anthony Davis
F: Blake Griffin
C: DeMarcus Cousins
G: Kyrie Irving
G: Klay Thompson

Mavs Media Day Highlights

Here is a selection of some of the best quotes from Monday's Mavericks Media Day from players and coaches.

Rick Carlisle
On supporting pregame player demonstrations:
"Mark and I had a discussion with the team today about the issues with anthem protests, etc., and we had a really discussion about it. Mark gave his views, and we’re going to be 100 percent supportive of our guys with whatever they decide to do."

On the roster turnover:
"What's more exciting than seven new guys? It's new blood."

Dirk Nowitzki
On the team's defense:
"We should be able to have a great defensive lineup -- once I'm out.''

On Kevin Garnett's retirement:
 "KG and I had a few battles just because he was so intense, and he was a competitor, the fiercest competitor. He always wanted to win, always wanted to get an edge on you early. He tried to intimidate you at times, but that was just his style. I have nothing but respect for him and what he did for this league.

Harrison Barnes
On his new teammates:
"I like this locker room. I think this is a group of high-character guys." 

On Colin Kaepernick's anthem protest:
"In terms of his message, I support what he's standing for. The persecution of black people is never an easy topic to talk about. It makes a lot of people uncomfortable, and there does need to be change about that. I'm definitely in accordance with him on that."

Andrew Bogut
On Playing with Dirk:
"I'm going to try to get him as open as I can. ... When they're physical with him, I'll be physical with them."

On Wanting to play in Dallas:
 I like Texas. I’ve always liked Texas. I like Dallas. Just the organization, I think, is always in the top when I hear from someone, guys like Richard Jefferson, guys I’ve played with. They speak so highly of the organization and the way it treats its players, how professional everyone is here. They really go out of their way to help you, so that was critical to me.”

Wesley Matthews
On expectations:
"I'm not going to say what seed we're going to get. I just know we're going to work. ... We're not going to back down."

On being all the way back from his Achilles injury:
"I'm going to be better than I was in Portland.''

Mavericks Schedule Highlights

With the NBA  and Mavericks schedule getting released today (Mavs Schedule Link), let's take a look at 10 gamess of note for the Mavs.

Oct. 26 at Indiana- The Mavs open the season on the road against a new look Pacers team that still features Paul George and old friend Monta Ellis.

Oct. 28 vs. Houston- The rivalry will be renewed in the home opener, but some luster is lost in this matchup without Chandler Parsons and Dwight Howard taking part.

Nov. 9 at Golden St.- Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut return to face the team they helped lead to a title and a 73 win season. Of course this also the Mavs' first look at Kevin Durant in a Warriors uniform.

Nov. 18 vs. Memphis- Chandler Parsons returns to the AAC after leaving Dallas this off-season after the Mavs refused to offer him a max deal.

Dec. 3 vs. Chicago- Dwayne Wade will play in Dallas for the first time as a member as the Bulls, which will be really weird. He will still get booed.

Jan. 12 at Phoenix (in Mexico City)- The Mavs will head south of the border to face the young Suns and Tyson Chandler.

Jan. 26 at Oklahoma City- The Mavericks will get their first look at the Durant-less Thunder which should feature even more of Russell Westbrook.

Jan. 30 vs. Cleveland- LeBron and the defending champion Cavs make their only visit of the season to the AAC.

Mar. 21 vs. Golden St.- The Warriors will make only one appearance in Dallas this year, so tickets will be especially hard to come by.

April 12 at Memphis- The season finale could have big playoff implications just as it did when the Mavs closed in Memphis in 2014.

Mavs Notes: Evans Traded, Roddy B Returning?

• The Mavericks are trading forward Jeremy Evans and cash to the Pacers which will help free up the cap space they need for Dirk's new deal. Evans, who is due to make 1.2 million this year, averaged 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 30 games last year for the Mavs.
• According to ESPN's Tim McMahon the Mavs are giving consideration to bringing  back Rodrigue Beaubois for one of the remaining spots on the roster. Beaubois played four years with the Mavs from 2009-2013 and has played in France since then. His NBA career began with much promise that included a memorable 40 point game as a rookie at Golden State, but he was ultimately derailed by numerous injuries.

Dirk To Sign For 2 Years, 40 Million

The Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki have agreed to a new contract that will earn the legendary German 40 million dollars over the next two years. The new deal was first reported by ESPN's Marc Stein. There is expected to be a player option for the second year of the deal. The new contract will expire soon after Dirk turns 40. He will have also played 20 years with the Mavs at the end of the deal. Kobe Bryant is the only player in history to play 20 years with the same franchise. Dirk just opted out of the final year of a 3 year, 25 million dollar contract he signed in 2014.

Mavericks Signing Seth Curry

The Mavericks concluded a busy day tonight by signing free agent guard Seth Curry to a 2 year, 6 million dollar contract, according to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski. Curry is the younger brother of reigning back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry and the son of Dell Curry. He saw his first sustained action in the NBA last season for the Kings, averaging 6.8 points in 15.7 minutes while shooting 45% on threes. In April he averaged 16.4 and 5.3 assists and shot 49% on threes. Curry, 25 played his college ball at Duke and spent the first two years of his pro career predominately in the D-League although he did play in 4 NBA games in those seasons with Memphis, Cleveland and Phoenix.

Mavs Bringing Barnes, Bogut Aboard

Kevin Durant's decision to sign with the Warriors turned into a boom for the Mavericks as they were able to acquire two starters from the defending West champs.
First they agreed to a 4 year, 94 million dollar deal with forward Harrison Barnes. Barnes became a unrestricted free agent when the Warriors had to renounce his rights for cap room to sign Durant. Than in a trade that enables Golden State to create more cap room, the Mavs acquired center Andrew Bogut. Bogut has one year left on his contract for 11 million dollars. The deals won't be finalized until the league moratorium is lifted on Thursday. Both deals were first reported by ESPN's Marc Stein.
Barnes, 24 is a 4 year veteran who started on the Warriors 2015 championship team and last year's 73 win squad. He set a career high last year by averaging 11.7 points per game. He is considered a good defender who can play both forward spots and is a career 38% three point shooter. He was recently selected to play for Team USA in the upcoming Olympics. Barnes is a former #1 high school recruit who the Warriors picked 7th overall in the 2012 draft out of North Carolina.
Bogut, 31, has been the Warriors starting center and a key anchor for one of the league's best defenses. He has career averages of 10.3 points and 8.9 rebounds in 11 NBA seasons with the Bucks and Warriors. Bogut was born and raised in Australia and was 2005 College Player of the Year at Utah. The Bucks then selected him #1 overall in that year's draft. He was 3rd team All-NBA in 09-10 for the Bucks and 2nd team All-Defense in 14-15 for the champion Warriors.

Mavs Bringing Back Williams, Powell

After missing out on their top free agent targets, Mike Conley and Hassan Whiteside, the Mavs finally made some free agent moves late tonight by re-signing Deron Williams and Dwight Powell.
Williams, will be back as the Mavs starting point guard after agreeing to a 1 year, 10 million dollar deal according to ESPN's Marc Stein. Williams was acquired by the Mavs last summer after he was bought of his previous deal by the Nets. The Colony Product averaged 14.1 points and 5.8 assists in 65 games last season.
Powell who was a restricted free agent will be back on a 4 year, 37 million dollar contract according to the Vertical's Shams Charania. The deal also has a player option  for the fourth year. Powell was a acquired from Boston in the Rondo deal in Dec. 2014. Last season he averaged 5.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in 14.4 minutes per game.

Mavs Draft Purdue Center A.J. Hammons With Pick #46

With their only draft pick this year the Mavericks decided to go big, selecting A.J. Hammons a 7 foot center from Purdue with the 46th pick in the draft. Hammons, 23 was a four year player at Purdue who really blossomed as a senior averaging 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. He was named first team all-Big 10 and conference defensive player of the year for his efforts.
Hammons, is known for his strong play at both ends of the floor, possessing both an elite post game and the ability to protect the rim. Questions about Hammon's motor and attitude caused him to be drafted lower than what his talent would suggest. Rick Carlisle though seems convinced that the Mavs might have just drafted a real keeper.
"We really like him. ... We feel he is a first-round talent." Carlisle said in a post-draft press conference. "We were fortunate that he slid. He's a skilled big men who can score in the post."
The Mavs did not have a first round pick this year thanks to the ill-fated Rajon Rondo trade, but combining Hammons with holdovers Justin Anderson and Dwight Powell just might give the team a young core of promising players for a change.

Hammon's College Stats

Dirk to opt out of contract

In an interview today with BaD Radio on The Ticket, Dirk Nowitzki revealed that he plans to opt out of the final year of his 3 year, $25 million deal. He of course has no intention of going elsewhere and will re-sign with the Mavs for perhaps a two year deal.
"Ever since after the championship, we've been basically a first-round exit. We've been a seven, eight seed. We've only won a few playoff games, and obviously the goal was to compete at the highest level in my last couple of years," Dirk said in the interview. "So there is some moving to do, some thinking, some putting our heads together the next few weeks heading into free agency, heading into the draft. So this is just one move that hopefully starts a chain reaction for us to get better again, to compete really at a high level. We'll see how it goes."
Dirk reiterated that it would be special for him to play 20 years with the same franchise, something only Kobe Bryant has done. A new two year deal would get him to the 20 year mark. Dirk turns 38 on June 19th.

Mavs Exit Interviews Highlights

Here are some select quotes from key Mavericks players as they met the media today before beginning their off-season.

"I definitely won't retire. That's out of the question. I felt great this year."
Dirk

"The best thing to happen to me was to play with this guy, number 41."

Zaza Pachulia

 

"Dallas is home to me...I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business here..."

Chandler Parsons

 

"I ain't gonna court him. Ain't gonna be no wining and dining. Just bring your ass back."

Wesley Matthews on Parsons' upcoming free agency.

 

"I'm just very appreciative of the way this organization handled my development."

Justin Anderson

 

"Overall, I feel like I had a pretty good season. ... But I'm not an individual guy. I'm a team guy."

Raymond Felton 

"This has been a great year for me, as far as just being happy and enjoying basketball again."

Deron Williams

 

"This year, even though we lost in the first round, I think those guys competed like champions."

Rick Carlisle 

"In 18 years, I've never been prouder of a group. ... These guys gave it everything they had."

Donnie Nelson

 

In injury news, Deron Williams will have surgery to repair his sport hernia while J.J. Barea will have a knee scope to adress his right medial meniscus.  Meanwhile, Devin Harris will have two surgeries, one to fix his injured left foot and another to repair a torn thumb ligament.

 

Mavericks at Thunder: WCQF Game 5 Preview

Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder
Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 5
Thunder lead series 3-1
Mon. Apr., 25, 7:00 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena
TV: Ch. 21, TNT
Line: Thunder by 14.5

Series Schedule and Results
Game 1 at OKC: Sat. Apr. 16, Thunder 108 Mavs 70
Game 2 at OKC: Mon. Apr. 18, Mavs 85 Thunder 84
Game 3 at Dallas: Thu. Apr. 21, Thunder 131 Mavs 102
Game 4 at Dallas: Sat. Apr. 23, Thunder 119 Mavs 108
Game 5 at OKC: Mon. Apr. 25 at 7:00, Ch. 21, TNT
Game 6 at Dallas: Thu. Apr. 28 at 8:30, Ch. 21, TNT (if necessary)
Game 7 at OKC: Sat. Apr. 30 at TBA, Ch. 21, TNT (if necessary)

Playoff Team Stats

Mavs
Off. Rating: 97.6 (11th)
Def. Rating: 118.2 (14th)
Point Differential: -19.2
Thunder
Offense: 118.2 (3rd)
Defense: 97.6 (6th)
Point Differential: +19.2

Projected Starters
Mavs

PG: J.J. Barea
SG: Raymond Felton
SF: Wesley Matthews
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Andre Roberson
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Serge Ibaka
C: Steven Adams

Playoff Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 19.5
RPG: Nowitzki, 5.5
APG: Barea, 5.3
PER: Nowitzki, 18.6
Thunder
PPG: Durant, 24.3
RPG: Kanter, 8.8
APG: Westbrook, 11.8
PER: Kanter, 37.8

Of Note

• The Mavericks' injury report is a long one. J.J. Barea is probable with his groin inury. Salah Mejri is questionable after injuring his hip in game 4 and Deron Williams (sports hernia) and David Lee (plantar fasciitis) have been ruled out for the remainder of the series.
• The Mavericks are 4-5 in elimination games with Rick Carlisle as coach.
• In 144 career playoff games Dirk has scored at least 10 points 141 times, at least 20 points 108 times, at least 30 points 46 times, at least 40 points 7 times and 50 points once. 
• In the three Thunder wins in the series, Enes Kanter has averaged 21.7 points and 9.0 rebounds and shot 83.3% from the field.
• Only 9 teams in NBA history have overcame a 3-1 series deficit in a best-of-7-series. The last to do it was Houston against the Clippers in last year's Western Conference Semifinals.

Mavericks vs. Thunder: WCQF Game 3 Preview

Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Western Conference Quarterfinals Game 3
Series Tied 1-1
Thu. Apr., 21, 6:00 at the AAC
TV: Ch. 21, TNT
Line: Thunder by 8.5

Series Schedule and Results
Game 1 at OKC: Sat. Apr. 16, Thunder 108 Mavs 70
Game 2 at OKC: Mon. Apr. 18, Mavs 85 Thunder 84
Game 3 at Dallas: Thu. Apr. 21 at 6:00, Ch. 21, TNT
Game 4 at Dallas: Sat. Apr. 23 at 7:00, Ch. 21, ESPN
Game 5 at OKC: Mon. Apr. 25 at 7:00, Ch. 21, TNT
Game 6 at Dallas: Thu. Apr. 28 at TBA, Ch. 21, TBA (if necessary)
Game 7 at OKC: Sat. Apr. 30 at TBA, Ch. 21, TNT (if necessary)

Playoff Team Stats

Mavs

Off. Rating: 83.9 (15th)
Def. Rating: 104.0 (9th)
Point Differential: -18.5
Thunder
Offense: 104.0 (8th)
Defense: 83.9 (2nd)
Point Differential: +18.5

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Raymond Felton
SF: Wesley Matthews
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Andre Roberson
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Serge Ibaka
C: Steven Adams

Playoff Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 17.5
RPG: Felton, 7.0
APG: Williams, 4.0
PER: Mejri, 16.0
Thunder
PPG: Durant, 22.0
RPG: Kanter, 10.5
APG: Westbrook, 8.5
PER: Ibaka, 28.9


Of Note

• Despite suffering a bone bruise on his right knee during Game 2, Dirk is expected to play in Game 3.
• Deron Williams will once again be a gametime decision due to his sports hernia injury while J.J. Barea (groin) and David Lee (plantar fasciitis) are improving and might be able to play.
• This is one of only two series that is currently tied 1-1. Pacers and Raptors is the other.
• With 11 rebounds in Game 2, Raymond Felton was the first Mavs guard to have a double-digit rebound game in the playoffs since Jason Kidd had 10 rebounds against Denver in game 4 of the West Semifinals in 2009.
• In shooting 7-33 from the field in game 2, Kevin Durant missed the most shots in a playoff game since Michael Jordan also missed 26 shots (9-35) in Game 4 of the 1997 East Finals vs. Miami.
  

Mavs Injury News

According to Rick Carlisle, Dirk suffered a bone bruise on his right knee during yesterday's game. He will be listed as day-to-day  but the team is hopeful he will play in Game 3 on Thursday. Carlisle also said Deron Williams' (sports hernia) status for Game 3 is uncertain while J.J. Barea (groin) and David Lee (plantar fasciitis) are improving but their status will updated at a later time.

Mavericks 85 Thunder 84: WCQF Game 2 Recap

The Lead
The Masking Tape Mavs bounce back from a Game 1 beatdown in a big way with a thrilling victory to even the series.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Felton, 21
Rebounds: Felton, 11
Assists: Williams, 5
+-: Harris, Mejri, +18
Thunder
Points: Durant, 21
Rebounds: Westbrook, 14
Assists: Westbrook, 6
+-: Ibaka, Westbrook, +4

Game Ball
Raymond Felton
21 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 8-16 FG

X-Factor
Deron Williams
13 points, 5 assists, 5-9 FG, 3-5 3PT

Play of the Game
With the Mavs holding a two point lead late in the fourth quarter, Wesley Matthews chased down a loose ball after a Kevin Durant missed shot and then raced for a contested layup to put Dallas up 4 with 14.4 seconds left.
Link

Stat of the Game
The Mavericks are now 6-1 this season in games following a loss by 20 points or more.

Of Note

• The game ended with a wild finish as the Thunder raced down court after a Felton missed free throw, trailing by one. First, Durant's shot from in close was blocked by Justin Anderson. Next Russell Westbrook missed a putback attempt. Steven Adams followed with a made putback that came right after the buzzer as the Mavs held on to win.
• Deron Williams was listed as doubtful prior to the game with a sports hernia. He however played through the pain and scored 13 points, 11 coming in the first quarter. He did not play in the last quarter and a half.
• The Mavs held Durant to an abysmal shooting night as the Thunder superstar went 7-33 from the field. Westbrook struggled as well, shooting 8-22.
• This was only the Mavs second road playoff win since winning the 2011 championship. They won Game 2 of the first round in San Antonio two years ago.
• The Mavericks' two rookies both came up big. Anderson had 6 points, 5 rebounds and that monster block of Durant. Salah Mejri chipped in with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• The Mavs top two rebounders were both guards. Felton had 11 boards while Devin Harris had 7 rebounds.
• According to ESPN the Mavs, who were 14 point underdogs, are the biggest underdogs to win a playoff game in the last 20 years.

Quote of Note
"We let 'em know we're here to fight. They're obviously the heavy favorite, but we let 'em know it's not going to be an easy walkover."
Dirk

Tweet of the Night

pic.twitter.com/4nsrl4Ym4G

— PÎÊRRĘ (@JaValeMcGee34) April 19, 2016

Next Up
The series shifts South as the Mavs and Thunder will face of in Game 3 at the AAC, Thursday at 6:00.

Mavericks vs. Thunder: Series Preview

6. Dallas Mavericks (42-40) vs. 3. Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27)
Western Conference Quartefinals

Schedule
Game 1 at OKC: Sat. Apr. 16 at 8:30, Ch.21, ESPN
Game 2 at OKC: Mon. Apr. 18 at 7:00, Ch. 21, TNT
Game 3 at Dallas: Thu. Apr. 21 at 6:00, Ch. 21, TNT
Game 4 at Dallas: Sat. Apr. 23 at 7:00, Ch. 21, ESPN
Game 5 at OKC: Mon. Apr. 25 at TBA, Ch. 21, TBA (if necessary)
Game 6 at Dallas: Thu. Apr. 28 at TBA, Ch. 21, TBA (if necessary)
Game 7 at OKC: Sat. Apr. 30 at TBA, Ch. 21, TNT (if necessary)

2015-16 Matchups
Nov. 22 at OKC
Thunder 117 Mavs 114
Jan. 13 at OKC
Thunder 108 Mavs 89
Jan. 22 at Dallas
Thunder 109 Mavs 106
Feb. 24 at Dallas
Thunder 116 Mavs 103

All-Time Regular Season Results
Sonics-Thunder 77 Mavs 70

All-Time Playoff Results
1984 West Quaterfinals
Mavs 3 Sonics 2
1987 West Quartefinals
Sonics 3 Mavs 1
2011 West Finals
Mavs 4 Thunder 1
2012 West Quarterfinals
Thunder 4 Mavs 0

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 104.8 (10th)
Def. Rating: 104.3 (16h)
Point Differential: -0.3
Thunder
Offense: 109.9 (2nd)
Defense: 103.0 (12th)
Point Differential: +7.3

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Justin Anderson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Thunder
PG: Russell Westbrook
SG: Andre Roberson
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Serge Ibaka
C: Steven Adams

Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 18.3
RPG: Pachulia, 9.4
APG: Williams, 5.8
PER: Nowitzki, 19.0
Thunder
PPG: Durant, 28.2
RPG: Durant, 8.2
APG: Westbrook, 10.4
PER: Durant, 28.2

Of Note

• The Mavericks are in the playoffs for the 15th time in 16 seasons. They made it only 6 times in their first 20 years of existence and went 10 years without an appearance (1991-2000) 
• The Mavs have lost 3 straight first round series since winning the 2011 championship. They got swept by the Thunder in 2012, lost to the Spurs in 7 in 2014 and lost to the Rockets in 5 last year. They are 1-8 in road games in those 3 series.
• Prior to getting swept in the season series this year by the Thunder, the Mavs had taken 5 out of 6 from OKC. Prior to that they had lost 7 in a row to them.
• J.J. Barea (groin) and Devin Harris (thumb) are expected to play in Game 1 after both missed the regular season finale. David Lee (plantar fasciitis) is not expected to play.
• Dirk (25.4 points, 10.2 rebounds) is one of only 4 players in NBA history to average 25 points and 10 rebounds per game for their playoff career. Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor and Hakeem Olajuwon are the others.
• Russell Westbrook had 18 triple-doubles this season, tying Magic Johnson in 1981-82 for the most triple-doubles in nearly 50 years.
• In 3 games against the Thunder this year, Salah Mejri totaled 24 points, 16 rebounds and 7 blocks in 42 minutes. He blocked both Durant and Westbrook in key moments of those games.

Prediction
Just making the playoffs this season was a huge accomplishment for the Mavericks. Winning a series will prove far more difficult. They are at a huge talent deficit against the Thunder that is only exasperated by the absence of Chandler Parsons and other assorted injuries to key players like Barea, Harris, and Lee. Rick Carlisle will have a big coaching advantage over playoff newcomer Billy Donovan. That could be engough to take a game and if things go really right maybe 2, but Durant and Westbrook and company will be too much for this gutty Mavs bunch to handle.
Thunder in 5  

First Round Playoff Predictions

West
Thunder 4 Mavericks 1

Warriors 4 Rockets 0
Spurs 4 Grizzlies 0
Clippers 4 Blazers 2

East
Cavaliers 4 Pistons 1
Raptors 4 Pacers 2
Heat 4 Hornets 2
Hawks 4 Celtics 3

Mavericks vs. Spurs: Game 82 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (42-39) vs. San Antonio Spurs (66-15)
Wed. Apr. 13, 7:00 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 9


2015-16 Matchups
Nov. 25 at San Antonio
Spurs 88 Mavs 83
Jan. 17 at San Antonio
Spurs 112 Mavs 83
Feb. 5 at Dallas
Spurs 116 Mavs 90


All-Time Series
Spurs 101 Mavs 66

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 104.8 (10th)
Def. Rating: 104.3 (16th)
Point Differential: -0.2
Spurs
Offense: 108.5 (3rd)
Defense: 96.5 (1st)
Point Differential: +10.7

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Justin Anderson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Spurs
Who knows?

Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 18.3
RPG: Pachulia, 9.4
APG: Williams, 5.8
PER: Nowitzki, 19.1
Spurs
PPG: Leonard, 21.1
RPG: Aldridge, 8.6
APG: Parker, 5.3
PER: Leonard, 26.0

Of Note

• The Mavs can finish no worse than 7th in the West. With a win and a Portland loss to Denver they finish 5th and play the Clippers. A win and a Portland win or a Memphis loss to Golden St. means they finish 6th and play Oklahoma City. If the Mavs lose and by some miracle Memphis wins the Mavs finish 7th and play the Spurs.
• The Spurs are expected to rest most of their key players. That should include Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and LaMarcus Aldridge.
• The Mavs have failed to score more than 90 points in their last 4 games against the Spurs, all losses.
• The Mavericks have won their last 4 games at home after losing their previous 5 games at the AAC.
• The Mavs has won their final home game in 9 consecutive years. 6 of those games were the overall regular season finale.

Update: J.J. Barea (groin) and Devin Harris (thumb) are out tonight for the Mavs. The Spurs will be resting Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, LaMarcus Aldridge, Manu Ginobili and David West.

Mavericks 101 Jazz 92: Game 81

The Lead
The Mavericks clinch a playoff berth as their veteran experience proves vital against the youthful Jazz.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Williams, 23
Rebounds: Nowitzki, 11
Assists: Williams, 6
+-: Barea, +17
Jazz
Points: Hayward, 26
Rebounds: Hayward, Lyles, Gobert, 6
Assists: Hayward, 4
+-: Booker, Burks, +3

Game Balls
Dirk Nowitzki
22 points, 11 rebounds, 7-12 FG, 4-7 3PT
Deron Williams
23 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 9-16 FG
Wesley Matthews
20 points, 7-14 FG, 4-10 3PT

X-Factor
Salah Mejri
7 points, 3 rebounds, 3-5 FG, +6

Stat of the Game
The Mavericks will play in the playoffs for the 15th time in the last 16 seasons. They were in the postseason only 6 times in the 20 years prior.

Play of the Game
With Utah on a 10-0 lead that cut the Mavs lead down to 2 late in the 3rd quarter, Wesley Matthews made a difficult shot clock-beating three to push the lead back up to 5.

Of Note

• The win also assures that the Mavs will finish no lower than 7th in the West. They can still finish as high as 5th. Potential playoff opponents are the Clippers, Thunder or Spurs.
• Dirk got the Mavs off to a fast start scoring 10 of the team's first 14 points. He also became the 15th player in NBA history to hit 1,700 career three pointers.
• J.J. Barea returned to action after missing Sunday's game with an injured groin. He had 5 points on 2-11 shooting but was a team best +17.
• The Mavericks have now held 8 straight opponents below 100 points. They are 7-1 in those games.
• Jazz center Rudy Gobert left the game in the second quarter after spraining his ankle and did not return.
• The Mavs are 6-0 this season when both Dirk and Deron Williams score at least 20 points.

Quote of Note
"It feels good that we have some fighters on this team and the playoffs mean something to this franchise and to the fans."
Dirk

Tweet of the Night

One ticket to the playoffs, please. pic.twitter.com/UTuEC4CNaa

— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) April 12, 2016

Next Up
The Mavericks (42-39) will try to improve their playoff seeding in the regular season finale against the Spurs (65-15), Wednesday at the AAC.

My NBA Awards Ballot

MVP
1. Stephen Curry
2. LeBron James
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Kevin Durant
5. Russell Westbrook

Rookie of the Year
1. Karl-Anthony Towns
2. Kristaps Porzingis
3. Devin Booker

Defensive Player of the Year
1. Kawhi Leonard
2. Draymond Green
3. DeAndre Jordan

Coach of the Year
1. Steve Kerr
2. Terry Stotts
3. Rick Carlisle

Sixth Man of the Year
1. Andre Iguodala
2. Will Barton
3. Tristan Thompson

Most Improved Player
1. C.J. McCollum
2. Kemba Walker
3. Draymond Green

All-NBA
First Team
F: LeBron James
F: Kawhi Leonard
C: Draymond Green
G: Stephen Curry
G: Russell Westbrook
Second Team
F: Kevin Durant
F: Paul George
C: DeMarcus Cousins
G: Chris Paul
G: Damian Lillard
Third Team
F: Paul Millsap
F: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Anthony Davis
G: Kyle Lowry
G: Klay Thompson

All-Rookie
First Team
Karl-Anthony Towns
Kristaps Porzingis
Devin Booker
Nikola Jokic
Jahlil Okafor
Second Team
D'Angelo Russell
Myles Turner
Justice Winslow
Emmanuel Mudiay
Wllie Cauley-Stein

All-Defense
First Team
F: Kawhi Leonard
F: Draymond Green
C; DeAndre Jordan
G: Chris Paul
G: Tony Allen
Second Team
F: Paul George
F: Paul Millsap
C: Tim Duncan
G: Klay Thompson
G: Danny Green

Mavericks at Jazz: Game 81 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (41-39) at Utah Jazz (40-40)
Mon. Apr. 11, 8:00 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Jazz by 6.5

2015-16 Matchups
Nov. 20 at Dallas
Mavs 102 Jazz 93
Feb. 9 at Dallas
Jazz 121 Mavs 119 (OT)

 
All-Time Series
Jazz 91 Mavs 70


Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 104.7 (10th)
Def. Rating: 104.3 (16th)
Point Differential: -0.4
Jazz
Offense: 103.2 (15th)
Defense: 101.4 (7th)
Point Differential: +2.0

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Justin Anderson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Jazz
PG: Shelvin Mack
SG: Rodney Hood
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: Derrick Favors
C: Rudy Gobert

Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 18.2
RPG: Pachulia, 9.4
APG: Williams, 5.8
PER: Nowitzki, 18.9
Jazz
PPG: Hayward, 19.7
RPG: Gobert, 11.0
APG: Mack, 5.4
PER: Favors, 21.8

Of Note

• The Mavs still have a magic number of one to clinch a playoff berth. A win in either of their last two games or a Houston loss will put them in the postseason. The Rockets are at Minnesota tonight.
• A win would also mean the Mavs could finish no lower than 7th in the West.
• J.J. Barea is a gametime decision after missing yesterday's game due to the groin inury he suffered on Friday. Deron Williams will play his second straight game after coming back from a sports hernia injury.
• In the last two games Raymond Felton has totaled 32 points, 19 assists and 10 rebounds. In the two games prior he had only 5 points total on 2-13 shooting.
• This is the Mavericks' first game all season in Utah. They last played there April 13, 2015 losing 109-92.

Mavericks at Clippers: Game 80 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (41-38) at Los Angeles Clippers (51-28)
Sun. Apr. 10, 2:30 at Staples Center
TV: Ch. 21, NBATV
Line: Clippers by 3

2015-16 Matchups
Oct. 29 at Los Angeles
Clippers 104 Mavs 88
Nov. 11 at Dallas
Mavs 118 Clippers 108
Mar. 7 at Dallas
Clippers 109 Mavs 90

All-Time Series
Mavs 88 Clippers 56

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 104.9 (9th)
Def. Rating: 140.3 (16th)
Point Differential: -0.3
Clippers
Offense: 107.4 (11st)
Defense: 106.5 (6th)
Point Differential: +4.1

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: J.J. Barea or Raymond Felton
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Justin Anderson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Clippers
PG: Chris Paul
SG: J.J. Redick
SF: Luc Mbah Moute
PF: Blake Griffin
C: DeAndre Jordan

Team Leaders

Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 18.3
RPG: Pachulia, 9.5
APG: Williams, 5.8
PER: Nowitzki, 18.9
Clippers
PPG: Paul, 19.8
RPG: Jordan, 13.8
APG: Paul, 9.9
PER: Paul, 26.6


Of Note

• The Mavs can clinch a playoff spot with a win. If they  win their final three games they would move up to 5th in the West and play the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.
• Both J.J. Barea (strained groin) and Deron Williams (sports hernia) are listed as questionable.
• Expect the Clippers to use most if not all of their full complement of players after beating Utah on Friday without Paul, Griffin, Jordan and Redick.
• A win would give the Mavs a 7 game winning streak for the first time since the 2010-11 championship season.
• Almost Maverick DeAndre Jordan has averaged 12.7, 15. 3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 3 games this year against the Mavs. He has made 11-14 shots from the field (79%) and 16-36 free throws (44%).
  

Mavericks 103 Grizzlies 93: Game 79 Recap

The Lead
Mavs overcome loss of Barea to move closer to a playoff spot.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Nowitzki, 21
Rebounds: Anderson, 10
Assists: Felton, 14
+-: Matthews, +20
Grizzlies
Points: Allen, 25
Rebounds: Barnes, Andersen, Allen, 7
Assists: Barnes, Stephenson, 5
+-: Andersen, +8

Game Balls
Justin Anderson
19 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3-5 3PT, 8-8 FT
Raymond Felton
11 points, 14 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals

X-Factor
Devin Harris
16 points, 4 rebounds, 4-7 FG, 3-5 3PT

Stat of the Game
Despite the slow tempo, the Mavs played an incredibly efficient offensive game. They scored 103 points on 60 field goal attempts, shooting 50% from the field while making 12 threes and 31-39 free throws.

Play of the Game


Of Note

• With the win the Mavericks now have a magic number of one to make the playoffs. One Mavs win or Houston loss puts Dallas in the postseason for the 15th time in 16 years.
• Barea injured his groin in the first quarter when he was fouled on a drive to the basket. He came back briefly in the second quarter but soon had to leave the game for good. The team is uncertain of his status going forward.
• In his absence Felton had a season high 14 assists and was a +18.
• Dirk broke out of his recent shooting slump, scoring 21 points on 6-12 shooting from the field.
• The Mavs climbed to within one game of 6th place Memphis. Dallas holds the tiebreaker between the two teams, thanks to winning the season series 3-1.
• 8th place Utah unexpectedly loss to a undermanned Clippers team that rested its top 4 players. The Mavs now have a 2 game lead on the Jazz.
• Anderson's 19 points were a career high and his double-double was also the first of his young career. 

Quote of Note 
“Everybody’s had to step up. That’s unfortunately the gift and the curse of so many injuries. Everybody’s ready. Everybody’s on edge. Everybody’s wanting to play past April 13.”
Wesley Matthews

Tweet of the Night

The Mavs are undefeated all-time when Justin Anderson starts (7-0).

— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) April 9, 2016

Next Up
The Mavericks (41-38) can clinch their ticket into the playoff with a win at the Staples Center over the Clippers (51-28) on Sunday afternoon.

Mavericks vs. Grizzlies: Game 79 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (40-38) vs Memphis Grizzlies (42-36)
Fri. Arr. 8, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBATV
Line: Mavs by 6


2015-16 Matchups
Nov. 24 at Memphis
Grizzlies 110 Mavs 96
Dec. 18 at Dallas
Mavs 97 Grizzlies 88
Feb. 6 at Memphis
Mavs 114 Grizzlies 110 (OT)

All-Time Series
Mavs 58 Grizzlies 23

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 104.8 (9th)
Def. Rating: 104.4 (17th)
Point Differential: -0.4
Thunder
Offense: 102.8 (20th)
Defense: 104.8 (18th)
Point Differential: -1.6

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: J.J. Barea
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Justin Anderson
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Grizzlies
PG: Jordan Farmar
SG: Tony Allen
SF: Matt Barnes
PF: Zach Randolph
C: Chris Andersen

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 18.3
RPG: Pachulia, 9.6
APG: Williams, 5.8
PER: Nowitzki, 18.9
Grizzlies
PPG: Gasol, 16.6
RPG: Randolph, 7.9
APG: Conley, 6.1
PER: Conley, 19.4

Injuries
Mavs
Out
Chandler Parsons- knee surgery
Deron Williams- sports hernia
Grizzlies
Out
Marc Gasol- foot surgery
Mike Conley- Achilles tendinitis
Brandan Wright- sprained MCL
Questionable
P.J. Hairston- strained groin

Of Note

• The Mavs 5 game winning streak has been fueled by a stingy defense and the best stretch of J.J. Barea's career.
• Dallas has held their opponent under 90 points in all 5 wins, allowing a average of 86 points per game.
• Barea has scored at least 18 points in all 5 games, averaging 24.2 points and 7 assists. He is also shooting 54% from the field and 50% on threes.
• The Mavs magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 2 after the Rockets lost to Phoenix Thursday night. Any combination of 2 Mavs win or Rockets losses puts Dallas in the postseason.
• A Mavericks win would put them only a game behind Memphis in the standing and they would own the tiebreaker over the Grizzlies thanks to winning the season series.

Current West Standings 5-9
5. Grizzlies 42-36
6. Blazers 43-37
7. Mavs 40-38
8. Jazz 39-39
9. Rockets 38-41

Mavericks 88 Rockets 86: Game 78 Recap

The Lead
The Mavs grind out their biggest win of the season to significantly boost their playoff hopes.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Barea, 27
Rebounds: Lee, 8
Assists: Barea, 8
+-: Mejri, +8
Rockets
Points: Harden, 26
Rebounds: Howard, 16
Assists: Ariza, 5
+-: Brewer, Terry, +4

Game Ball
J.J. Barea
27 points, 8 assists, 10-16 FG, 4-7 3PT

X-Factor
Wesley Matthews
16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 4-12 3PT

Stat of the Game
The Mavs defense took over down the stretch as they held the Rockets without a field goal for the final 3:20 of the game.

Play of the Game


Of Note

• The win put the Mavs, who are currently 7th in the West, 2 games up on the 9th place Rockets with 4 games left in the season. Their magic number to make the playoffs is 3.
• Barea, the defending Western Conference Player of the week, is  averaging 24.2 points and 7.0 assists during the Mavericks' 5 game win streak.
• The Mavs have held all 5 opponents under 90 points during their win streak. Prior to that they had allowed at least 100 points in 19 out of 21 games.
• Patrick Beverley was the only Rocket besides James Harden to score in the 4th quarter until Jason Terry made a free throw with 2.6 seconds left.
• The Mavs intentionally fouled JET with a 3 point lead. He missed the second on purpose and Matthews was able to dive to knock the loose ball away that let time expire.
• Dirk only had 7 points but made a crucial strip of Harden as the Mavs clung to a one point lead with 5.8 seconds left.

Quote of Note
''I am proud of our guys for being willing to be team guys and play this way. We lived to fight another day.''
Rick Carlisle on the team slowing the pace to become more defensive-minded.

 Tweet of the Night

Wes Matthews crashing into the front row to make sure that game was over sums up Wes Matthews.

— Paul Flannery (@Pflanns) April 7, 2016

Next Up
The Mavericks (40-38) have another crucial showdown for playoff positioning Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies (42-36), in the penultimate home game of the regular season.

Barea Named Player of the Week

Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the week of March 28-April 3. During the week which the Mavs went 4-0, Barea averaged 23.5 points and 6.8 assists. He also celebrated the birth of a baby girl.

A look at Barea's week:

Mon. @Denver (W, 97-88)
18 points, 11 assists, 7-13 FG, 3-6 3PT

Wed. vs. New York (W, 91-89)
26 points, 7 assists, 10-18 FG, 4-7 3PT

Fri. @Detroit (W, 98-89)
29 points, 3 assists, 13-23 FG, 2-5 3PT

Sun. @Minnesota (W, 88-78)
21 points, 6 assists, 8-19 FG, 3-7 3PT

Parsons Reportedly Needs Season-Ending Knee Surgery

According to a report from ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon, Chandler Parsons will likely need season-ending knee surgery because of a torn meniscus on his right knee. Parsons will seek a second opinion before having the surgery. If he has the surgery he should be fully recovered in time for off-season basketball activities.
Parsons had a hybrid microfracture surgery on the same knee last May. This injury however is not as severe. Parsons can opt-out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent this Summer. He had been playing perhaps the best basketball of his career the last couple months, averaging 18.9 points per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 47.7% on threes.

Mavericks 132 Blazers 120 (OT): Game 70 Recap

The Lead
Dirk's 40 points and a monster day from D-Will help the Mavs pull out a huge overtime win.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Nowitzki, 40
Rebounds: Mejri, 14
Assists: Williams, 16
+-: Mejri, +30
Blazers
Points: Lillard, 26
Rebounds: Plumlee, 19
Assists: Lillard, McCollum, 8
+-: Davis, +7

Game Balls
Dirk Nowitzki
40 points, 8 rebounds, 16-26 FG, 3-5 3PT
Deron Williams
31 points, 16 assists, 11-18 FG, 4-6 3PT

X-Factor
Salah Mejri
13 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks, 4-6 FG

Stat of the Game
Dirk became the 4th player in NBA history to score at least 40 points at age 37 or older. The other are Michael Jordan (8x), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (4x) and Karl Malone (2x).

Play of the Game


Of Note

• It was Dirk's 20th career 40 point game and first since Jan. 11, 2014.
• Deron Williams was the first Mav to have at least 30 points and 15 assists in a game since Jason Kidd in 1996.
• Chandler Parsons missed the game with a sore right hamstring he injured against Golden State on Friday.
• The Mavs shot 15-25 on threes including making 11 out of their first 13 attempts. Wesley Matthews was 5-7 from deep against his old team.
• The Mavericks won the season series against Portland which could be a crucial playoff tiebreaker.
• Dallas has now played 12 overtime games which is the most in franchise history and tied for the 5th most in NBA history. They have an 8-4 record in those games.

Quote of Note
"He just keeps on doing it. You know, Father Time just can't catch up with him."
D-Will on Dirk

Tweet of the Night

this is a god dream pic.twitter.com/yFqzQik0Ek

— Jason Gallagher (@jga41agher) March 20, 2016

Next Up
The Mavericks (35-35) face off once against the Blazers (36-35) on Wednesday, this time in Portland.

Mavericks 107 Hornets 96: Game 67 Recap

The Lead
The Mavs break a 5 game losing streak behind a new smallball starting lineup.

Box Score

Leaders
Mavs
Points: Parsons, 24
Rebounds: Nowitzki, 11
Assists: Felton, 12
+-: Nowitzki, +24
Hornets
Points: Walker, 25
Rebounds: Zeller, 9
Assists: Walker, 9
+-: Walker, -3

Game Ball
Dirk Nowitzki
23 points, 11 rebounds, +24

X-Factor
Devin Harris
12 points, 5-8 FG

Stat of the Game
After shooting only 3-20 on threes in the first three quarters, the Mavs went 6-10 from deep in the fourth quarter.

Play of the Game

What a play by @JusAnderson1 😱 #DALatCHA https://t.co/SI4Teycver

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) March 14, 2016

Of Note

• Looking for a spark, Rick Carlisle changed up his starting lineup with Raymond Felton replacing Zaza Pachulia. The small lineup had Chandler Parsons playing power forward and Dirk at center.
• The Mavs came out strong, taking a 52-33 lead into halftime. That big lead would disappear as the Hornets would take the lead early in the 4th quarter.
• Dallas fought back to retake control as Parsons and Deron Williams would both score 11 points in the final stanza.
• The Mavericks held an opponent under 100 points for the first time since Feb. 3 against Miami. 13 straight teams had scored triple figures against the Mavs since.
• Devin Harris scored in double figures for the first time since he scored 15 against Minnesota on Jan. 20.
• Dirk has scored at least 22 points in 5 straight games, averaging 26.0 points per game over that stretch.

Quote of Note
 "The defense was great. We just had really good energy, focus, togetherness. We were playing relatively small, so we needed everybody to be very vigilant about being on the boards. That's our best chance to win and we did that tonight."
Rick Carlisle

Tweet of the Night

But Wes' defense on Kemba Walker in the fourth was critical. Kemba looked like he was going into takeover mode. https://t.co/uDWh7jbnnn

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 15, 2016

Next Up
The Mavericks (34-33) head to Cleveland for a Wednesday night game with LeBron and the Cavaliers (47-18).

Mavericks vs. Kings: Game 62 Preview

Dallas Mavericks (33-28) vs. Sacramento Kings (24-35)
Thu. Mar. 3, 7:30 at the AAC
TV: FSSW, NBALP
Line: Mavs by 7.5

2015-16 Matchups

Nov. 30 at Sacramento
Kings 112 Mavs 98

Jan. 5 at Dallas
Mavericks 117 Kings 116 (2OT)

All-Time Series
Mavs 90 Kings 63

Team Stats
Mavs
Off. Rating: 104.7 (8th)
Def. Rating: 103.8 (16th)
Point Differential: +0.1
Kings
Offense: 103.3 (13th)
Defense: 106.5 (25th)
Point Differential: -2.5

Projected Starters
Mavs
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Wesley Matthews
SF: Chandler Parsons
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Zaza Pachulia
Kings
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Ben McLemore
SF: Omri Casspi
PF: Quincy Acy
C: DeMarcus Cousins

Team Leaders
Mavs
PPG: Nowitzki, 17.7
RPG: Pachulia, 10.6
APG: Williams, 5.5
PER: Nowitzki, 19.1
Kings
PPG: Cousins, 27.3
RPG: Cousins, 11.3
APG: Rondo, 12.0
PER: Cousins, 23.4

Of Note

• The Mavs have won 22 in a row at home against the Kings, a streak that dates back to Feb.  27, 2003.
• The Mavericks rank first in the league in offensive efficiency since the All-Star break with a rating of 116.9, well ahead of 2nd place Toronto at 113.8.
• Dallas now sits alone in 6th place in the West after Portland lost in Boston Wednesday night.
• Rudy Gay is questionable for the Kings with a shoulder injury. He missed their game vs. Memphis on Wednesday. 
•  In the first 5 games of the current homestand the Mavs wing duo has come up big. Wesley Matthews has averaged 17.8 ppg with a 51.7/45.7/86.7 shooting line while Chandler Parsons is averaging 18.8 ppg with a 51.6/44.0/94.4 shooting line. (h/t Tim MacMahon)