Mavs Get Fourth Consecutive Win, Beating the Hawks 102-91

The Mavs got their fourth consecutive win as well as third straight win in their four-game homestand against the Hawks Saturday night.

Over the past few games, the Mavericks have really shown that they've been improving in trying to get back to the team they used to be before they were pummeled with injuries. They had seven players score in double figures for the first time all season in Thursday's win over the Rockets and they did it for the second time in this game vs the Hawks.

In this game, the Mavericks were far from selfish when it came to handling and passing the ball. They had assists on 38 of 36 shots against the Hawks.

Lately, Dallas has been having terrible games on the offensive end, as well as star player Dirk Nowitzki, who has been recovering from his knee injury.

Dirk finally had a great shooting night against the Hawks, leading the team with 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting.

The first quarter ended with the Mavs up by 4 points. The rest of the game went back and forth and Terry helped the Mavs lead at the half 32-29.

Dallas trailed 78-77 going into the fourth. In this quarter, Haywood, Nowitzki, and Marion combined for 12 points and helped the Mavs on a 14-1 run as they took a 91-79 lead with 8 minutes left. On this run, Nowitzki blocked a shot and scored a 3-pointer. Next, Marion blocked a shot and scored on the other end as well. Another Hawks turnover led to yet another Dallas basket, and they scored six unanswered points in under a minute.

The Mavericks had an excellent shooting night. On the other hand, this wasn't so true for the Hawks. Bibby, who is normally an outstanding 3-point shooter, was 1 for 3 from the 3-point line. Jamal Crawford was 1 for 7 and Johnson was 0 for 5.

Aside from Dirk's 19 points, Terry had 18 points and a season high 11 assists. Other players to score in double figures were Chandler and Kidd with 12 points, Stevenson with 11, Marion with 10, and Haywood with 10. This is only the second game where Haywood has scored about 10 points.

The Hawks played without one of their starting forwards, Marvin Williams, who sat out with a suspension for a fight in their game vs the Knicks on Friday. Maurice Evans took his spot in the starting lineup.

Johnson led the Hawks with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Smith who eventually fouled out of the game wound up having 17 points. Crawford finished with 11 points and Horford had 10.

Pavlovic started his 5th and last game with the Mavs as this was his last game of his second 10 day contract with them. The Mavericks declined to sign him for the rest of the season Saturday night. Carlisle told him the bad news, but thanked him as the rest of the team gave him a standing ovation.

Peja Stojakovic and Rodrigue Beaubois are looking to return by allstar weekend. Peja will most likely be  their starting small forward.

Next, the Mavs take on the Washington Wizards Monday night as they head into their fourth and final game in their homestand. The Wizards are 0-23 on the road and the Mavs are looking to make it 0-24 as well as win their fifth consecutive game and perfect their four-game homestand.

Terry, who had 18 points, goes up for a shot

Johnson, who led the Hawks with 27 points, dishes up a shot

Mavs Beat the Rockets to Get Their 3rd Consecutive Win

The Mavs beat the Rockets 111-106 to get their 3rd consecutive win and their 30th win of the season. Things have been looking up for the Mavs as they've won 4 of 5 games since their 6 game losing streak.

The Mavs drove away with a tremendous lead of 18 after the first quarter and by the half they were up by 25 points. This was their biggest first half lead of the season.

The Rockets managed to come back with a 26-6 run during the third quarter to pull the game within two points.

The Mavs brought their lead to double digits again in the fourth quarter, but not for long as the Rockets were able to come within one point in the last minute of the game.

Although the Mavericks let Houston come back after being down 25 points, not once during the whole game did they give up the lead. JJ Barea was a big part of that, as he made many clutch plays. This is especially true in the fourth quarter when Terry and Nowitzki went 0 for 10.

The Mavs won the game 111-106 and are now 16-5 in their last 21 games with the Rockets.

For the first time this season, seven Mavs players scored in double figures. Chandler matched his season high 21 points and also had 15 rebounds to have yet another double-double. Dirk had 18 and Terry added 15 as well. Pavlovic and Kidd both racked up 11 points and 10 assists for Kidd as well. Marion had 10 points and 6 rebounds, and Barea who was a huge contributor in this game had 19.

For the Rockets, Scola led the team with 30 points. Martin racked up 27 and Hayes 16. Battier managed to get 10 points before fouling out towards the end of the game.

Peja Stojakovic did not play this game, and Carlisle reported that he will not play the next. When he will is not yet known. They are just trying to get him to a good physical stance before they make any moves.

2 down 2 to go for the Mavs in their 4-game homestand. Next they face the Atlanta Hawks at the AAC.

Tyson Chandler goes up for an easy dunk

Dirk hits the jumper over Scola

Martin going up for the layout through the Mavs' defense

Mavs Came Back To Get the Win Over the Clippers 112-105

In the first half, the Mavs made it seem like they were surely going to fall to the Clippers, but with a huge turnaround in the second half the Mavs managed to win their first game of their four-game homestand.

The Mavs had one of the worst defensive first halves of the season, allowing 62 points on 67.6% shooting.

Although the game was not going their way, the Mavs did not give up. Their defense picked up, and soon after so did their offense as they scored 34 points off of the Clippers' 23 turnovers.

Aside from trailing the whole first half, Barea and Chandler kept them in the game. Barea had 18 points and Chandler had 14 points all before halftime.

The second half was a huge turnaround for the Mavs.

Griffin played a great first half, scoring 13 points, but after the Mavs played tougher defense and double-teamed him, he only scored 9 in the second half as he was just 2 of 8 from the field.

Chandler picked up his fourth foul and sat out on the bench most of the second half. Haywood came in the game to replace him and really helped the Mavs out defensively. He did a great job defending Griffin, and got him called for a flagrant foul.

The Mavs got a season high 63 points off the bench. Four players wound up having 20 or more points. Terry was 11 for 22 as he led the Mavs with 28 points. Barea had 25 points, Dirk had 20, and Chandler had a season high of 21. Marion acquired a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

For the Clippers, Griffin led the team with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Davis had 21 points and 6 assists, Foye had 15 points and Gomes had 14 points.

Although the Clippers are 17-27, their team has been improving with the help of rookie Blake Griffin and this win for the Mavericks shouldn't be one that you disregard. LA has won 12 of their last 17 games before they got to Dallas.

The Mavericks will move on to their second game of their four game homestand on Thursday vs the Rockets. We can all just hope that the Mavs' will continue playing like they did in this second half.

Barea drops a basket as he scores 2 of his 25 points

Griffin goes around dirk as he drives to the basket

Davis gets a steal from Marion

Foye gets the basket over Marion

Mavs Acquire Peja Stojakovic and Trade Alexis Ajinca

The Mavericks signed Peja off waivers on Monday in an attempt to fill the gap from Caron Butler as he went out wit ha season ending injury.

Over his career Peja has averaged 17.2 points per game and played very well against Dallas, scoring 19.2 per game, the Mavs realize that he's not going to be a replacement for Butler.

His average has dropped four straight seasons and he's only played eight games this season due to knee injuries, his last being on November 26th.

They are not even sure when he will play his first game with the Mavs. They are going to take it slow and get him into game shape.

To clear a roster spot for Peja, the Mavs traded center Alexis Ajinca to Toronto for the rights to Georgios Printezis, who is playing in spain.

Kidd on Peja: "We get to play with a guy who can flat-out shoot the ball. It's good ot have a guy who's been in some battles. When he's on the court, if you leave him wide-open, you can count it."

Many fans have been wondering when Roddy will make his appearance again. Carlisle has been very positive on Roddy's return. Roddy's agent said that "it could be a week or maybe two, but he's feeling much better." He has been running and cutting and stopping while shooting 3-pointers and such. Soon he will be participating in full-contact practice. Once he manages to get through a full practice without much pain on his foot, then he will be ready to go.

The Mavs are in a 4-10 slump as they head into a four game homestand, their first game being Tuesday night against the Clippers.

Peja Stojakovic

Dirk Hits Game Winner with 6 Seconds Left

The Mavs come out of what has been a rough close game with the win over the Nets 87-86, finally ending their road game losing streak.

In the first half alone, the Mavs had 8 turnovers but forced 12. The gameplay was getting sloppy and offensively they were going downhill. Dirk started the game off 3 for 11 as he is clearly not back to his normal self. Morrow got 3 quick fouls sitting out early.

The Nets took a 9 point lead halfway through the 2nd quarter. Both teams were shooting 100% from the free throw line before the half.

Dirk finally hit a 3 with 45 seconds left in the half to put the Mavs on an 8-0 run and lead at the half 48-45.

In the first half, the Mavs defense was key, acquiring 9 steals; but offensively, it wasn't so bright. At this point, Dirk had 15 points but was 4-13 from the field and Chandler was 5-5 with 14 points. Lopez had 11 and Harris had 10.

Carlisle chose to put Mahinmi in for Chandler before Haywood in the 2nd half. Favors acquired his 4th foul in the start of the 3rd.

Dirk hit a shot making it 58-51, a good start for the Mavs. But they weren't in the lead for long; after they went up by 7, the Nets went on an 8-0 run.

Ironically, Dirk was the only one to miss a free throw thus far as the Mavs made 19 of 20 from the free throw line.

At this point, as a team, the Mavs were shooting 35.3% along with 13 turnovers. Offensively, the Mavs were still not looking too good.

The 3rd quarter ended with both teams tied at 68-68.

Mavs started the 4th quarter with a 7-0 run. Barea hit 2 consecutive 3's to push the lead 78-71. Dirk finally hit a nice jumper to put the Mavs up 80-75. At this point Dirk was 6 for 18 from the field with 21 points, but he hit shots when it mattered.

Nets took an 83-82 lead with 2 minutes left in the game. JJ hit a shot to gain the lead by 1 with 1:32 left. Barea had half of the Mavs' 4th quarter points.

The Mavs were suddenly down by 1 and it all came down to one shot to win the game. Dirk hit a nice shot that rolled in with 6 seconds left to go followed by an air-ball by Farmar to end the game.

Mavs win it 87-86 and finally put an end their road game losing streak.

Chandler tied his season high with 19 points and 8 rebounds. Although a poor shooting night for Dirk, he managed to rack up 23 points and 7 rebounds.

Lopez led the Nets with 24 points 6 rebounds. Harris had 15 points and 11 assists.

Although its great that the Mavs pulled through with the win, it wasn't too much of a win to be proud of. The Mavs had a horrible night offensively and shot only 34.7% from the field. Free throws really kept them in the game as they shot an impressive 93.1%

The Mavs will go on to face Blake Griffin and the Clippers on Tuesday.

Dirk tries to shot over Lopez

Harris trying to rid Dirk of the ball

Kidd making a pass around Vujacic

Mavs Weren't Able to Snap Their Losing Streak On the Road

The Bulls handed the Mavs their 5th consecutive road loss in a game that was poorly played by both teams. The Mavs came into this game confident with a win over the Lakers Wednesday night that ended their 6 game losing streak; but maybe with that mindset, they were taking this game too lightly.

Neither team shot better than 37% and the only Bull player in double figures was Derrick Rose with 26 points but shot only 9 for 28. Dirk, who is still sore from his knee injury, led the way for the Mavs with 19 points but was 6 for 16 from the field.

Both teams have been battling with injuries, but the Mavs more than the other. The Bulls, who are 6-4 their last 10 games, are without Carlos Boozer who missed his third straight game with a sprained ankle and Joakim Noah who had thumb surgery. The Mavericks have struggled greatly without Dirk for 9 games, Butler who is out the rest of the season, and Chandler who missed 2 consecutive games due to an illness. Although Dirk has finally returned, he is still not back to his normal self as his shooting hasn't been as up to par.

Since all of these injuries came upon the Mavs, they have lost 7 of 8 and 10 of 13. Once Dirk is fully recovered and healthy, they shouldn't have as much of a problem winning, but all of this losing is painfully reminding the team and their fans of how much help Caron Butler brought to the court.

The first quarter ended with the Mavs up by 1. In the 2nd quarter, the Bulls outscored the Mavs with 10 points, leading them 44-35 at the half. By the end of the 3rd quarter the Mavs came back outscoring the Bulls by 13. Both teams kept the game close, as the Mavs entered the 4th quarter with a 60-56 lead.

During the 4th quarter, the Mavs began to play sloppy, missing vital shots and turning over the ball. This is when Rose's shot finally began to sink in. At the end of the fourth, Terry missed a 3 to tie the game and it all went downhill from there. The Mavericks were also out rebounded 51-41. The game ended with a disappointing Dallas loss 82-77.

Dirk led the Mavs with 19 points. Chandler, Stevenson and Terry all added 12 points. Although Stevenson was 4-10, all 4 of his shots were 3's. Chandler acquired another double-double adding 12 rebounds.

Rose was the only Bull who scored in double digits but Thomas helped drastically acquiring 11 quick rebounds.

Next, the Mavericks travel to New Jersey to face the Nets on Saturday with the hopes of snapping their 5 road game losing streak.

They will remain hopeful, while Dirk continues to recover. The Mavs are also looking to obtain Peja Stojakovic and were able to find room for him without losing newcomer Sasha Pavlovic. In a separate deal, the Mavs are finalizing a trade of Alexis Ajinca to the Raptors along with a future 2nd round pick and some cash. Dallas is not looking to replace Caron Butler who is most likely out for the season, but they are looking to fill the void and they think that Peja might be able to do the job.

Luol Deng drives to the basket during the first half

Jason Terry tries to slide through the Bulls' defense

Jason Kidd trying to get around Rose to the basket

Mavs Finally Snap their 6 Game Losing Streak, Beating the Lakers 109-100

Mavs fans can finally breathe as their 6 game losing streak has come to a halt.

With Jason Kidd's on key shooting from 3-point land, it seemed like the day would never come where he would be in a slump. But as the Mavs were falling fast, getting hit with injuries left and right, and Terry missing his shots, Kidd's slump began. He had zero points in two consecutive games, as he was 1 for 14 in each combined. Well, last night was a huge turnaround for the Mavs as both Jason's went on fire to end their slumps.

The Lakers led by 11 points in the first half and were up 8 halfway through the third quarter. But they didn't take the lead much longer as the Mavs got hot and were up 9 points going into the fourth quarter. Although the Lakers were able to get a couple of and-one's and Kobe got in some shots, neither helped the Lakers regain the lead.

The game ended with the crowd on their feet, as the Mavs beat the Lakers 109-100. This was only the Lakers second loss in 10 games.

Jason Kidd had an incredible night with a season high 21 points and 10 assists. Terry also had a great night coming out of a slump as well scoring 22 points and 7 assists. Marion matched Terry having 22 points as well. Dirk had 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, as he's still recovering from a sore knee. Pavlovic surprised everyone when he was 5 for 7 scoring 11 points his last night with the Mavs. Chandler left the game around the half feeling sick again but returned later on and managed to score 6 points and 10 rebounds. Stevenson, who is an excellent shooter, hasn't been making too many of his shots lately; he was 0 for 5 from the field.

Gasol led the Lakers with 23 points. Kobe was right behind him with 21 points and 10 assists and Odom with 20 points 10 rebounds.

Now that the Mavs finally pulled off a home win, they're looking to end their road slump as they face the Bulls in Chicago tonight.

Kobe and Kidd fight for a loose ball

Dirk jumps for a basket over Artest

Mavs Lose 6th Straight to the Pistons

Dirk has finally returned for good, but the sky isn't looking any brighter for the Mavs.

The Mavs started the season with the best road record of 12-2. Since then, things have gone downhill. They went 0 for 4 on their most recent road trip including losses Indiana, San Antonio, Memphis and Detroit, losing every game by double digits.

Dallas has lost their 6th consecutive game, making it their longest losing streak since 2000.

Chandler sat this game out again due to illness and Haywood started in his place. It was also a last minute decision for Terry to start instead of Stevenson.

The first quarter ended with the Mavs just down by 3, but the second quarter really took a toll on their shooting. It wasn't long until their offense went haywire and the Pistons scored 11 consecutive points putting themselves up 39-28 with 2 minutes left before the half. Being that close to having only 28 points at the half is not a good sign, but the Mavs tried their best to stay close, hitting the last 7 points of the quarter, trailing just 41-37.

This was only Dirk's second game back but he was clearly not the problem, scoring 18 points in the first half and getting ot the free-throw line.

In the third quarter, in addition to their offense, their defense started to crumble. The Pistons kept scoring in the paint while the Mavs were making unsuccessful shots.

By the end of the third quarter, Dirk hit four 3-pointers. The rest of the Mavs were a brutal 0 for 11. At this time, the Mavs were down 70-54.

The Mavericks atrocious defense is what helped the Pistons drive away with the lead. The pistons had 34 points in the 3rd quarter, hitting 16 of 22 shots.

For the rest of the game, the Mavs performance continued to plummet resulting in a 103-89 loss to the Pistons.

Dirk led the Mavericks with 32 points, 5 rebounds an 5 assists. Terry had 17 points, being one of just two players to score in double digits. Kidd had another atrocious shooting night going 0-7 from the field. As for the rest of the starters, Haywood had 6 points 7 rebounds, and Marion had 4 points 7 rebounds.

Five players on the Pistons scored in double digits. Stuckey led with 20 points, Prince: 19, Monroe: 16, Villanueva: 15 and Gordan: 11.

With this loss, the Mavs have dropped to 5th seed, behind the Spurs, Lakers, OKC, and Utah. On Wednesday, the Mavs will go on to face the 2nd seed Lakers at the AAC. This game is very important as is every game from now on. One game is the difference between 4th seed and 5th seed, 3rd seed and 4th seed, and so on.

Whether Chandler will feel better to play that game is not yet known.

Dirk seemed to be back to his normal self scoring 32 points

Monroe getting hit in the face with the ball as Haywood defends

Dirk trying to break through the Pistons defense to get a bucket

Dirk Returns... But Not For Long

Dirk Nowitzki has returned to the starting line-up tonight vs the Grizzles in Memphis but was not much help as he got ejected from the game after arguing with refs towards the end of the third quarter. He left with just 7 points and 5 rebounds where he went 2 for 7 in just 14 minutes.

Tyson Chandler did not play tonight due to an illness.

You know it's bad when your starting five totals 26 points. Marion was the only starter in double digits scoring 11 points and 6 rebounds. Haywood started for Chandler scoring 5 points, and Jason Kidd had a gruesome 3 points as he was 1 for 7 from the field and 1 for 6 from 3-point range. Deshawn Stevenson, one of the Mavs' remarkable shooters, scored a rare 0 points. He was 0 for 5 from the field and 0 for 4 from 3-point range.

One player who did shine tonight was Ian Mahinmi who went a perfect 6 for 6 from the field, leading the team with 17 points.

All in all the Mavericks as a team were 24 for 74 from the field and 6 for 31 from beyond the arch. It is safe to say that the Mavericks had a horrible night of shooting, as they definitely weren't themselves. This is a team who usually shoots very well from 3-point range, but tonight was clearly not their night.

Zach Randolph lead the Grizzlies with 23 points 20 rebounds, Arthur behind him with 17 points and Rudy Gay with 16 points.

The Mavs were outscored every quarter but the last, eventually falling to the Grizzlies 89-70. This is the Mavs 5th consecutive loss, their longest losing streak this season. This is also the lowest amount of points Dallas has scored in a game, their last being 76 points in a loss to Toronto.

Whether Chandler will play the next game is not yet known.

Next, the Mavericks face the Pistons in Detroit. Mavs fans can only hope that watching them won't be as painstaking for much longer.

Ian Mahinmi made all 6 of his shots including this dunk over Allen and Thabeet

Zach Randolph lead his team with 23 points and 20 rebounds

Mavs Face the Spurs for the Third Time This Season Ending With Another Loss

Facing the Spurs for the third time this season and second without star player Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs couldn't pull through with the win, losing 101-89. This was the Mavs fourth straight loss (first time of the season to lose 4 consecutive games) and the Spurs fifth straight win.

It hasn't been looking too good for the Mavs, as they're missing three of there players due to injury: Dirk, Caron and Roddy. This was the 9th consecutive game Dirk as missed and the Mavs are 2-7 without him. Since Dirk's injury, the Mavs have failed to score 100 points in seven of nine games.

The Spurs led by as many as 20 in the first half, where Parker had 10 points and 4 assists in the first 8 minutes of game play.

The Mavericks trailed by 13 points towards the end of the third quarter, but missed 8 of their next 11 shots and made only one free throw the rest of the quarter. They were outscored 18-7, entering the fourth quarter trailing by 24.

Dallas was outscored every quarter except for the fourth as both teams started playing their reserves. The Mavericks bench wound up having 50 points together as Dominique Jones had his career high of 13 points in just 13 minutes of game play.

The Mavericks got very little from their starters as Shawn Marion was the only one with double digits as well as a double-double, scoring 14 points 10 rebounds. Barea: 13 points, JET: 9 points, Chandler: 8 points, Kidd: 7 points.

Jason Terry received a technical and continues to struggle, as he was just 3 for 14 from the field. Chandler also acquired four early fouls and finally his fifth in the third quarter.

Dejuan Blair and Tony Parker led the spurs with 18 points each. Blair also had 13 rebounds acquiring a double-double. Tim Duncan also had a double-double scoring 16 points and 12 rebounds. As for the rest of their bench, Manu had 11 points and Jefferson had 7 points.

Dirk Nowitzki being out as been a nightmare come true for all Mavs fans. It is certainly hard to watch the Mavs without him, but during Friday practice he showed signs of coming back sooner than later. Dirk had a workout, shooting drills and a conditioning test and looked like his normal self during them all. Of course his return must be looked upon cautiously, but this is good news for Mavs fans.

The Mavs go on to play Memphis tonight, Detroit on Monday and the Lakers on Wednesday. Since these games are spread out, it gives Dirk more time to prepare his knee, so his return to one of those games remains hopeful.

George Hill bodies Jason Terry up

Shawn Marion scoring 2 of his 14 points

Manu struggling to get by the Mavs defense of Pavlovic and Cardinal

Dejuan Blair dunking to consume 2 of his 18 points

Mavs struggle without Dirk, falling to the Pacers 102-89

Dallas-still without Dirk-lost their 3rd game in a row, falling to 3rd seed in the west.

Coach Carlisle took a different approach in the game last night, benching Terry again, moving Stevenson from small forward back to two-guard, Marion from power forward to small forward and Ajinca to the starting lineup alongside Chandler. Jason Kidd also started like always.

The lack of offense from that starting five became a huge problem, showing in the third quarter when the Mavs only scored 17 points. No Dallas starters scored more than 13 points, and Jason Terry had 18 but it took him 20 shots to get there.

The game was tied 12 times and there was 5 lead changes. Up until the half, the two teams stayed pretty even, but it was in the third quarter when the Pacers began to pull away outscoring the Mavs 25-17.

Although the Pacers are just 16-20, they have added the Mavericks to their list of top teams that they've beaten such as the Lakers, the Hornets, Denver and Miami. This was also their 2nd consecutive win and the first time they've scored 100+ points in back to back games since November.

Brandon Rush led all scorers with 20 points, and Granger and Collison added 17 points each. George also added 16 points. For the Mavs, Terry led with 18 points, Kidd: 13, Chandler: 13, Marion: 12, and Stevenson: 10. The Mavericks had 12 turnovers as the Pacers only had 8, 2 in the second half. Turnovers half definitely been a concern for the Mavs.

It looks like Sasha Pavlovic is not the missing piece to their puzzle as he scored just 2 points, 1 assist and 1 steal in 16 minutes. The trade deadline is approaching quickly, and their has been much talk about who Cuban and Carlisle are trying to acquire, but it is still not certain.

Tomorrow, the Mavs take on their rival Spurs again. Whether Dirk will play is still not known.

Jason Kidd had 13 points and moved up to third place on the all-time 3-points made list in NBA history.

Hibbert fights for one of his seven rebounds of the night

Mavs sign Sasha Pavlovic to 10-day Contract

The Mavs signed Pavlovic to a 10-day contract Monday, adding to their injury-riddled roster.

Pavlovic is a 27 year old seven year veteran who spent most of his career with the Cavaliers. He spent last season with the Timberwolves but after having the worst season of his career, he went unsigned as a free agent last summer.

Although he won't get many minutes with the Mavs, he will help out a little bit on the court while the Mavs are coping with the loss of Dirk and Caron.

He will be able to play Wednesday night vs the Pacers.

As for Dirk, he is still unable to take part in team drills. He headed in for treatment as the team prepares to leave for Indiana, where the Mavs being their four game road trip.

Coach Carlisle is not giving many updates on Dirk's progress, so whether he will play is not yet known.

If Dirk doesn't play, it will be his eighth consecutive game he's missed due to his sprained knee. The Mavs are 2-5 without him.

Mavs couldn't handle the streaking Magic, falling 117-107

After a great start with a big lead, The Mavs weren't able to hold off the Magic, falling 117-107.

Keeping Dwight Howard off the boards and containing Orlando's great 3-point shooting was already known to be a problem.

The Mavericks held a double digit lead in the first half of the game and Orlando's long range shots were off, but neither of these held true for the rest of the game. The Mavs lead quickly faded as they were defeated by the Magic, finishing off their three game homestand with a 1-2 record.

In the first, Chandler played his best defense against Howard but of course it's tough when Howard takes it to the basket. With this trouble, DeShawn Stevenson took the opportunity to step in. He hit plenty of consecutive 3 pointers to give the Mavs an early lead. Howard picked up two quick fouls and the Mavs ended the first quarter with a 29-19 lead.

In the 2nd quarter, Brian Cardinal hit his second three, pushing the Mavs to a double digit lead. JJ Barea then started to take over the quarter hitting great shots. After the Mavs were up by 16, the Magic went on a 7-0 run. Stevenson hit two more 3's, tying his previous season high on his fifth 3 pointer. Howard then sat with his third foul.

The second half of the game was quite different. The Magic came within one with a 12-7 run. Chandler then sat out when he picked up his fourth foul of the game and the Magic stayed close, eventually tying the game.

But Cardinal and Marion put the Mavs back in front as the teams kept battling for the lead. The Magic's great 3 point range kept them in the game but the Mavs took an 81-80 lead going into the 12 final minutes of the game.

At this point, the Mavericks became careless with the ball and frustration lead them to back to back technical fouls where Carlisle got ejected from the game after arguing with officials.

The Magic continued to play great as they took the lead for good with a 23-3 spurt. The night only got worse for the Mavs when Chandler fouled out of the game.

Stevenson and Terry helped the Mavs on a run, but this still wasn't enough to take the lead.

"We let them get in a groove, shoot threes and they got in a rhythm," Stevenson simply said. "I just think we didn't play hard. We let them get in their comfort zone and make threes. And when they made their run we never came back."

This was the Mavericks fifth loss without Dirk Nowitzki.

Stevenson ended the game with a season high 24 points including six 3-pointers. Marion had 18 points and Terry had 16 points with a season high 9 assists. Howard led the Magic with a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds.

Dirk Nowitzki is pushing to play on their four game road trip Wednesday starting in Indiana but is not 100% sure yet.

Jason Terry putting up 2 of his 16 points

Dwight Howard scoring 2 of his 23 points

Mavs Take On The Magic Tonight At The AAC

The Mavericks who have lost their last game to OKC are facing the Magic tonight who are on an 8 game winning streak, looking to match their longest streak in franchise history tonight. The last time Orlando lost was to the Mavs, the healthy Mavs.

Tonight will be different as star player Dirk Nowitzki is missing his 7th consecutive game [most consecutive games missed in his career]. The Mavs will also be without their 3rd highest scorer Caron Butler who is out for the rest of the season after having knee surgery.

As for the Magic's inuries, Malik Allen is questionable with a sprained left ankle. Daniel Orton (left knee surgery) and Jason Williams (arthritis in feet) are out until further notice.

Thunder's win Thursday night, gave the Mavs their third loss in their last five games without Dirk.

Orlando beat the Rockets Friday pushing them to their eight straight win.

The Mavericks will take advantage of Dwight Howard's foul troubles, although they are a solid team and can manage the game without him when he sits.

Since the Magic's loss to the Mavs, they have made many new additions to their roster such has Hedo Turkoglu, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson and Earl Clark. These guys have been a great help to Orlando as they've been winning every game since. They came together offensively very quickly but are still looking to improve their defense. The Magic have also been playing former Maverick Brandon Bass alot more who has proven to be a solid player when he Matched Richardson's 18 points against the Rockets. This gives the Mavs even more to focus on in the paint.

"Bass gives them strength, energy, great mid-range shooting, a post presence, a presence on the boards and he's a guy that's always ready. I mean, we knew that when he was here. He's just an extremely hard worker and he loves to play. So, there's no surprise that he's playing well now that he's gotten the opportunity," Carlisle explained.

But we all know who's really in control of the Magic's attack: Dwight Howard. He scored 26 points and 23 rebounds against the Mavs during their last match. Chandler, who is looking for his 3rd consecutive double double, plans to heighten his play at both ends to guard him.

"He's a big fella, he's gonna demand a lot of attention, "Chandler said of Howard. "We know he's gonna get his shots, he's gonna get his attempts. But the thing that we have to do tonight is make it tough for him and try to limit everybody else."

It is obvious that Howard's hook shot has gotten a lot better. It will be important for the Mavs to keep him away from the basket, and be a lot more assertive.

Although it is not completely certain, Dirk hopes to be back for the Mavs' 4-game road trip next week.

Thunder Take Advantage of Injured Mavs

The Mavericks faced Durant and the Thunder Thursday night once again without Dirk or Caron. When Dirk will return is not yet carved in stone. Caron Butler is out for the season due to his torn patellar tendon.

Mavs began the game up by 10, making 8 of their first 10 shots. Marion had the first 10 of 12 points.

The Mavericks were up 55-51 at the half, when Marion had 21 points. In the first half Dallas went 24 for 41.

OKC began the third quarter with an 11-4 run, up 62-59.

Heading into the fourth, OKC was up 73-70. Durant hit a 3-pointer extending the lead to 78-71 continued by a steal later on to make it 89-78. Although Deshawn Stevenson hit three consecutive 3-pointers, the Mavs were unable to get within four points the rest of the way.

The Thunder left the AAC with a 99-95 win over the Mavs.

Marion lead the team with a season high 25 points. Stevenson rallied 14 points including four key 3-pointers. Chandler added another double-double to his season scoring 14 points 18 rebounds. JET became hot towards the end of the game rallying 19 points. JJ Barea gathered 14 points in just 22 minutes. Sadly, Kidd was an awful 0-7 from the field and 0-4 from downtown but managed to rack up 7 assists and 10 rebounds.

For the Thunder, the leading scorers were Durant: 28 points, Green: 16, Westbrook: 15, and Ibaka: 13.

The Mavericks started the game with a remarkable start but lost the lead towards the end where turnovers became a problem.

Next the Mavericks face the Orlando Magic. With or without Dirk this is going to be a tough game. They have to work on making less turnovers and making stops.

Westbrook going for a layup [total: 15 points]

Kidd fighting through the Thunder's defense

Durant taking a shot [total: 28 points]

Green fighting for the rebound [total: 16 points]

Mavs Waive Steve Novak

Steve Novak, who has a veteran minimum contract worth about $800,000 has been waived so that he can clear waivers before next Monday when all contracts become guaranteed.

Novak leaving means the Mavericks now only have a 14-man roster where only 11 of those players are healthy enough to play.

Signing players to 10 day contracts start on Monday so the Mavs have the option of adding a player from the D-League.

On the other hand, it seems as if Brian Cardinal is staying. If he's on the roster on Monday, his whole salary of about $1.3 million will be guaranteed.

Steve Novak on the Mavs

No Dirk, No Butler: Mavs Still Get the Win Over Portland

Earlier today, the Mavs received the bad news that Caron Butler will be out for the rest of the season. His surgery went well today but he is obviously going to need a couple months to recover. Before hitting the panic button, the Mavs fought hard and pulled through with a win tonight against the trailblazers.

Portland took the lead in the first but the teams were tied by the time the quarter ended. They stayed pretty much even the whole game as their were 11 lead changes and 10 times tied.

Jason Terry and Stevenson lead the team with 18 points each, as the majority of JET's points were acquired in the fourth quarter. JET hit quite a few key shots that kept the Mavs in the lead towards the very end of the game. Tyson Chandler ended the game with another double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Barea had 10 points as well as Kidd and Marion each with 8.

Without their star player Brandon Roy, the trailblazers had to rely on big man LaMarcus Aldridge who led the team with 28 points. Camby had 10 points and a remarkable 20 rebounds.

This was a pretty impressive game played without big man Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs played some of their best defense of the season against the Trailblazers holding them to .418 precent shooting and pulling through with a 84-81 victory at home.

"Defensively we've been a top team in the league all year long," Jason Terry said. "And we can't let up now because we're missing two of our main pieces."

The trade deadline is approaching fast and rumors are spreading like wildfire as people are talking about the Mavs acquiring someone new to replace Butler. But they have to give themselves time to prove they are still a high-quality team without Butler. Patience is their best bet right now. Trading for someone to replace him isn't going to solve anything. Deals done in rough times of desperation, the majority of time, never work out for the better. So until then, the Mavs will continue to mold into a new style of playing without their two starters.

Dirk Nowitzki's return isn't carved in stone but it's hopefully sometime soon. He's aiming to come back by next week if he feels his knee is ready although he's not in a rush to come back. Until then, the Mavs have to continue to play how they did the past two games, fighting until the end, playing their hardest.

Deshawn Stevenson led the team with 18 points

LaMarcus Aldridge led the Trailblazers with 28 points

Tonight, Mavs face Trailblazers at home

Dirk Nowitzki will not play tonight against Portland as he will miss his fifth consecutive game while recovering from his sprained knee. When he will play is not yet known.

"When Dirk's ready to play, we'll let everybody know when he's ready to play," Carlisle said. "In the meantime, he's making gradual progress, but that's going to be it. We're not going to have a daily Dirk update, Dirk watch."

The Mavs will also be without Caron Butler tonight who is having surgery on his patellar tendon in his right knee today.

Tonight's game sets off the Mavs' three game homestand.

Shawn Marion filled the gap with his 22 points along with Deshawn Stevenson's 21 points to get the win over the Cavs to end their three game slump. JET also made a comeback with his 18 points off the bench and Tyson acquired a double double. They are going to have to play hard tonight with the same team effort to pull through with their second consecutive win without their two starters.

The Blazers as well are missing their All-Star guard Brandon Roy who is out due to his knee issues. On December 15th this season, the Mavs defeated Portland 103-98.

Portland has won two straight and six of their last eight games, including their 100-85 win over the Rockets where LaMarcus Aldridge had a double double with 25 points 11 rebounds, Batum had 21 points, and both Matthew and Mills had 14 points. That was their eight straight home win.

The Mavs are looking to acquire their second consecutive win and 26th of the season tonight.

Mavs finally snap 3 game losing streak

Mavs finally pulled through with a win Sunday night without Nowitzki and Butler, beating the Cavs 104-95. It also snapped their three game losing streak.

The Mavs had a 21-7 lead in the first quarter but the Cavs came back to go up 28-27 early on in the second. After that, the Mavs went on a huge run to regain control for the rest of the game. They led 50-41 at the half and took the lead from then on.

This was a complete team effort as all five starters had points in double figures. Shawn Marion had a season high of 22 points, Deshawn Stevenson had a season high as well with 21 points, JET is back with 18 points, Kidd 10 points 8 assists, and Tyson Chandler had his fifth double double of the season with 14 points 14 rebounds. Rookie Dominique Jones came back from the D-League with 9 points but was only 2-10 from the field. Maybe more playing time will help him improve.

Antawn Jamison led the Cavs with a season high 35 points 10 rebounds and Ramon Sessions played his third straight game with 19 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds. Mo Williams came back to play last night after recovering from a hip injury but went only 2 for 11 scoring just 5 points.

"This was a much needed win for us," Carlisle explained. "With what happened to Caron, it's been a tough 24 hours. But the guys came together and battled hard."

The Mavs are aiming to take this team effort to their next game at home vs Portland.

Although it is still unsure of the exact date Nowitzki will return he is aiming for it to be sometime next week. Butler seems to have somewhat of a torn patella tendon and could be out for months. Beaubois is still believed to be weeks away from playing due to a broken left foot that has caused him to be out since August. Carlisle won't say when he will be able to play again, noting that he hasn't even been able to practice yet.

JJ Barea driving past JJ Hickson

Kidd going up for a layup

Deshawn Stevenson hits a three

Mavs head to Cleveland Sunday with 3 guys down

Caron Butler hurt his knee in Saturday's game against the Bucks as he was jumping up for a rebound. Despite the potential seriousness of the injury, he stood up and walked off the court. He stayed in Milwaukee while the Mavs travelled to Cleveland today. He will be flown back to Dallas where he will get his knee MRI-ed and checked by a doctor to be diagnosed. It is likely he has a tendon injury which means his season could be in jeopardy or atleast a big portion of it.

Without Butler, not only will Dirk lose an important side-kick but the Mavs will lose a starter and their rotation will definitely be shaken up when a new starter at small forward has to replace him.

Aside from Butler, Nowitzki will again sit out for today's game as his injury is still day to day and he's hoping to come back sometime next week. Whether Marion will sit out or play is not yet known.

Although the Mavs are three men down, there's not other team they'd rather be facing tonight other than the Cavs, who have lost their last 16 of 17 games. They also have big men injured. Mo Williams is out due to a left hip flexor strain and Daniel Gibson did not play against the Bulls because of a left thigh contusion; both are listed as day to day. They're also without Anderson Varejao while who is recovering from a broken cheekbone.

Dominique Jones is likely to come back from the D-League to rejoin the Mavs in Cleveland tonight.

The Mavs need to work together and figure out who is willing to step up in place of their three injured big men.

"We've got some other guys that are certainly capable, and they've got to step up and play well for us." Carlisle concluded.

"We've been hit with the injury bug a little bit," Kidd added. "But we feel we've got enough guys to win ballgames."

The Mavs are hopeful to hand Cleveland another loss.

Mavs fail to get revenge vs Bucks as a 3rd player gets injured

In the past two Dallas losses, the Mavs have learned what it's like to play without their star player Dirk Nowitzki. In tonight's game they found out what it was like to play without Shawn Marion [out with a thigh contusion]; and possibly the next game they'll find out what it's like to play without Caron butler who left the game in the late 1st quarter due to a knee injury.

This left the Bucks on top 25-18 at the end of the first, and it turned into a double figure lead early in the second quarter with the help of Boykins. The Mavericks searched for an answer but it wasn't long until JJ Barea took control, acquiring a career high of 29 points total. But despite JJ's outstanding performance, JET's shooting was still off, and the Mavs couldn't deplete the large deficit.

Before the first half was over, Ian Mahinmi left for the locker room for stitches after being elbowed in the face by Maggette. But despite all the troubles, Barea continued to play well, putting the Mavs within two points at the end of the first half. Barea had 18 first half points.

The Bucks started the 3rd quarter with an 8-2 run; but this didn't last long when Jason Kidd was 5-0, setting the Mavs on a 9-2 run. After this the lead went back and forth ending in a 99-87 loss for the Mavs.

Aside from Barea's career high of 29 points, Kidd scored 14 points 9 assists and Chandler scored 11 points. But this wasn't enough to beat the Bucks with Boykins' 26 points, Salmons' 21 points, and Ilyasova's 16 points an season high 17 rebounds. The injured Mavs fell to the Bucks yet again.

Dirk Nowitzki will definitely not play Sunday vs the Cavs. When he will return is not yet positive. Whether Butler and Marion are playing tomorrow or not is also not yet known.

Butler holding his knee in pain as he falls and hurts it late in the 1st quarter

Mavs lose Marion vs the Bucks

The injury situation for the Mavs is not getting any better. Dirk Nowitzki is already out with a knee sprain, along with Shawn Marion who will now miss tonight's game due to a thigh contusion. Marion mentioned that after playing the Spurs on Thursday that his leg was hurting. His status along with Dirk for Sunday's came vs the Cavaliers is uncertain.

Dirk has been practicing and working out his leg/knee. It is probably unlikely that he will play tomorrow vs the Cavs as well, and that he will return next week to their upcoming home games.

"We're banged up," coach Rick Carlisle said. "I think the focus has to be on hard, intelligent play. This is one of the realities of this league. When you got guys out, you have to have other guys ready. That's where we are."

Tonight, The Bucks' star Brandon Jennings is out, as well as Carlos Delfino and possibly Drew Gooden.

The Mavericks are expected to play even harder now without two of their players. The Bucks still have Andrew Bogut, and Earl Boykins who has been averaging 21 points the past three games. 

The Mavs must step up and give it all they got, and get a few guys in double figures.

Mavs looking to recover without Dirk

It is still uncertain whether Dirk Nowitzki will play against the Bucks tonight or even the Cavs tomorrow night. It is better not to risk him playing in back to back games.

Tonight, the Mavs-with or without Dirk-want nothing more than to seek revenge from the team that ended their 12 game winning streak in their own house. In order for this to happen, they need to figure out what they need to do without Dirk on the floor.

Dallas is looking for their 9th straight win on the road, for they are 11-1 as the visitor this season. They have lost two games in a row without Dirk since their five game winning streak. Milwaukee has also lost two in a row and five of their last seven games, including Tuesday's 90-77 loss against the Bulls.

Without Dirk, the Mavs need a go to guy. Jason Terry is certainly always one of them but in the past three games his shooting has been an issue. He is 17 for 52 and 5 of 18 from beyond the arch. Usually his outstanding game play in the fourth quarter is what helps the Mavs achieve their close wins, but lately, it hasn't been working for him. Hopefully tonight Terry's shot improves, even with a double-team.

Another reliable guy to set up great plays is Jason Kidd. He will post up more without Dirk, and his amazing passing ability never puts him in the position for a double-team.

You know when the Mavs play tough and Caron has 30 points and they still lose, that something is wrong. They need to better their shots, better their defense, and learn to play without their star player.

"It makes everything harder without him," president Donnie Nelson said. "Look, Dirk is one of the best players in the league. When he's not out there, it gums things up."

We can only hope that Dirk's knee feels better ASAP so we can get him back onto the court and the Mavs can continue to play as great as they have been with him.