5 Players Ejected After a Rough 109-82 Mavs' Loss to the Lakers

The Dallas Mavericks stepped foot in the Staples Center for the second time in less than 24 hours to face whom might be a potential second-round playoff matchup, the LA Lakers. Still, both teams battling for the second seed, this game ended up to be more of a battle than anyone expected. Thing became heated and Dallas wound up with their worst loss of the season, 109-82, and ended their five-game winning streak.

The Mavericks started the game off strong, ending their streak of first quarter struggles. After watching the first quarter, the game wasn't predicted to end at all how it did. Bryant and Gasol outscored the duo of Dirk and Kidd, racking up a combined 15 points in the first. However, the Mavs worked hard on the defensive end and stayed in the game, trailing just 28-26 at the end of the first quarter.

Nevertheless, in the second quarter, Bynum started doing what he does best, dominating the Mavs' inside. During this time, emotions were flying all around for the Mavs' as a hard foul was commited by Matt Barnes on Barea, leading to a Dallas' technical after the two argued. Despite the argument, Barea kept battling for the lead as Peja continued his best perimeter shooting and put the Mavs up 40-38 halfway through the second. Despite their effort, the Mavs' committed three straight turnovers which eventually led to a 7-0 Laker run. Dallas went down by seven but cut it to three at the end of the second, heading to the locker room down just 54-51.

In the first half, the trio of Bryant, Gasol and Bynum were unstoppable as they combined to score 36 points. At this point, Dirk was the only Mav in double-figures with 14 points. Dallas had 8 turnovers which turned into 11 Laker points, were out-rebounded 25-18, and outshot 47.9% to 45.2%. Although the score was close, the Mavs' were definitely not playing their best out there.

This showed in the start of the second half as Dirk received a technical foul for arguing with officials. Roddy made way to the basket, trying to keep the Mavs in the game but was unable to do it by himself as Dallas soon trailed by double-digits. The Lakers ended the third quarter with the 82-70 lead.

Odom hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter as the Mavs trailed by 20 points. Soon after, Terry pushed Steve Blake to the floor, receiving a flagrant-2 call, starting a tiff between both teams that would eventually lead to Terry, Blake, Barnes, and Haywood all getting ejected. However, the Mavs kept their heads up and instantaneously cut their deficit to 11, but couldn't make the full comeback. The Lakers were up by as much as 28 points when Shannon Brown also got ejected after pushing Cardinal. The Lakers obviously held onto the large lead and won it 110-82, ending the Mavs' five-game win streak and sweeping Dallas 2-1.

The Lakers outshot the Mavs 44.7% to 36.1% and out-rebounded the Mavs 52-47.

Dirk led the Mavs' with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Peja added 13 points while Barea racked up 10 being the only other Mavs' in double-figures.

Bryant had a game-high 28 points, while Gasol added 20 points and Bynum had another double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Odom also had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The Mavs' five-game win streak finally came to an end while they went down in the series vs the Lakers 2-1.

Next, the Mavs will move on to face the Golden State Warriors.

Artest and Marion battle for the rebound

Bynum getting through Mavs' defense

Chandler and Bynum waiting for the rebound

Gasol shoots a jumper over Dirk

Kobe shoots a jumper over Roddy

Mavs Win 5th Straight

The Mavericks came to the Staples center hoping to get their fifth straight win and their third straight on the road to extend their road record as the NBA's best for the second season in a row. They did just did and left the arena with smiles on their faces as they beat the Clippers 106-100.

The Mavericks hoped to end their sluggish starts but didn't get what they wanted as Roddy started the game with a turnover and got two quick fouls in the starting minutes, sending him to the bench. The Mavs trailed 13-4 from the start, and turnovers continued to be a problem for Dallas. The Clippers' lead soon cruised to double digits but Peja and Dirk helped the Mavs come back to within three before ending the first quarter down just 28-23. The Mavericks had six turnovers in the first quarter which led to nine points for the clippers.

In the second quarter, the Mavs' bench came to help, as Barea came to the rescue; he managed to get two and-1's. Griffin kept up with the Mavs' offensively to keep Dallas trailing, but the Mavs took it easy with the turnovers and Dirk and Roddy together diminished the 13-point deficit and took the lead for the first time, ending the second quarter, up 48-46.

In the first half the Mavs had eight turnovers were out-rebounded 26-21. Despite Mo Williams' 13 first-half points and Griffins 10 points and 10 rebounds, The Mavs still outshot the Clippers 44.7% to 37.5% and were able to grab the lead just in time for the half.

In the start of the third quarter the Mavs lost the lead while Griffin and Williams continued to run the floor offensively. Roddy acquired his fourth foul and had to sit out. But soon the Mavs took the lead once again with a 7-0 run. After some much needed shots from various players, the Mavs took the 75-70 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Although JET did not take the runway in the fourth quarter, which seems to be his specialty, JJ Barea and Dirk stepped up to fill his lack of the roll. Nowitzki continued to shoot like he normally does while Barea continued to take advantage of his size to get in the lane through the Clippers' defense. It was at this time that Dirk's consecutive free throw streak came to an end at 74, the second longest of his career. Dirk had an unusual dunk while Griffin got a technical foul that would soon put the Mavs up by 10 with just under 7 minutes on the clock. But it wasn't quite a wrap for the Mavs from there as the Clippers went on an 11-0 run to come within 5 with less than 4 minutes left to go. Barea hit a much needed 3-pointer with the addition of a few more Mavs' baskets before Terry had a steal to seal the game in the final minute. The Mavs' finished the game with the 106-100 win.

Dirk led the Mavs' with 24 points while Barea had 22 points off the bench, scoring 16 in the fourth quarter. Peja had 11 points including three 3-pointers while Marion was the fourth Mavericks in double-figures with 10 points. Kidd had just 5 points but added 10 assists. Terry had a bad night offensively shooting just 2-11 but finished with 6 points and 7 assists.

Griffin led the Clippers with a double-double of 25 points and 17 rebounds to set the franchise record of most season points from a rookie. Williams had 19 points, Gordon had 15, and Kaman and Foye both added 12.

This win extended the Mavs' win streak to five and its their third win of this long road-trip. It is also the Mavs' third win against the Clippers this season and they have now won 15 of their last 16 against LA.

Next, less than 24 hours later, the Mavs will step foot in the Staples center once again to face the LA Lakers for a third time this season, hoping to gain the 2nd seed again.

Dirk shooting a jumper over Griffin

Gordon trying to dish the ball around the Mavs' defense

Mavs Win 91-83 and Move to 3-0 Against the Suns

The Mavericks headed into their second game of their 6-game road-trip looking to move to 3-0 against the Suns and to push their winning streak to 4, and did just that.

The Suns made a change to their starting lineup putting in Gortat and Dudley over Lopez and Carter. For the Mavs, Marion started for the third straight game along with the usual starters Dirk, Kidd, Roddy, and Chandler.

The Mavs' turnover woes continued from their last game into tonight's as they put a strain on the Mavs' offense, basically handing the quarter to the Suns. Dallas missed 10 straight shots and soon Nash and Gortat pushed the Suns' lead to 12 and ended the quarter with the 26-17 lead. Dallas had a terrible first quarter offensively, shooting just 5 of 25 from the field.

In the second quarter, the Mavs managed to climb back within 6, but the Suns didn't let them come back and pushed their lead back to 10. Soon after, Carlisle was getting so frustrated with the refs that it eventually led to a technical foul. However, like usual, the Mavs didn't give up and came back within 3 with the help of Peja. Despite the Mavs' efforts to come back, the Suns took the 49-44 lead at the half. The Mavs' played much better in the second quarter but were still outshot 51.2% to 32.6% and each team had eight turnovers in the first half.

In the start of the third quarter, the Mavs managed to pull within one but Roddy soon got three fouls early in the quarter, totaling four. He made up for it by hitting two 3-pointers to keep the Mavs' in the game but soon got his fifth foul sending him to the bench. JJ tied the game at 63 with an and-1 but the Mavs still trailed 67-65 heading into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter started with scoring from Dirk and JET did what he does best in the fourth, sinking in a 3-pointer to put the Mavs up 70-69--their first lead since the start of the first quarter. Terry hit another 3 later on but the Suns tied it at 75 with just under 9 minutes to go. The lead went back and forth as the two teams battled it out to the end. Jason Kidd hit two extremely important back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Mavs up 89-83 with 44.4 seconds left. The Suns offense fell apart from there and although the Suns outshot the Mavs 42.5% to 38.1%, the Mavs finished with the 91-83 win.

The Mavs have now won four straight and move to 3-0 against the Suns. Dallas is also now 12-1 against Pacific division teams, their only loss coming from the Lakers. This was the Suns lowest scoring game and Dallas held them to just one 3-pointer the whole game.

Five Mavs' scored in double figures: Terry, Kidd, and Chandler all had 16 points. Terry hit two 3-pointers, Kidd hit five 3-pointers, and Chandler had his 18th double-double of the season with 18 rebounds. Dirk racked up 15 points and 7 rebounds while Roddy added 10 points.

For the Suns, the only players to score in double-figures were Gortat and Dudley who both had 20 points each and Childress with 12 points.

Next, the Mavs travel to Cali looking for their fifth straight win as they face the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night.

Grant Hill tries to draw the charge from Marion

Gortat grabbing a rebound

Mavs Win 94-77 and Get Their First Four-Game Season Series Sweep of the Jazz

The Mavericks came into their first game of a long 6-game road-trip ahead looking for a four-game season series sweep of the Jazz for the first time ever and accomplished the task with a 94-77 win.

Devin Harris was out with a strained hamstring while Andrei Kirilenko sat out with a bruised nerve in his knee.

In the first quarter, both teams started out with early foul trouble as Roddy and Watson both picked up two quick fouls. Jazz opened up a 9-point advantage off of Mav turnovers, but the Mavs responded with a 10-0 run. Turnovers were an issue as the Mavs totaled 8 in the first quarter but only trailed 22-20 at the end of the first.

In the second quarter, foul trouble for the Mavs continued as Roddy and Barea picked up their 3rd foul each. Turnovers also continued to be a problem as 12 of them lead to 10 Utah points. Dirk and Roddy helped to put the Mavs up by 5 but Jazz went on a 17-8 run to end the half with a 47-43 lead. Nowitzki was the only Mav in double figures at the half, 17 points, while for the Jazz, Al Jefferson and C.J. Miles each had 13 points. At the half, the Jazz outshot the Mavs 54.1% to 48.3%.

In the start of the third quarter, Chandler was added to the list of Mavs in foul trouble as he quickly picked up his forth foul, sending Ian Mahinmi in the game. Neither team came out of the locker-room ready to play great offensively as the Mavs scored just 15 points in the fourth while the Jazz had only 13. The Mavs trailed 60-58 heading into the fourth quarter.

Both teams continued to be neck and neck throughout the quarter. Midway through the fourth, Dallas' defense finally woke up and JJ and JET hit back to back 3-pointers. The Mavs took the 76-70 lead with under 6 minutes to go. Jefferson left the game with 2 technicals. The Mavs' offense continued to pick up and they went on a 13-0 run leading 81-70 with less than 4 minutes left on the clock. The Mavs outscored the Jazz 36-17 in the fourth. The Jazz were falling apart and the Mavs pulled away with the lead, winning it 94-77.

Terry led the Mavs with 22 points and Dirk was right behind him with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Marion racked up 13 points and 7 rebounds while Chandler added 10 points and 7 rebounds.

For the Jazz, Al Jefferson led the team with 21 points and 7 rebounds, Miles had 16 points and 5 rebounds, and Millsap had 15 points and 5 rebounds.

Next, the Mavs move on to their 2nd game of their 6-game road-trip and travel to Phoenix to face the Suns Sunday night.

Ronnie Price pushing through Mavs' defense

C.J. Miles going up for the dunk

Dirk going up for the dunk

Roddy going up for the shot over Favors

Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mavs Get Their 50th Win for the 11th Straight Season

The Mavs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-96, getting their 50th win for the 11th straight season. They are now just the 3rd franchise to do this along with the Lakers and Spurs.

Shawn Marion came back after sitting out the last game due to a sprained right wrist, and started while Peja remained on the bench after coming back Sunday from missing six games with a stiff neck. Since they were both back, Brewer was inactive this game.

Kevin Love stayed behind to receive treatment on his strained groin, which was an up-side for the Mavs. Anthony Randolph started in his place.

Minnesota was much more of a threat without Love than expected. The Mavs just could not find a rhythm in the first quarter offensively and trailed 23-17 at the end of the first, hitting just 8 of 25. They shot 32% and missed their first nine attempts from beyond the arch. Chandler, once again, also got into early foul trouble.

Thanks to Marion, the Mavs started the second quarter on a 7-0 run, but Randolph continued to keep the Wolves ahead. Peja had yet another awesome shooting night from beyond the arch and helped the Mavs to a 13-4 run. The Mavs took the 49-47 lead going into halftime.

Randolph was having an outstanding night. At the half, he led all scorers with 23 points, hitting 10 of 13 from the field.

At the half, Marion, Dirk, and Peja racked up a combined 34 points to help the Mavs outshoot Minnesota 48% to 44%.

Dirk helped the Mavs on a 11-3 run to start the third quarter, but once again Randolph wouldn't let his team trail behind. He passed his career-high in the third quarter and continued to play with a well performance. At the end of the third, the Mavs held onto the lead, 76-72.

The Mavericks continuously tried to pull away with the lead all throughout the game, but the Wolves would just not cave and continued to make their shots. The Wolves took an 88-87 lead with just under 7 minutes left to go. Chandler added an and-1 with a free-throw as Dirk added on some points as well. JET swished in a 3-pointer with under a minute on the clock to put the Mavs up 101-96. The Mavs made stops in the final minute as Dirk and Marion hit free-throws to put the lead on lock, and ended the game on an 11-2 run, winning 104-96.

This win could not have been achieved without Dirk who racked up 30 points and 11 rebounds. As for the other starters, Marion added 17 points, Chandler had 9 points and 10 rebounds. On the down side, Roddy only had 3 points after going 1-5 from the field and 1-3 from beyond the arch while Kidd went scoreless on 0-5 shooting but racked up 13 assists and 6 rebounds. Off the bench, Terry had 18, and Peja racked up 16 points, including four 3-pointers.

Randolph led the Wolves with a career-high 31 points and 11 rebounds. Flynn had 13, Beasley had 12, and Johnson and Tolliver both added 11 points each.

The Mavs out-rebounded the Wolves 43-38. They also gave up 25 points off their 16 turnovers but were able to get 29 points off Minnesota's 19 turnovers.

Next, the Mavs will set out for their longest road trip of the season-6 road games in 10 days. It begins Saturday night in Utah where they will face the Utah Jazz. The Mavs lead the series 3-0 and are looking to sweep them for the season. The Mavs need to stay focused and play hard on this trip as the season almost comes to an end. The Mavs aren't intimidated on the road as they have a league-best 24-10 road record going into this trip.

Marion with the dunk

Peja shooting over Beasley

Flynn driving around the Mavs defense

Anthony Randolph going up for a basket

Mavs Get the Easy Win Over the Warriors, 101-73

Mavericks' fans as well as players are extremely frustrated after losing 5 of their last 8 games-all to playoff caliber teams-especially as we near the playoffs.

The Warriors came to Dallas having lost three straight games and 10 of 15.

Dallas has already met the Warriors twice this season, including Wednesday night's victory in which the Mavs made a major 18-point comeback to win the game. Tonight, the Mavs were looking to get their 3rd win of the season against Golden State and add a much needed notch to the win column, and seemed to do so with ease.

Shawn Marion sat out tonight with an injured wrist, missing just his second game all season. However, Peja returned to the bench after missing six games with a stiff neck. Although Peja is back, Carlisle decided to put Stevenson in the starting lineup. Marion is expected to participate in Tuesday's practice and play in Thursday's game.

The Mavs took the early 9-8 lead in the first quarter. After some nice offensive plays, the Mavs were up 18-14 midway through. With under 3 minutes left in the first quarter, the Mavs took the 22-16 lead. The quarter ended with the Mavs up 31-23.

In the first, the Mavs outshot the Warriors 61% to 52.6%. They were 11 for 18 from the field as the Warriors were 10 of 19.

It only got better from there as Peja opened the second quarter with back to back 3-pointers to put the Mavs up by 17; but the Warriors fought and didn't let the red hot Mavs pull away with the big lead. They were able to cut the deficit to 51-43 at the half.

Dirk had 12 first-half points while Peja had 11. Dallas outshot the Warriors 47% to 41%.

Mavs quickly take a 13-point lead in the start of the third quarter. Turnovers started to become an issue for Dallas as usual as they had 11 turnovers by the beginning of the third, as the Warriors came back within just four points. After some great offensive plays, a nice and-1 by roddy and a Stevenson 3-pointer, the Mavs were back up 68-59. Peja hit his 4th 3-pointer and Dirk continued to score as the Mavs held onto a 74-63 lead with just under 3 minutes left in the third. Thanks to Chandler and Mahinmi rebounding like crazy, the Mavs were up 76-83 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Mavs continued to strongly hold on to the lead as Peja hit his 5th 3-pointer with 8 minutes to go in the game. Thanks to Peja, the Mavs took a 17-point lead, 85-68. But it didn't end there; Roddy swished in a 3-pointer as well, and drove to the basket helping the Mavs cruise to a 27-point lead. The Mavs blew out the Warriors, 101-73, and are now 3-0 in their series.

Dirk led the team with 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Peja was right behind him with 17 points, which included five 3-pointers. Chandler was just short of a double-double with 7 points but racked up 17 boards as Mahinmi had a season-high 13 rebounds. Roddy racked up 15 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists but also added 5 turnovers which allowed the warriors to attempt a come-back at one point.

For the Warriors, Ellis led the team with 18 points, Curry added 11 and Lee had 10.

This is Dallas' sixth straight win over the Warriors, including both meeting this season. It's also the largest margin of victory for the Mavs all season and the fewest points allowed.

Next, the Mavs will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves before beginning a 6-game road trip.

Mahinimi with the nice slam

Roddy with the layup over Curry

Kidd shooting over Curry

Terry shooting against Reggie Williams

Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Danny Bollinger/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mavs Can't Fight Off Rival Spurs, losing 97-91

The Spurs came to the AAC to play the Mavs for a fourth time this season. In their first two meetings, the Mavs were without Dirk due to his knee injury and lost both times. The second time, Dirk was back and the Mavs beat their long time rivals. The Mavs looked to even out the series this game but failed when the Spurs took the lead after a minute and held on to it the entire game, winning it 97-91.

The Spurs were sitting on a 30 point loss from Miami for three days so it was no surprise that they would come to the AAC looking to play hard for a win, and they did just that.

Haywood returned to the lineup after missing two games with back pain but Stojakovic sat out his sixth game with a stiff neck. Stevenson took the starting spot for Peja, after Marion and Brewer have already done so before.

Just 42 seconds into the game, after being down 2-0, Popovich called a 20-second time after getting frustrated with the Spurs' defense. From that point on, the Mavs would never lead again. The Spurs went on a 10-0 run and Parker and Duncan quickly led their team to a double-digit lead. The Spurs took a 30-20 lead after the first quarter.

From then, things only got worse for the Mavs as the Spurs soared to an 18 point lead. Dallas finally started to pick up their defense and make great stops as they to cruised to a 12-2 run. At this point, Chandler picked up his third foul and was forced to sit. With the additional help from Marion the Mavs went on an 11-2 run to end the second quarter down just 50-45.

After Marion injured his wrist late in the second quarter, news was told to the Mavs that sounded very familiar: he would not return. His x-rays came back negative after the game, but his status remains day-to-day.

With Marion's 13 first-half points, the Mavs' bench outscored the Spurs 27-11 at the half. They also outshot the Spurs 50% to 43.5%.

With Marion out after his outstanding performance, The Mavs knew they lost an important player who helped get their momentum going into the half. Roddy and Dirk soon came to help as the Mavs tied the game at 60 halfway through the third quarter. The Spurs didn't let the Mavs gain the lead as they responded with a 9-0 run. They ended the third quarter with the lead over the Mavs 73-66.

Within the first minute of the fourth quarter, Chandler picked up his fifth foul. Turnovers continued to be a problem for Dallas as the Spurs continued to score. Both teams went scoreless after four minutes into the fourth quarter, but Terry ended the drought as he went on a personal 5-0 run to cut the deficit to two, 73-71, with just under eight minutes left to go in the game. The Spurs missed 13 straight shot attempts in the fourth. Although the Mavs' were able to catch up, they weren't able to fully take advantage of the Spurs' shooting slump. Gary Neal soon set a spark for the Spurs, hitting a 3-pointer to extend their lead but the Mavs continued to fight to stay in the game. Ginobili and Parker hit back-to-back 3-pointers, putting their lead pretty much on lock. Ginobili had an and-1, drawing Chandler's sixth foul of the night as he fouled out of the game with just under four minutes to go. Terry hit a 3-pointer to pull the Mavs' within four with just a minute to go but it wasn't enough as the Spurs went to the foul line and ended the game with their 3rd win against Dallas, 97-91.

Despite the loss, Dallas outshot the Spurs 49% to 43% and out-rebounded them 41-36. But turnovers were a huge problem for the Mavs as the Spurs scored 25 points off their 19 turnovers.

This was Dallas' fifth loss in eight games, all to potential playoff opponents.

Dirk was the only starter in double-figures, leading the team with 23 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Three other players who scored in double-figures were Terry with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and Marion and Barea both with 13 points. Roddy added 8 points and Kidd added 7 points and 9 assists.

For the Spurs, Parker led the team with 33 points. The only other players with double-figures were Ginobili with 25 and Duncan with 22.

Next, the Mavs take on the Golden State Warriors in the AAC. Dallas leads the series 2-0, after coming back from an 18-point deficit to win last Wednesday night.

Terry drives to the baseline around Hill

Parker goes up for a layup around the Mavs' defense

Mavs Make a Comeback and Beat the Warriors 112-106

The Mavs came to California after losing two straight games; they have also lost four of their last six games. After their last couple of losses, Carlisle was confident that the Mavs would come out refreshed looking to beat the Warriors a second time this season. He was right, as the Mavs made a huge comeback to beat Golden State, 112-106.

Peja sat out his fifth straight game due to a stiff neck while Haywood also sat out his second straight game with lower back stiffness.

Carlisle started Corey Brewer at small forward  sending Marion-who started four straight games in place of Peja-to the bench.

Brewer began the game guarding Monta Ellis on the defensive end-which we all knew wouldn't be easy. Golden State opened the game with a 10-0 run. They pushed the lead to as much as 18 in the first quarter, but soon Jason Terry put the Mavs on an 11-2 run, cutting the deficit and putting the Mavs down by just 9 points, 34-25 at the end of the first quarter. The Warriors shooting in the first quarter was outstanding; they went 15 of 19 from the floor, while the Mavs went just 10 for 24.

Once again, Dirk and Marion put in a lot of effort to help the Mavs come back, but it just wasn't enough as they were down double-digits early in the second quarter. After being down by 18 yet again, Terry and Roddy came out playing their best, bringing the Mavs within 6 at halftime, 59-53.

At the half, the Warriors outshot the Mavs 61% to 45%. Lee and Ellis scored a combined 31 points at the half, but the Mavs stayed within 9 after each quarter thanks to Dirk, Marion, and Terry who all scored in double-figures.

In the second half, Carlisle switched to a three-guard lineup, starting Terry in place of Brewer and Roddy and Kidd shared the backcourt.

Towards the end of the third quarter, after a shot from Dirk, the Mavs tied it at 69. After Dirk was fouled and went 2 for 2 at the line, the Mavs took the lead for the first time, 73-72. The quarter ended with both teams tied at 81.

The Mavs beginning quarter slumps did not stop here. The Warriors started the fourth quarter on a 7-2 run and back to back 3 pointers put the Warriors up by 7 points. Terry and Roddy continued to fight and Kidd hit a three to tie the game at 96 with just under 6 minutes remaining. Roddy eventually put the Mavs up with the lead and Dirk went on a personal 6-0 run, helping the Mavs finally pull away. After playing some much needed defense, the Mavs cruised to an 8 point lead with 17.1 seconds left. The Mavericks held onto the lead and won this roller-coaster game, 112-106.

Although down by large margins multiple times in this game, what I like about the Mavs is that they didn't give up. They continued to play hard and fight it out and although they started the game with a shaken up offense, 6 Dallas players finished in double-figures.

Dirk finished with a game-high 34 points, going 10 for 22 from the field after starting the game 1 for 6. Roddy had a season-high 18 points, 4 assists and 4 steals. Chandler added 13 points and 8 rebounds, while Kidd ended the game with 11 assists. The Mavs' bench outscored Golden State's, 43-27, with Terry's 19 points, Marion's 14, and Bareas 10.

For the Warriors, Ellis led the team with 26 points and Lee was right behind him with 22. Law had 15 points, Wright had 14, and Curry had 10.

After being outshot 61% to 45%, the Mavs' ended the game outshooting the Warriors 51.9% to 51.2%. The Mavs also went 8 for 19 from 3-point range as the Warriors were just 9 of 24. The Mavs' also out-rebounded Golden State 41-31 which definitely gave them an edge.

Next, the Mavs travel back to Dallas to play the San Antonio Spurs one last time on Friday night. The Spurs lead the series 2-1, both wins coming when Dirk was out with a sprained right knee. This is a good opportunity for the Mavs' to play their hardest and prove that they really deserve to be titled "the best team in texas", as well as earn the second seed over the Lakers as they continue to battle for it.

 

Dirk goes up over Biedrins for the layup

 

Roddy goes up for the easy layup

 

Lee takes it up over Chandler

Dirk Misses at the Buzzer and Portland Pulls away with the 104-101 Win Over the Mavs

The Mavericks faced the Portland Trailblazers twice in Dallas earlier in the season, neither which were easy wins; the Mavs didn't expect this game to be any different, especially with the addition of Gerald Wallace and the return of Brandon Roy; and it wasn't, as the Mavs fell 104-101.

Peja sat out once again while Marion started in his place.

The Mavs started with an early lead, thakns to Roddy and Dirk with their great perimeter shooting. Dallas took as much as an 8-point lead, hitting their first 11 shots, but the Blazers came back to cut Dallas' lead to just 32-29 at the end of the first quarter, after Rudy Fernandez's shot a jumper at the buzzer. Roddy, Dirk, and Marion all combined to score 28 of the Mavs' 32 points in the first quarter.

Stevenson hasn't had much playing time lately, but he came into the second period showing off his excellent shooting from beyond the arc; this helped secure the Mavs' lead again until Nowitzki left for the locker room after injuring his shoulder after attempting to get a rebound. The Blazers definitely took advantage of this, but Terry helped get the Mavs back in front. Thankfully, Dirk returned to the game and helped put the Mavs up 56-53 at the half.

At the half, even after leaving the game for a little while, Dirk still managed to rack up 12 points. Roddy had 11 points and Marion put in 10. Kidd didn't take a single shot in the first half but had 9 assists and 3 rebounds; it's not unusual for Kidd to have no points but still make a huge impact.

At the half, the Mavs outshot the Blazers 64% to 45%.

The third quarter was welcomed with a nice dunk by Tyson Chandler. Dirk and Roddy continued to keep the Mavs in the game with their on-key shooting. Chandler drew a technical foul and later on got his fourth foul, leaving the game for the bench. At this point the Mavs were up by just 3 points. Brandon Roy hit a jumper at the buzzer to end the forth, helping the Blazers take the 82-80 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Mavs were trying hard not to let the Blazers pull away. They were down 90-84 with 8:49 left to go. JET hit a much needed jumper and then Dirk hit a shot, making it a 2-point game, 90-88. Chandler received his 5th person foul with just under 6 minutes left to go. The Blazers held on to the lead but the Mavs were trailing right behind them. It continued to be a roller-coaster type of quarter as the Blazers would pull away every time the Mavs came within 2 points. Portland had the100-94 lead with 3:50 to go. JET had yet another clutch shot to put the Mavs within 3 but Dallas made a turnover, clearly at a bad time. After a few plays, Dirk was fouled and hit both his free throws, putting the Mavs down 104-101 with 38.8 seconds left to play. With a big stop, the Mavs had a chance to tie the game with 8.8 seconds left, but unfortunately Dirk missed at the buzzer and they took the 104-101 loss to Portland.

Turnovers became a huge issue for the Dallas as they ended the game with a total of 15. Despite the loss, they managed to outshoot Portland 59.7% to 47.1%.

The Mavs had 5 players score in double figures. Dirk had a double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds, Marion had 18 points, Roddy had 16, Terry added 14, and Chandler racked up 12. Kidd also wound up with 15 assists.

For the Blazers, Aldridge led the team with 30 points. Roy had 21 points, Matthews added 18, and Fernandez racked up 12.

Next, the Mavs will travel to California to face the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night.

Wallace tries to get around Cardinal

Dirk goes up for the jumper over Roy

Marion goes up for the layup over Roy

Mavs Try to Fight it Out but Fall to the Lakers 96-91

It's no surprise that the Mavs and Lakers are battling for a spot in the Western Conference. We all know that year after year these two teams both strive to top each other. With the Lakers just a game and a half behind the Mavs' second seed, the two teams battled it out tonight; but the outcome was not what Mavs' fans would have wanted. The Lakers got the 96-91 win and are now only a half a game behind the Mavs.

The first quarter started with the Lakers up 6-2. The Mavs started 1 for 11, but quickly regrouped and eventually were 4 of 7 with the 11-10 lead. In the first quarter there were over 10 lead changes and no one led more than 4. A huge portion of the Lakers shots were in the paint.

At the end of the second quarter, Roddy committed two consecutive turnovers leading to a shot by Kobe and a 3-pointer by Artest. This gave the Lakers their largest lead of the game at 8 points after a 9-0 run. The Mavs' ball movement became very sloppy and the Lakers tight defense could definitely be a reason for this. Not only was ball movement a problem, but the Mavs offense was off, shooting only 38.6% at the half. Fortunately, after such a messy first half, the Mavs were only down by 6 points, 50-44. Much of this was due to Marion's outstanding performance in the first half as he racked up 15 points and 6 rebounds to keep the Mavs in the game. Kidd sat out the end of the second quarter as he already had 3 personal fouls.

Late in the third, Kobe went to the locker room with a sprained ankle. At this point, the Mavs had seven blocks while the Lakers had one. The quarter ended with the Lakers up 73-65.

In the fourth, Kobe headed back to the Lakers bench. At this point, the Lakers nearly doubled the Mavs' points in the paint, 54-28. Gasol fouled the Mavs with 2 minutes left to play and Dallas hit both their free throws cutting the Lakers lead to just 89-85. Dirk made a bad pass to Chandler followed by a Lakers' bucket. A miss by Fisher led to a dunk by Marion, and the score was then 92-89. After a couple of fouls on both ends, and careless mistakes by the Mavs, the Lakers took the 96-91 win; the Lakers are now just half a game within second seed.

It seemed as if Dirk and Marion were the only guys who came to play tonight. Marion led the team with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds while Dirk was right behind him with 19 points and 7 rebounds. As for the rest of the team, no one scored above 6 points, which is unusual for the Mavs; especially since their bench normally scores a great amount of points. Roddy had an off night as he went scoreless shooting 0-6 from the field and 0-2 from 3-point range.

As for the Lakers, Gasol led the team with 16 points, Bynum had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Artest racked up 10 points. Kobe had 12 points and shot just 5 for 16 from the field and 0 for 3 from 3-point range. Fisher was another player who had an off night. He went scoreless and was 0 for 5 from the field and 0 for 1 from 3-point range.

Next, the Mavs will travel to Oregon to face the Portland Trailblazers Tuesday night.

Marion gets the steal from Kobe

Dirk posts up against Odom

Marion goes up for the easy dunk

Bynum goes up for the dunk over Chandler

Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mavs Dominate the Knicks... Again

The Mavericks did everything right to prove to their coach that they weren't "soft", a term Carlisle used to describe his team after losing to the Hornets after a 10-point lead.

The Mavs took on the New York Knicks for a second time this season, this time in the AAC. The first time they met in the Garden was not a pretty site for Knick fans. Once again, it wasn't pretty for the Knicks as they fell to the Mavs in a horrid 127-109 loss.

In the start of the first quarter, the Knicks looked pretty good taking a quick 6-0 lead, but it all went downhill for them from there.The first ended with Dallas taking a 31-21 lead.

The Mavs continued to dominate in the second quarter, outscoring the Knicks 41-30.

The Mavs' performance in the first half was outstanding as they set a season high for points in a half (72), and out-rebounded the Knicks 25-14, all while playing suffocating defense.

The Mavs blew an 18-point lead Sunday night against Memphis and then let a 7-point lead get away in the final minute agaisnt the Hornets. In this game, Dallas was up by 26 midway through the third quarter and was cut in half within a few minutes, thanks to Amare who had 24 of his 36 points in the second half.

After the past few games that Dallas has played, Mavs fans were on the edge of their seat as the Knicks started to rally back; but the Mavs regained control and the Knicks never managed to cut their deficit to within 10.

The Mavericks hung on to the lead and got the win over the Knicks, 127-109. This was the Mavs' most points in a game all season.

Five Mavs scored in double figures, three of them scoring above 20 points. You really have to give most of the credit to Shawn Marion, who racked up 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, after falling in the game before and suffering from bruised ribs. Dirk scored 23 points and 9 rebounds while Terry was right behind him with 21 points. As for the other Mavs' in double figures: Roddy scored 14 points and 6 assists in just 21 minutes. While Chandler was in major foul trouble, Haywood played most of the game, scoring 12 points and 8 rebounds.

For the Knicks, Amare led the team with 36 points and 7 rebounds. Fields had 19 points, Melo and Toney Douglas both added 18 points, and Shawne Williams had 14.

Next, the Mavs face the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas as they both continue to fight for 2nd seed.

Haywood getting the jump ball over Turiaf

Amare getting the easy dunk

Brewer with the ball around the Knicks defense

Melo with the jumper

Amare driving the ball past Marion

Mavs Fall Yet Again in the Last Minutes of Game Play

The Mavs were going into this game with a shaken up mind-set after a heart-breaking loss by a buzzer beater loss to Memphis and just a 3 point win over Minnesota; but the outcome was not what they expected vs a CP3less Hornets, as they lost 93-92.

Tyson Chandler is back in the starting line-up after he's been sitting out with a sprained right ankle. Now Peja sat out tonight's game with a sore back and Marion started in his place.

It was a very defensive low scoring first quarter. The Mavs started the first with a great lead, 11-4. In the beginning of the quarter, Hornets were shooting just 17%; but it didn't take long for them to catch up. They're baskets started falling in, and they were soon only down 12-8. They managed to tie the game up at 16 at the half. The Mavs shot 30% in the first half while the Hornets shot 36%. Roddy had a great first quarter, racking up 7 points. Jason Kidd was in a slump, as he was 0-5 from the field and 0-3 from 3-point range with just 1 point.

In the second quarter, Tyson was a rebounding beast, grabbing what was basically a rebound per minute; he had 7 rebounds in just 7 minutes. Barea hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Mavs up by 9 with just under 2 minutes left. The Mavs were up 96-90 but Belinelli hit a buzzer beater 3 from beyond half court to only trail 96-93 at the half. By halftime, the Mavs shot 43.9% and the Hornets shot 45.2%. Dirk started to take the heavy load of carrying the team like usual; he had 14 points at the half.

In the third, from 9 minutes to 4:42 left, the Mavs went on a 10-1 run. With just under 4 seconds left in the quarter, Jason Terry banked in a 3-pointer. Right after, Green hit what seemed to be a buzzer beater 3-pointer but the refs disallowed it, saying that it didn't leave his fingertips in time. The Mavs led at the end of the third 70-60.

In the fourth, Mavs held onto the lead. With just under 5 minutes left, Dirk hit another great and-1 that fouled Landry out of the game. The Hornets were in major foul trouble at this point. Okafor also had 5 fouls and Jack and Gray both had 4 fouls. With under 3 minutes to go, Cardinal hit an important 3-pointer to put the Mavs up 89-81. With 17 seconds left, the Mavs were up 92-90 with Chandler at the line to put the win on lock, but he missed both free throws. With 8 seconds left, the Hornets were fouled on a 3, and Jack got to attempt 3 free throws, hitting all of them and took the lead 93-92. Dirk missed the game-winner with 8 seconds to go and took the 93-92 loss.

Dirk led the Mavs with 26 points. Chandler got his 17th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds. JJ had 12 points, Terry had 10, and Roddy had 9. Kidd had a bad game offensively going 0-7 from the field and 0-5 from the 3-point line, with just 3 points from free-throws.

For the Hornets, Belinelli and Jack both had 21 points. West had 16 and Landry had 15.

Next, the Mavs will travel back home to Dallas to play the New York Knicks Thursday night at the AAC.

Dirk shoots over Carl Landry

Kidd shoots over Okafor

West shoots over Cardinal

Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

Mavs Regroup and Get the Win Over the Timberwolves, 108-105

The Mavs were looking to regroup themselves from a devastating loss vs Memphis Monday night when they lost by a buzzer beater by Randolph; and they did just that, getting the win over Minnesota, 108-105.

Tyson Chandler is missing his third consecutive game due to his sprained right ankle; once again, Haywood will start in his place.

The Mavs hoped to keep Kevin Love from tying Moses Malone's post-merger NBA record for consecutive double-doubles with 51; but they knew this would be a hard feat to achieve, especially without starting center Tyson Chandler.

The first quarter started with the Mavs down 7-2. Towards the end of the first they caught up and were down just 22-16. Wayne Ellington ended the first with a buzzer beater to put the Wolves up 30-22. Both teams shot 50%, but the Wolves attempted 10 more shots.

With just under 9 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter, Dirk acquired his 3rd foul and sat out the rest of the half. Minnesota held onto a strong lead but Kidd hit back to back 3-pointers to put the Mavs within 3 points. Cardinal then hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 48 but soon after Minnesota put it back to 50-48. Kidd stole the ball and Terry missed a shot to put the Mavs in the lead and Marion missed the second chance tip-in to tie it; the quarter ended with the Wolves in the lead 50-48. At the half, both teams were shooting 45.5%. Minnesota had 10 points off of seven Dallas turnovers while Dallas had eight points off of nine wolves turnovers.

The Mavs open the second half with two baskets from Dirk to take the lead. They also started with a 6-0 run; but this amazing start didn't last for long. Ellington hit another 3 to put the Wolves up 77-70. Dirk hit a 3 but still went into the fourth quarter down 80-73.

Some free throws by Terry and a 3-pointer by Peja brought the Mavs to tie Minnesota at 80 after a 7-0 run a few minutes into the fourth.With under 9 minutes to go, the Mavs went on a 15-2 run. Dirk, Barea and Peja worked together to put the Mavs on a 17-4 run to lead 87-84 with 7:36 to go. The Mavs held onto the lead for a little but Minnesota closed the gap to one, 94-93 with 3:21 left to play. With a 3-pointer by Terry and numerous made free-throws by Dirk, the Mavs were up 108-102. With under 2 seconds left, Ellington threw up a 44-foot three point jumper and made it but still lost to the Mavs 108-105.

Dirk led the Mavs with 25 points and 6 rebounds. When he got into major foul trouble, Cardinal was a huge help totaling 12 points, hitting four 3-pointers. Kidd had 13 points, 9 assists and 4 steals. Marion, Peja and Roddy all contributed 9 points each. Terry wound up with 11 points although he went just 3 for 11 from the field and 1 for 6 from the 3-point line. His one 3-pointer was an important one though, putting the Mavs up with just minutes left in the game.

Kevin Love led the Timberwolves with 23 points and 17 rebounds; he tied Moses Malone's record for consecutive double-double at 51. Beasley was right behind him with 20 points. Ellington racked up12 points, a few of those shots being key ones to keep them in the game. Flynn also had 11 points and Ridnour had 9.

Next the Mavs will face the New Orleans Hornets Wednesday night at the AAC.

Roddy going up for the layup as Beasley defends

 

 

Dirk looks to drive past Tolliver

 

 

 

Kidd dribbling around Ridnour

Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Randolph Ends the Mavs' Streak With 3.3 Seconds Left

The Mavs' 8 game win streak came to an end when Randolph hit a shot with 3.3 seconds left in the game to take the lead.

Chandler sat out again with his sprained ankle; Haywood started in his place.

The first quarter ended with Dallas in the lead 27-21. Roddy had 12 first quarter points-most first quarter points of his career. He shot perfect from the field and the free throw line. The Mavs hit a total of five 3-pointers in the first quarter; Roddy with 2, Terry with 2, and Dirk with 1.

The Mavs continued to play well into the second quarter. Roddy surpassed his previous career high and racked up 15 points by halftime. The Mavs' great defense forced nine Memphis turnovers by the half which converted into 14 Dallas points. The Mavs took a 17-point lead at the half, 55-38.

In the third quarter, the Mavs began to handle the ball sloppily, allowing Memphis to come back within 1 point midway through the quarter. Some helpful baskets from Terry and Dirk and key blocks from Haywood were unfortunately not enough to keep the Mavs in the lead. Memphis was firing up and tied the game at 74 with under a minute left. At 30 seconds, Memphis took the lead for just the 2nd time in the game. Dirk hit an amazing shot to catch up but Gasol was then fouled with 3.3 seconds left to take the lead back at 79-78. The Mavs also had five turnovers in the third quarter alone. They shot 6-14 from the field and Memphis had 41 third quarter points.

The fourth quarter started with the Mavs scoring 8 straight baskets. Mahinmi fouled out of the game with 9:46 left to go. This quarter was a rollarcoaster ride for both teams. Dirk hit a great shot with less than 8 seconds left to put the Mavs up by 1, but Randolph hit the game winner with 3.3 seconds left. The Mavs had .3 seconds left to win the game, but it ended after Terry hit a long jumper off the top of the backboard. The final score was 104-103 Memphis.

Jason Terry led the Mavs with 26 points. Dirk was right behind him with 23 points and 5 rebounds. Roddy scored a career-high 15 points in just 14 minutes. JJ and Marion both put in 10 a piece. Haywood had 5 points, 6 blocks, and 8 rebounds.

Randolph led the Grizzlies with 27 points. Conley had 17, Gasol had 16, Arthur had 13, and Battier and Mayo both racked up 10.

This is the second time this season the Mavs' winning streak has come to an end with a heart-breaking buzzer beater.

Next, the Mavs face the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night at the AAC.

Roddy going up for a layup

Allen making his way through the Mavs' defense

Mavs Get Their 8th Straight Win

Last night, the Mavericks returned to the AAC to play the Indiana Pacers, beating them 116-108. This is now their 8th straight win and they have won 18 of their last 19 games.

Once again the Mavs couldn't have done it without Dirk or Jason Terry. Dirk, who had what was almost a perfect game, shot 10-12 from the field with 29 points. Terry had 21 points and 6 assists off the bench. They both worked together to pull away in the final minutes of the game.

Tyson Chandler sat out again due to his sprained right ankle that he hurt in Tuesday night's game in Philadelphia. Brendan Haywood started in his place.

Corey Brewer played his first game as a Maverick but missed his only two free throws and fouled out quickly.

The first quarter ended in close quarters as Dallas was only up 35-33, but their outstanding defense played a key role in the first half, ending it with the Mavs up 68-57. They put up a season high for points in any half on 63% shooting from the floor. Nowitzki had 16 points in the first half, Beaubois racked up 13 and Kidd added 9, hitting three of four 3-pointers.

The Mavs' lead was as big as 14 points in the third quarter but they couldn't hold off the Pacers as they pulled within 101-98 when Collison hit a 3-pointer with 3:24 left.

Terry hit back-to-back 15-foot jumpers with 2:29 left. Kidd then hit two free throws to push Dallas' lead to 107-98.

The Mavs' offense was exceptional but their defense was not consistent until the fourth quarter, where the Pacers missed 13 of 22 from the field and had four turnovers.

Of the Mavs' 26 fourth quarter points, Terry had 8 and Dirk had 7. Down the stretch, they both hit some big shots and Indiana was not able to stop either of them.

The Mavs played an aggressive fourth quarter, holding off the Pacers, and winning it 116-108.

Once again, five Dallas players scored in double figures. Aside from Dirk and Terry, Kidd had 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, Roddy had 13 points, and Haywood had 10 points and 5 rebounds.

For the Pacers, Granger led the team with 22 points. Collison had 17, McRoberts had 15, Hansbrough had 13, Hibbert had 11 and Rush had 10.

Next, the Mavs will face the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday night at the AAC.

 

Roddy takes a shot over Hibbert

 

Dirk takes a shot over McRoberts

 

Hibbert takes a shot over Haywood

Knicks Waive Corey Brewer and He Signs with the Mavericks

Brewer cleared waivers on Thursday and signed with the Dallas Mavericks.

Of course he is not expected to fill the gap that is missing by Caron Butler, who had a season ending injury, but Dallas expects Brewer to really help out defensively and potentially much more than that.

The deal is for an average $2 million over three years. Carlisle said other teams offered more money than the Mavs; Coming from Minnesota, Brewer said he just wanted to be on a winning team.

"He's different in terms of his body type than any guy that we have," Carlisle said. "He's a deceptively tall kid, has got long arms. I think probably his tenacity is as, or more, important than any of those other attributes."

No matter what, I don't think the Mavs will be disappointed in their decision to take on Brewer. He's a good young player and the Mavs definitely need more youth in their team. It was a great move for the franchise and he will only continue to get better.