The Los Angeles Clippers are still searching for their first win of the new year and will resume a six-game homestand tonight versus the Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center. via Tacoma News Tribune
The red-hot Dallas Mavericks search for their sixth straight victory, as they visit the slumping Seattle SuperSonics tonight at KeyArena. via Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“It’s big, especially on national TV”
DALLAS — On a night when the Mavericks set a season-high for 3-point percentage and relentlessly challenged the Pistons, perhaps the most impressive aspect was their stifling defense typically associated with Wednesday’s opponent from Detroit.
The Eastern Conference’s second-best team came into American Airlines Center with the second-best scoring defense in the league, giving up fewer than 90 points a game.
Yet, the Mavs put together a blistering shooting effort, hitting 10-of-16 3-pointers, setting up those mostly wide-open shots with aggressive penetrations, to roll to a 102-86 victory before a crowd of 20,362. Read more
“We didn’t get the right coaching there. . . . I think we underperformed the last few years. I don’t think we maximized the talent we had and I think now they’re getting the most of what they have.”
Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks had the best record in the NBA last season but lost in the first round. via Rocky Mountain News
“Just a lot of different stuff.”
Rasheed Wallace said he was over it. Whatever was eating at him after the loss to Boston has passed through his system and he has moved on. via The Detroit News
The Detroit Pistons are streaking in the wrong direction now. Dirk Nowitzki had 23 points to lead Dallas in scoring again, and the Mavericks won 102-86 to hand the Pistons their second straight loss after an … via El Paso Times
“I don’t think we can control any of that”
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News esefko@dallasnews.com The teams that hook up tonight at American Airlines Center are a combined 49-19, have three appearances in the NBA Finals in the last four seasons … via Quick
“We weren’t really sharp tonight”
It’s pretty easy to understand why the Mavericks turned in a lethargic performance Friday night against Miami. via Dallas Morning News
“He just took the game over and put us on his back. What a tremendous, tremendous performance.”
For three quarters he was ordinary. Then, when it mattered most, LeBron James was unstoppable. via ChicagoSports.com
“We saw enough of that. Now we said, ‘Hey, think of making some stronger moves.’”
Avery Johnson has let Dirk Nowitzki loose. Nowitzki led Dallas in scoring for the ninth straight game, scoring 30 points, and the Mavericks handed the Minnesota Timberwolves their eighth consecutive loss with a 101-78 victory on Sunday.
Josh Howard added 22 points and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who led by as many as 31 points en route to their fourth win in a row and ninth in their last 11.
Al Jefferson had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the lackluster Timberwolves, who delivered an uninspired performance despite not having won a game since Dec. 21 against Indiana. Read more
“His role is to take what the defense is giving him. He’s doing a great job of making everybody around him better.”
Going home can be tough, but at least Trenton Hassell will be doing it on the heels of his most important showing of the season. via Dallas Morning News
“But I didn’t act quickly enough. He’s in a good place. We miss him.”
If any team should’ve known better than to overlook a barely hanging-on Miami Heat team, it was the Dallas Mavericks. Apparently, Dirk Nowitzki and his teammates still haven’t learned from what happened in the 2006 finals.
With Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade out for Miami, the Mavericks seemed to take victory for granted and nearly wound up getting beaten _ needing a go-ahead 3-pointer by Nowitzki with 5:28 left and a defensive stand in the final seconds to pull out a 94-89 victory Friday night. Read more
“I saw them over the last two or three weeks beat a lot of good teams.”
Prevailing wisdom last season was that the Golden State Warriors were a fluke. They got hot at the right time. via WFAA-TV Dallas
Who’s hot? Dirk Nowitzki For seven games in a row, he’s either led or tied for the lead in scoring for the Mavericks, and he’s shot 64-for-132 during that stretch. via Dallas Morning News
Dirk Nowitzki led a fourth-quarter surge Wednesday that sent Dallas storming past Golden State 121-99. Nowitzki scored 29 points, and Josh Howard added 19 points and 13 rebounds. via Political Gateway
