Dallas put on the defensive clamps late against the Oklahoma City. The amazing right arm rejecting Kevin Durant is that of Erick Dampier. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)A veteran team like the Dallas Mavericks (19-7) should know how to put a young team like the Oklahoma City Thunder (12-12) away late in a game, and that's just what they did. The Mavericks allowed only 18 points in the fourth quarter on 6-17 shooting (35 percent), while their hustling defense had three steals and three blocks to seal the game.
After James Harden drove to the basket and made a layup that brought the Thunder within three points with 4:58 left in regulation the Mavericks left them in the dust, going on a 19-8 run to close the game. Dallas has now won five consecutive games for the first time this season.
Dirk Being Dirk
In the last eight minutes of regulation, Dirk Nowitzki scored eight points and accounted for a block and a steal. Nowitzki finished with 35 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Dallas Mavericks to their fifth straight victory. Nowitzki shot an impressive 72 percent from the field including 2-2 from behind the arc.
Durant's Struggles Continue Against the Mavericks
Going into tonight's game Kevin Durant's lowest scoring average of his career (14 points per game) against any NBA team was versus the Dallas Mavericks. This trend didn't end tonight as Durant had (arguably) his worst game of the season against Dallas. He tied his lowest point total for a game this season (12), shot 22 percent from the field, and accounted for four turnovers. Oh and Durant busted out his new shoes (which are a combo of bright orange + ugliness that = hell on feet) and made his entire team wear them. Those magical glowing orange shoes didn't help for this one.
The Twilight Zone
Oklahoma City came into tonight's game against Dallas as the number one free-throw shooting team in the NBA (81.3 percent). This stat got turned upside down as the Thunder shot 60.9 percent (14-23), their lowest percentage for a game this season. A few more of those go in, and this is a completely different game going into the fourth quarter.
Jason Kidd's Amazing Butt Pass
This play had no bearing whatsoever on the game, but it was interesting in itself. With 9:10 remaining in the 3rd quarter and Jason Kidd in-bounding the ball, the veteran (old) point guard decided to play one of the oldest NBA tricks in the book. As Kidd looked to spot an open teammate, he realized A: he was running out of time and B: that the guy guarding him on the in-bounds play (Thebo Sefolosha - Nice. Name.) wasn't paying him any attention. Using his high basketball intellect, Kidd quickly bounced the ball off of Sefolosha's ass and caught the ball off the carum. Kidd then drove to the basket and missed the layup, but it was an entertaining play nontheless.
Whats Next?
Well the old Dallas Mavericks (the second oldest team in the NBA) rallied late to spank the young OKC Thunder (youngest team in the NBA) thanks to Dirk Nowitzki's strong play and Kevin Durant's poor outing (side note: is it just me or is Durant's body type an identical match to Snoop Dogg? Weird).
Dallas now goes home for four straight, starting with the Houston Rockets (14-11). The Rockets have lost two straght road-games but are a respectable 8-7 in roadies this season.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. and can be seen locally on KTXA 21.
News and Notes:
- With his 35 points and 11 rebounds, Dirk Nowitzki now has nine double-doubles on the season and eight 30+ point games.
- The Mavericks have allowed 90 points or fewer in eight games this season and are 7-1 in those games. Last season Dallas accomplished this feat 14 times.
- Dallas is now 1-2 all time in Oklahoma City. It's not hard to see why, the Thunder fans brought a playoff atmosphere to this one, which is something Mavericks' fans at the AAC should take notes on.
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