The Kidd Play

This is my favorite take on just what is "basketball" and what isn't.

Arguments against Kidd's "dirty play" are both redundant and ridiculous considering the point is to WIN THE GAME.

Would I be pissed if I was a Hawks fan?
Hell yes, but at some point you have to give it to somebody that knows the rules just as well as the refs do and has the ability to use that to his advantage.

And why should Mike Woodson, or any other coach for that matter, be able to go onto the court and obstruct the field of play? Let this be a lesson to all coaches around the league who go a full 5-10 feet out onto the court to call defensive plays.

Kidd Takes Over - 111-103 OT

Jason Kidd played his best game of the season and the Mavericks overcame a 15-point deficit with a little under eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to force overtime. The Mavs won in overtime for their Western Conference best 19th road victory. (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)

I guess 36 must be the new 22...at least for Jason Kidd.

For the first time since he was 22 (and the last time this feat was accomplished), Kidd scored more than 15 points, grabbed over 15 rebounds, and dished out more than 15 assists. This time, Kidd is 36 but it looks as though the hunger remains.

The veteran point guard scored nine of the Mavericks final 10 fourth quarter points (all on threes) and the other point, a technical free-throw made by Dirk Nowitzki, happened because of a heads-up play by Kidd.

The Play:

With 1:37 to go in the fourth quarter and the Mavs desperately needing a basket, down 97-95, Kidd made a play for the ages.

As he jogged the ball down the court, Kidd noticed that Atlanta coach Mike Woodson was directing the Hawks defense and stepping out onto the court. Kidd then immediately raced down the floor and before Woodson could get out of the way, they had collided. Words were exchanged afterwords but the technical foul, rightfully called on the coach who is not allowed to stop onto the court, went on Woodson and the next thing you know Dallas had an extra point thanks to the unusual play.

"I said, 'You can't be on the floor. You don't have a uniform on," said Kidd, likely editing his actual, quite heated, words towards the Atlanta coach for content. "Rules are rules. The coach isn't supposed to be on the floor."

Little things like that is what many Mavericks' fans overlook about Kidd. Yes he hit a three immediately after this, putting Dallas up two with 56 seconds left and making it more likely that the game would at worst go to overtime. But even when he isn't having one of the best games of all-time, statistics-wise (only three other players have ever had 15, 15 ,15), he makes things happen that mere-mortal NBA players would never think of.

"I thought from there, mentally, we took control of the game," said Kidd. "That play just presented itself. It's just a reaction and just understanding what the team needs."

Even Hawks coach Mike Woodson couldn't deny the fact that it was the right call.

"He made a heck of a play," said Woodson. "Jason Kidd is an All-Star. He's a [potential] Hall of Fame guard. He's had a hell of a career. He did what he had to do. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out to favor the team. I've got to take the hit for that."

Kidd finished the game with 19 points, 17 assists and 16 rebounds.

After 'The Play'

Josh Smith's layup with 32 seconds left and a miss by both Dirk Nowitzki (one-foot fade-away) and Kidd (falling away from the basket) paved the way for a 99-99 tie at the end of regulation. The Hawks began the overtime period by missing their first eight shots and by the time they made their first basket it was too late as there was under a minute left and the Mavericks were up 106-99.

Overall, after Atlanta went up 86-71, Dallas outscored the Hawks 40-17 in the final 13:22 of the game (fourth quarter and OT). The Mavericks defense forced Atlanta into difficult situations and the Hawks simply folded under the pressure of the big comeback.

Defense Still Humming

Mid-way through the fourth quarter, the Dallas defense needed a change as they had allowed the Hawks to score at will up to the 8:00 mark of the fourth. Rick Carlise decided to go zone and it worked to perfection.

Atlanta made only 7 of 24 baskets (29 percent) after the 8:00 mark, including 2-9 in the overtime period. The three-point guard attack led the charge as J.J. Barea, Jason Terry, and Kidd (along with Nowitzki and Brendan Haywood) gave the Hawks fits on both ends of the court.

"They were smart enough to stay in the zone [defense] until late in the game," said Hawks sixth man Jamal Crawford. "When they [switched] we were up 13 in the fourth quarter. We got some great shots. Shots that, if we came in here tomorrow, we'd knock down most of them."

Isn't that a recurring team now with opponents facing the Mavericks defense? It seems like after every game a team would have made baskets if they had another chance. I guess it's not good defense, Dallas just keeps catching teams (six straight) on off nights. Yeah, that's what it must be.

Brendan Haywood, the anchor of the Mavericks' new defense, finished with his third double-double in the last six games with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Haywood added three blocks, a steal and even four assists for good measure.

Even though the Hawks got to 103 points, they shot only 40 percent for the game. Dallas' streak of consecutive games without allowing an opponent to score over 100 points (in regulation) is still in tact (seven games) as Atlanta had 99 at the end of the fourth quarter.

Mavs Forwards Get It Done

Dirk Nowitzki led all-scorers (what's new) with 36 points, while also chipping in nine rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. This is nothing new for the All-NBA player, but Shawn Marion also put in some work along with Nowitzki, getting the Mavs out to a good start.

Marion made his first five shots of the first quarter, which were all finishes at the basket (four dunks and a lay-up). His 10 points was tied for a game high after the first quarter and Dallas was up 29-19 after the first quarter.

Not surprisingly, the other game-high scorer at that point was Nowitzki with 10, and the two forwards combined to score 20 of Dallas 29 first quarter points.

The pair combined to finish 22-37 from the field (59 percent) and 51 points. Not.Too.Shabby.

What's Next

To come back from 15 points down, on the road, with under eight minutes to go is outstanding no matter how you slice it. Take into account the opposition - 22-6 at home, fourth in the Eastern Conference with a record similar to Dallas - and this is one of the best games the Mavericks have played all season.

The Mavericks take on the Chris Paul-less New Orleans Hornets Sunday night in Dallas on the first night of a back-to-back and the start of a stretch of five games in seven days.

New Orleans is 31-28 this season (10-11 without Paul), 9th best in the West, but only 11-19 on the road. The Hornets have lost two of three overall and three straight on the road, but won their last contest (Friday against the Orlando Magic at home) 100-93.

Dallas is 1-1 against New Orleans this season, with each team having won at home. However, Paul played in both games.

Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. and this is the third straight nationally televised game for the Mavs on ESPN.

News and Notes:

• Dirk Nowitzki has scored 30 or more points in back-to-back games for the third time this season.
• With six straight victories, the Mavericks have the longest current winning-streak in the NBA this season. Six wins in the longest streak for Dallas this season.
• Both Kidd's assist (17) and rebound (16) totals were season-highs.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Mavs Take Out The Champs - 101-96

Even with Caron Butler in street clothes (reaction to medication), Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks proved they are not to be taken lightly against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

In front of a packed arena that included the likes of Tony Dorsett, Jay-Z and Beyonce, these Dallas Mavericks (37-21) showed what they are made of.

After many ties and lead-changes through three quarters, Jason Kidd put Dallas up for good 74-72 with a three-pointer to beat the buzzer at the end of the third quarter. The Los Angeles Lakers (43-15) stayed close in the fourth, keeping themselves within a basket up to around the 8:00 mark of the fourth.

The Mavericks then took over led by Dirk Nowitzki's 13, of his game-high 31 points, in the fourth quarter as he led a 15-9 run that put Dallas up eight (97-89) with 1:40 left. Nowitzki and Jason Terry combined to score 22 of the Mavs final 23 points, and no other Maverick made a basket in the fourth quarter. Terry finished with 30 points on 10-20 shooting and was the game's second-leading scorer behind Dirk. JET picked the perfect time to have one of his best game's of the season, with Butler out and the Lakers coming to town.

"This is our type of ballgame," said Terry, who has finished with 30+ points three times this season. "Any time in the fourth quarter and the game is close, it's going to be up to myself, [Jason Kidd] or Dirk to get the win. I think we welcome that challenge and we don't need to change it right now."

The Lakers did have a chance late as Kobe Bryant, who missed his first five shots from the field, had a good-look on a game-tying three with :25 seconds left and L.A. down 97-94. But the shot was long and off the back-rim. Then JET and Dirk hit their free throws (4-4), sealing the victory for the Mavericks.

Bryant was guarded mostly by the trio of DeShawn Stevenson (early), Jason Kidd (occasionally) and Shawn Marion (late) and made only nine of his 23 shot attempts. Kobe finished the game with 20 points and five boards, but scored only four points in the fourth on 2-6 shooting.

Lamar Odom led six Lakers in double-figures with 21 points off the bench, while also chipping in seven rebounds and five assists. Ron Artest scored 13 and Pau Gasol had only 11, six points less than his 17 point per game average.

"This was a big win," said Nowitzki, who has scored 30 or more points 12 times this season. "They had everybody [healthy] this time. They really embarrassed us that one time out there and then stole one here. It was big for us to tie it up at 2-2."

Strong Dallas Defense Becoming a Regularity

Six games since the trade and six straight games of under 100 point games for Mavs' opponents. Did I mention Dallas is 5-1 during the span?

Brendan Haywood led the charge (again) with five blocks, while also scoring 11 points and grabbing nine rebounds - only one board off three consecutive double-doubles. Haywood has had at least nine rebounds in a game in the last five contests.

Every Mavericks player that played in the game had at least one steal, led by Rodrigue Beaubois with two in five minutes played. The Lakers had 17 turnovers overall, thanks to the Mavs suffocating D, with Dallas scoring 25 points off of them. Dallas also out-rebounded the Lakers 41-36 and 13-7 on the offensive glass.

The six straight keeping opponents under 100 points streak is the longest such stand this season. The previous high was four consecutive between Dec. 11 and Dec. 16.

What's Next

The Mavericks travel to Atlanta, Friday night, to take on the Hawks.

Atlanta won in Dallas earlier this season, 80-75 , thanks to 31 points for Joe Johnson and some suffocating defense.

The Hawks are 36-20 this season, fourth in the Eastern Conference, and 22-6 at home which is the third-best home record in the East. They average 101.4 points (9th in the NBA) and allow only 96.9 per (11th).

Tip-off is at 6:00 p.m. and can be seen nationally on ESPN.

News and Notes:

• With Oklahoma City's loss last night to the Spurs, Dallas now has the longest current win streak in the NBA at five.
• This was the first time all season that Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry both had 30 or more points in a game. It happened only once last season, Mar. 7 2009, against the Washington Wizards. Dallas won 119-103.
  
• Jason Kidd had 14 points and 13 assists for his third double-double since the All-Star break.
  

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Ex-Mav Howard Done For Season

It appears as though J-Ho isn't going to be sticking it to anymore teams this season, as he now is done for the year with a torn ACL. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Well it was a good four-game run, but it's all over for former Maverick Josh Howard this season.

Howard averaged 14.5 points (on 43 percent shooting), three rebounds and one assist for the Washington Wizards, who actually went 3-1 with Howard in the lineup.

Mavs Dominate Lowly Pacers- 91-82

The Mavs held the Pacers to 37 percent shooting and never trailed. Eddie Najera is seen above swatting the ball away from Roy Hibbert (55). (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The final score says the Mavs won by nine, but it wasn't even that close. From 7:58 left in the third quarter on, Dallas never led by less than 11 points - until :17 left in the fourth. A Dirk Nowitzki break-away dunk (on a nice down-court pass from DeShawn Stevenson) with 7:28 left in the fourth quarter put the Mavs up 87-66 and led to some much needed rest for the Dallas starters.

No Mavericks' starter played over 33 minutes and Stevenson (23 minutes), Rodrigue Beaubois (18), and Najera (15) all got some minutes down the stretch.

While Dallas held the Pacers to only 82 points on 37 percent shooting, the Mavs weren't shooting much better at 39 percent, which led to many rebound opportunities.

"Both teams didn't shoot well, so I had a lot of opportunities to get some rebounds," said Haywood, who had 20 rebounds on the night - tying his season-high. "I was trying to attack the boards and be aggressive."

Haywood also added 13 points (3-6 shooting) and three blocks to go along with his 20 boards for his second straight double-double.

The Pacers were without their leading scorer in Danny Granger (23.3 ppg) and Nowitzki knows the Mavericks night was a little easier thanks to that.

"Granger obviously is their go-to guy, and he always makes shots, so we definitely caught a break that he wasn't there," said Nowitzki, who had a team-high 23 points on 7-14 shooting.

Only one Pacers' starter scored in double-figures (Troy Murphy with 10 on 5-15 shooting) and their leading scorer was T.J. Ford off the bench with 14 points.

Coach Unhappy With Team's Play

Although the Mavs won, coach Rick Carlise felt like Dallas could have played much better against a team as poor as the Pacers - especially without their leading scorer.

"We played a sloppy game," said Carlise. "The ball movement wasn't crisp, and we had questionable shot selection. Defensively, we had too many breakdowns. We have to get better."

After Dallas went up 90-68 with 5:54 left in the fourth, Indy went on a 14-1 run to close the game. The Mavericks were 0-9 from the field, had two turnovers and allowed the Pacers to make 5-9 shots from the field.

The Mavs bench has got to be able to hold a lead when the starters get up by 20 on an opponent over half-way through the fourth quarter. If this was the Lakers (who come to Dallas Wednesday night), they would have come back and won by 20.

Terry Gets Back On Track

After going 0-10 against the Miami Heat on Saturday night, Jason Terry put an end to his 0-fer pretty quickly, 7:29 into the first quarter to be exact.

Terry made two of his first three shots and finished with a tidy 14 points on 5-10 shooting. Not bad after one of the worst games of the guards 10-year career.

Kidd Finally Gets Some Rest

After playing at least 40 minutes in each of the past three games, Jason Kidd got a break against the Pacers. While he still played his part (10 points and seven assists), Kidd played only 28 minutes for the game and sat out the entire fourth quarter as Dallas had the game on lock.

These are the types of games the 36 year-old point guard needs more of as the Mavericks prepare for the playoffs. Kidd has played 30 minutes or less in a game only seven times this season and only three times in the past 40 games.

Hopefully this trend changes in the next two months. The more Kidd is rested come playoff-time, the better chance Dallas has of getting to the Finals. He is the engine that makes this team go, on both ends of the court.

What's Next

While Dallas didn't play as well as it should have at times, they still got the win and they still rested their veteran starters who had seen a heavy workload as of late. So, mission accomplished.

Wednesday night, the big bad Los Angeles Lakers come to town for the fourth and final meeting between these two teams this season. L.A. has a 2-1 advantage in the three meetings this season, having won at home and in Dallas. But this is a new Mavericks' team and it's going to be exciting to see how the new pieces are going to match-up against the Lakers.

Kobe Bryant (the NBA's fourth leading scorer at 28 points per game) is expected to be back in action, but the Lakers will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back after taking on the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night. Even without Bryant, the Lakers have won four of their past five games.

Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. and can be seen nationally on ESPN, locally on KTXA 21.

News and Notes:

• The Mavericks have now one four straight for the third time this season. Dallas won five straight games Nov 13 through Nov 20 (Minnesota, Detroit, Milwaukee, San Antonio, Sacramento) and Dec. 8 through Dec.16 (Phoenix, Miami, Charlotte, New Orleans, Oklahoma City).
• In the 10 games before the Butler-Haywood-Stevenson trade, Dallas was 4-6 and had allowed an average of 107.1 points per game. Since the trade the Mavs are 4-1 and have allowed only 90.8 points per game against teams like Phoenix (109.2) and Orlando (101.1). Nice.
  

Winning With Defense - 97-91

The Mavericks continue to have stretches of dominance on the defensive end as they have now won three straight games. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

The Dallas Mavericks (35-21) continue to have at least one lock-down defensive quarter in each of the past three games. It appears the blockbuster trade has brought them two players that are paying immediate dividends on the defensive end.

Saturday night against the Miami Heat (29-28), the lock-down quarter was the third. After allowed 52 points in the first half, the Mavericks held the Heat to only 12 points in the third quarter. Dallas forced six turnovers and Miami made only 5-13 shots from the field in the quarter. As usual, Jason Kidd led the charge defensively with three steals and a block, but the 15-year veteran had another trick up his sleeve going into the fourth.

After nailing a three-pointer to put Dallas up 71-64, with 1:50 left in the third quarter, Kidd scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter for the Mavs. Kidd scored inside (diving to the basket for a lay-in on his first score of the quarter), he scored outside (2-2 from deep in the quarter) and even used some of his wily veteran trickery to draw a foul after Carlos Arroyo left his feet a bit too early. When the dust settled, Kidd was 3-3 from the floor, 6-7 from the free throw line and had scored over-half (14) of his teams 26 fourth-quarter points.

"After the All-Star break, he's been phenomenal," said Dirk Nowitzki, who had a game-high 28 points. "He's been pushing the ball and scoring."

Kidd finished the game one point off of his season-high of 22, while also dishing out 11 assists for his ... double-double of the season. With Dallas playing their fourth game is five nights, it's an encouraging sign that their oldest player is the one leading the charge.

The Heat, who were without Dwyane Wade for the third straight game, gave the Mavs their best shot in this one. Daequan Cook led Miami with 22 points off the bench (3-5 from downtown) and Jermaine O'Neal scored 18 points and grabbed 13 boards.

"I think overall we played well without Dwyane," said Udonis Haslem, who had eight points and eight rebounds off the bench. "We gave ourselves a chance to win. They just made plays and we didn't."

The Dynamic Duo

Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler put on quite a show in the first quarter. Batman and Robin scored the first 20 Mavericks' points, and 24 of the first 25 going into the second quarter.

Nowitzki hit his first four shots, while Butler hit his first six as that one-two punch kept Dallas in the game while the rest of the team struggled.

From the start of the game to 9:11 left in the second quarter:

Nowitzki & Butler -11 of 15

Other Mavs - 0 of 7

Eddie Najera was the first other Mavericks player to make a basket, with 7:50 left in the second, on a lay-up.

Nowitzki finished with a game-high 28 points, and Butler had his highest scoring game for Dallas with 20 points on 7-13 shooting.

Terry Has Worst Game Of Season

Things did not go well for Jason Terry Saturday night against the Heat.

Terry tied his season-low for points (4), and missed all 10 of his shots while going 0-6 on threes - many of them open looks. The last time Terry didn't make a basket in a game was Dec. 26, 2007, against the Utah Jazz.

What's Next

This is a good sign for the Mavs, as they are beginning to build some cohesion with their new additions. An excellent win for Dallas, even though Miami was without Wade, on the fourth game in five night.

Dallas gets a day off Sunday before taking on the Indiana Pacers at home on Monday. In their only other meeting of the season, the Mavs won on the road 113-92.

The Pacers are 19-36 and only 7-21 on the road, but won Saturday night in Houston 125-115. Indiana had lost four straight before Saturday night's victory.

Tip-off is at 7:30 and can be seen locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

News and Notes:

• With 11 points and 11 rebounds, Brendan Haywood had his first double-double as a Maverick. Haywood now has 15 double-doubles this season.
• Jason Terry has failed to reach double-digits in a game seven times this season. Dallas is 4-3 in those games.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Clutch Performance - 95-85

Dallas dominated the fourth quarter against Matt Barnes (22) and the Magic. Brendan Haywood (33) played his best game as a Maverick, scoring 15 points on 6-10 shooting. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

After a Matt Barnes lay-up made it 69-58 Orlando with 1:49 to go in the third quarter, the proposition of a Mavericks victory wasn't looking very good as Dallas hadn't led since the first quarter.

The Dallas Mavericks (34-21) then went on a 19-0 run until Jameer Nelson made a basket with 8:25 left in the fourth quarter. The Mavs had taken their first lead of the game since it was 21-20 in the first, up 77-71, over the Orlando Magic (37-19).

Orlando got as close as three points (81-78) with 4:50 left in the fourth, before Dallas went on a 14-7 run to close the game. Jason Kidd scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth, including a three-point dagger that put Dallas up 88-81, effectively ending any thoughts of a Magic comeback.

"We obviously needed that spurt to get back in control of the game," said Rick Carlisle, referring to Dallas' 19-0 run. "We get some stops, get the ball in Jason Kidd's hand and great things happen for us, but it was the defensive end that triggered a lot of good stuff."

Speaking of the Mavs D, the Magic committed seven turnovers and shot only 7-22 from the field from the 1:49 mark of the third quarter on. Orlando then scored only 16 points in the fourth quarter that Dallas dominated 30-16.

"We're capable of playing good defense and we showed that," said Dirk Nowitzki, who had a team-high three blocks and a couple of steals.

Nowitzki also led Dallas with 23 points, shrugging off a slow start (4-12 in the first half) to score 13 points in the third quarter on 5-7 shooting. Caron Butler had his best scoring outing for Dallas, as he scored 16 points and pulled down seven boards.

The Magic's Dwight Howard was a one-man wrecking crew as he led the Magic with 29 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks. Howard was Orlando's only consistent scorer as the rest of the Magic were content on hoisting up three-pointers as they shot 16 percent (4-25), there lowest percentage of the season, from behind the arc.

"Obviously our shooting was horrendous, but I can't really say I'm upset," said Magic coach Ron Jeremy err Stan Van Gundy. "Every shot those guys took was wide open and we didn't make any. That's not typical of us."

I think the Mavericks (and anyone who saw the game) would disagree with that assessment.

Haywood Has His Best Game For Dallas

The Mavericks forced the Magic into shooting only 41.2 percent from the field in Friday night's game in Orlando and Brendan Haywood was the anchor of that Dallas defense.

In the first half, when Haywood played sparingly because of two early fouls, Orlando shot 47 percent from the field and scored 47 points. In the second half, with Haywood seeing more action, the Magic shot less than 38 percent and scored only 38 points.

Haywood grabbed nine rebounds, blocked two shots and had the highest +/- of any Mavericks player at +20. Throw in his best scoring game as a Maverick (15 points) on 6-10 shooting and you have a glimpse of how good this Dallas team is going to be with Haywood at center.

"The guy that really made this trade work for us is Brendan Haywood and he showed why tonight, " said Nowitzki. "He was battling in there."

Whats Next

Dallas has yet another quick turnaround as they travel back to Dallas to take on the Miami Heat Saturday night.

Dallas won in Miami on Dec.11, 106-93, in the only other meeting between the two teams this season. The Heat have won their past five games dating back to Feb. 9, two of which without Dwyane Wade for all or most of the game, pushing their record to 29-27 - good for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Miami is a respectable 15-15 on the road this season, but have a tough test against the Mavericks in Dallas, especially if Wade doesn't play.

Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. can be seen nationally on NBA TV and locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

News and Notes:

• The Mavericks 19-0 run from the third to the fourth quarter was the second-longest in the NBA this season only to the Boston Celtics 22-0 run in agame earlier this season.
• With four steals against the Magic, Jason Kidd has recorded four or more steals in a game 10 times this season. Dallas is 8-2 in those contests.
• Jason Terry scored 16 points on 6-11 shooting, and has averaged 20 points a game over his last 12 games.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Howard Says All The Wrong Things

Josh Howard had some choice words for the Mavericks' brass after his departure from the club and that has come back to bite him. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

It hasn't even been a week since Josh Howard's exit from the Mavs and already some J-Ho speak has come back to haunt him.

Even after Mavs GM Donnie Nelson thanked Howard at the introductory press-conference for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson - J-Ho just had to say some negative things about the Mavericks.

From saying he's going to "stick to the Mavs" to feeling like he is now "wanted" by a team (didn't Dallas try their damnedest to make this emotional retard feel wanted during his stay here), Howard gave a middle-finger wave on his way out of Dallas.

Unfortunately for Howard, it seems as though some people inside the Mavericks organization didn't take too kindly to this and unloaded some of Howard's dumb-ass behavior on the media. It was listed at the time as a stomach illness, but sources are now saying that Howard was too hung-over to play in that night's game against, ironically, the team that has to deal with his ass now - the Washington Wizards.

This is a guy that makes $10 million a year to play basketball. Could this guy not roll out of bed, take a couple of aspirin and pound-down some Pepto to get it in gear for a 7:00 p.m. start? This makes one start to wonder what other crazy things this guy has done throughout the course of his career that we actually dont know about.

From disprecting the National Anthem, admitting to smoking weed in the offseason unprompted, street racing and getting arrested for it, having a horrible game in the playoffs and then passing out flyers to your b-day bash, averaging career-lows in just about everything this season and now not playing a game because you were too hung over:

Good riddance Josh!

Don't let the door hit you where the good-lord split you.

Mavericks Rebound From Tough Loss - 107-97

Jason Kidd had a career-high seven steals as the Dallas defense held the potent Suns offense to 97 points, almost 13 fewer than their season average (109.6). (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

No matter how you slice it, the Dallas Mavericks (33-21) needed this game bad.

After losing to a division-rival by double-digits Tuesday night in Oklahoma City, the Mavericks knew they had to rebound at home - even if it was on the second night of a back-to-back. Jason Kidd had quite possibly his best game since his return to Dallas, filling up the stat sheet with 18 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and a career high seven steels, leading the Mavericks to a much-needed win.

"As a veteran team, we've got to understand what's at stake and start playing our best basketball," said Kidd, who also knocked down 4-8 shots from behind the arc. "We can't wait until the playoffs start. This was a must-win for us."

The Mavericks held the Phoenix Suns (32-23) to 39 percent shooting in the first half, 1-14 from behind the arc, and into 17 turnovers. Dallas forced nine of those turnovers in the pivotal third quarter, where they took their biggest lead at 72-53, never trailing after that.

Nowitzki Gets Nasty

Aside from leading the Mavericks with 28 points, Dirk Nowitzki also got into an alteration with Grant Hill with 1:25 left in the game. It appeared Hill tried to take a swipe below Nowitzki's waist as the two were fighting for position, and Dirk wasn't happy. The two had to be separated with Hill yelling "what the f*** are you going to do?!"

If I was Nowitzki, here would be my response:

"I'm going to lead my team in scoring, score 10 points in the fourth quarter, grab seven rebounds, dish out three assists, block a shot and force a steal just for good measure. What are you going to do?"

Then I would have pointed first to the scoreboard, that showed Dallas up 103-95 and on their way to victory. Then I would have pointed to the stat-sheet that went a little something like this for Hill: 25 minutes, four points on 2-5 shooting, 0 rebounds, three assists, a block a -19 plus/minus.

Of course, Nowitzki is a professional so any shit-talking directed at Hill wasn't caught on camera.

Haywood, Butler Getting Comfortable

With Erick Dampier's bone popping out of his middle-finger and requiring surgery (and may be out up to a month) Brendan Haywood got the first start of his Dallas career. The big man made the most of his opportunity, accounting for five of the Mavs' seven blocked shots. Haywood was a major reason Dallas held the second-highest scoring team in basketball to under 100 points. On the offensive end he showed soft hands under the basket, making 5-7 shots for 10 points while also grabbing nine rebounds.

Caron Butler played a better game as he seemed to be more in-tune with the Mavs offense. Shooting-wise there was nowhere to go but up after his 4-16 night against the Thunder. Butler went 6-16 this time (baby steps), scoring 15 points and pulling down five rebounds.

Both of the new additions showed flashes of why Dallas is going to be so tough down the stretch.

Stoudemire Goes Out With A Bang?

With 30 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks, Amare Stoudemire certainly made himself more valuable in a trade after his performance against Dallas. Stoudemire was a beast on both-ends of the court, seemingly making plays around the basket (at both ends of the court) all game long. Amare has scored over 20 points in eight straight games for the Suns and Phoenix is 6-2 during that span.

"I felt great," Stoudemire said. "I came out with a lot of intensity from the start. I wanted to set the tone early, offensively and defensively."

I don't know if the Suns will trade him, but Stoudemire definitely just upped the ante on what Phoenix is going to want in return.

What's Next

Dallas gets a day off before heading to Orlando Friday on the first night of yet another back-to-back. This will finally allow the new Mavs to get a practice session in for the first time since arriving.

Orlando is 37-18 0n the season (second in the Eastern Conference) and have won three of their past four games. Orlando is 21-5 at home (4th best in the NBA) and have won eight of their past nine games at home.

The Magic come into the game averaging 101.4 points per game and only allowing 95.8 (7th in the NBA). This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m and can be seen nationally on ESPN

News and Notes:

• Dallas has won five straight games at home against the Suns.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Mavericks Still A Work In Progress - 86-99

Kevin Durant and the Thunder spoiled the first game for the new and improved Mavs as the Dallas offense went cold in the second half. (AP Photo)

This was definitely not what Dallas Mavericks (32-21) envisioned for the first game with their new acquisitions, especially on the offensive end.

All things considered, this game was a tale of two quarters. With 10:52 left in the second quarter, Dallas had their biggest lead at 28-16 and had held the Thunder to under 30 percent shooting up to that point. The Mavericks then allowed the Oklahoma City Thunder (31-21) to score 40 points (season-high for OKC) and miss only five of 22 shots the rest of the quarter (77 percent). The Thunder found themselves up 56-54 at halftime after Dallas' horrendous defensive display.

The Mavericks compounded their horrendous defensive effort by having their worst offensive quarter all-season in the third. Dallas went over seven minutes in the quarter without scoring a point and finished the third having made only three of the 20 shots they attempted. The most disheartening part is how allergic the Mavs were to the paint on the offensive end. Of the Mavs' 20 field goal attempts, half of them were from 15-feet or further from the basket. After the smoke cleared, Dallas had a season-low 11 points and found themselves in their biggest hole of the game at 65-78.

"They were just making shots and we weren't," said new Maverick Caron Butler. "That's the story of the game. The third quarter, that really killed us."

Dallas got as close as eight (84-92) with 1:57 left in the fourth, but OKC stiffened up defensively and the Mavs managed only two-more points - a J.J. Barea lay-up in garbage time with 16 seconds left - the rest of the game. The Mavericks missed 10 of their final 12 shots from the field and 21 of 31 in the second half. For the game, Dallas shot a season-low 32 percent.

"It was frustrating," said Rick Carlise, who has seen his Mavericks lose six of their past eight games. "I'm not going to make excuses about the trade."

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 24 points, but made only 2 of his final 12 shots after starting the game 7-10. Dirk also added nine rebounds and six assists.

Kevin Durant had a game-high 25 points, as his coach decided to let him stay in the game even with it all-but-over at 97-84 Thunder with 26 seconds left in regulation. Durant made one of two free-throws and got his lay-up to get his 25 points - although it took him 27 shots to get there. Oklahoma City has now won seven straight games (dating back to Jan.29).

Newcomers Have Shaky Start

Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson all made their season-debuts for the Mavericks, Tuesday night and none had a very good game.

Caron Butler looked nervous to begin the game starting out with a turnover, an airball and a missed defensive assignment that allowed Jeff Green and easy lay-up. Butler though, scoring six points, grabbing three rebounds and even blocking Kevin Durant at the rim. He scored his first basket at the 7:00 mark of the first, a top of the key jumper just below the three point line, and actually ending the quarter strong. Butler scored six points, grabbed three rebounds and even blocked Kevin Durant at the rim in his first quarter as a Mav. It didn't end well though as Butler barely played in the fourth and finished the game 4-16 from the field for 13 points while also bringing down six boards.

Brendan Haywood played only 15 minutes, but got off to a good start. The new Mavericks' center scored his first basket with 4:00 to go in the first (a nice catch from Terry and lay-up) and actually led Dalas with seven points to begin the second quarter, while adding four rebounds, at that point. Haywood didn't score again and only grabbed two more rebounds the rest of the game.

DeShawn Stevenson played (and Rodrigue Beaubois didn't!?!?) missing his only shot in five minutes of action. He played OK defense, I guess, so it wasn't a complete waste of time.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

New Mavs Have Tough Test

Upcoming four games in five nights stretch will test Mavericks' newcomers. Dallas' four opponents have a combined record of 123-88 (.583), with the lone team under .500 being the Miami Heat (26-27). (AP Photo/Don Ryan/LM Otero/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson aren't going to have a whole lot of time to get adjusted as Dallas is going into one of their toughest five days of the season.

After not being able to practice today, because some former Mavs haven't shown up to Washington yet, the three acquisitions (one for-sure starter in Butler and likely starter in Haywood) won't fully practice with their new team until game-day tomorrow.

"It's a situation that's not ideal, but we're going to make it work," said Mavericks coach Rick Carlise, who is in charge of making the new trade work. "These guys will adjust."

The first test comes Tuesday night, 7:00 p.m, in Oklahoma City.

Terry Makes It Easy

Jason Terry had to of known it was coming. So, like a professional, Terry put his pride to the side (yet again) and volunteered his starting position to Caron Butler.

"Me and [Terry], we are familiar with one-another," said Butler. "He's always been like a big-brother to me. He's just making the transition real smooth for me."

Would you expect anything less from (who I believe is) Mr. Mav and the reigning Sixth-Man of the Year?

Kobe Killing Mavs With Kindness

One of the biggest supporters of the recent blockbuster Dallas trade has been none-other than four-time NBA Champion Kobe Bryant.

"You put him on a contender and I'm telling you, you're going to love him," said Bryant of Butler. "He's tough as nails."

Bryant also said he hated to admit it, but referred to the Mavs as serious contenders.

I don't believe one thing that is coming out of Bryant's mouth here. I think this is a clear situation where a player is being a bit tongue-in-cheek and trying to give Dallas a big head. Bryant did play with Butler, in L.A. in the 04-05 season, so at least his comments about his former teammate might be legit.

Regardless of what Kobe thinks, basketball in Dallas got a whole lot more interesting with 30 games left in the regular season. Mavericks' fans are eagerly anticipating there first glimpse of the newest Dallas players.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

All-Star Game Ends In Boredom

Six straight free-throws mar what was a pretty competitive contest. Dirk Nowitzki was second on the West team in scoring with 22 points. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, Pool)

With 1:05 left in the fourth quarter and the game tied 137-137, TNT cameras panned out to show what was earlier in the night a record setting crowd at 108,713.

Unfortunately, it seems, fans at the game would rather have beaten traffic than to see who won as you could see many empty seats. It turned out to be a smart move, though, as referees decided to get involved and then Western Conference coach George Karl decided to draw-up a give-up play designed for Carmelo Anthony to end it.

Anthony led the West squad with 27 points and 10 rebounds on 13-22 shooting, but his off-balance shot from about 28-feet out was short as the buzzer sounded. Dwyane Wade, the game's MVP, led the East with 28 points and 11 assists, while Lebron James scored 25. James and Wade combined to score 12 of the East's final 19 points.

Dallas Connections

Dallas native Chris Bosh made the game-winning free throws and finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Bosh was 9-16 from the floor for the game.

Deron Williams scored 14 points, dished out six assists and had three steals for the game and got the West squad running as soon as he was put into the game. Williams did make a bone-headed play at the end of the game, intentionally fouling Dwyane Wade with 12 seconds left in a tie game. It appeared as though The Colony native forgot what the score was as you could see Nowitzki in the background screaming "NO!".

Dirk Nowitzki, the star of the show, scored 22 points on 8-15 shooting. Nowitzki had a chance to win it with seven seconds left but he couldn't get the ball in the air after being fouled by Dwight Howard behind the three-point line. The Mavs MVP scored six points in the fourth quarter, all on free throws in the last three minutes.

The dunk contest blew and the All-Star Game could have ended better, but all-in-all a great event and showcase for Cowboys Stadium.

The real thing starts Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Caron Butler will start at shooting guard and Brendan Haywood will likely start at center as the Mavericks will show-off their recent additions for the first time.

All-Star Saturday Night Takes A Step Back

Lackluster Slam Dunk competition ruins progress of previous two years. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

As Nate Robinson and DeMar DeRozen stood awkwardly in front of an uninterested crowd at the AAC Saturday night, while the fan votes were being counted, TNT analyst Charles Barkley had the line of the night.

"Maybe none of them will win," said a dejected Barkley as the rest of the TNT crew burst into laughter.

DeMarr DeRozen, Shannon Brown, Nate Robinson and Gerald Wallace gave an uninspired and unoriginal effort in what is supposed to be a forum for creativity. It appeared as though the dunks they tried were thought-up at the last minute. From alley-oops that could be done in a game, to a reverse slam dunk; the dunk contest sucked.

DeRozen had the only quality dunks of the night, on his first two attempts, but that was it as the crowd at the AAC barely left their seats. Mid-contest, TNT began showing dejected NBA players and celebrities around the arena - the judges (Derek Haper, Ro Blackman, Spud Webb, Mark Acquire and Dominique Wilkins) looked annoyed that they had to judge this garbage.

Something has got to change. Whether it be upping the ante on prize money or requiring superstars to appear just once in the contest - the slam dunk competition is unwatchable.

Other Winners

Dirk Nowitzki and the Texas group won the Shooting Stars competition on a Nowitzki half-court shot.

Steve Nash won the Skills competition, beating three point gaurds that were all at least 11 years younger than the 36 year-old point guard. Nash brought some fun to the event, trying to block Williams' lay-up as he finished his run in the final.

Paul Pierce won the three-point competition, beating Stephen Curry and Chauncey Billups in the final. Pierce hit all five money-balls in the final round and had 20 points to Curry's 17 and Billups' 14.

All-in-all, All-Star Saturday night was a giant snooze-fest. The three-point competition was somewhat entertaining and Nash's antics at the Skills competition were humerous but other than that the entire event was a giant dissapointment.

Mavericks Reach Tentative Trade Agreement

Deal in place sends Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross and James Singleton to the Washington Wizards for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Dallasnews.com reported it around 4 a.m. this morning, it appears as though Josh Howard is on his way out of Dallas.

While this isn't my first choice in return for swapping the disgruntled swing-man, Andre Iguoudala and Samuel Dalembert might have been a better and more talented pair, this might be the jump-start Dallas needs after going 10-11 in their last 21 games and having beaten only Golden State (twice) in their last seven games.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is a "win" trade from the Mavericks. Adding a somewhat-legitimate second-banana to team-up with Nowitzki in Caron Butler (16.9 points a game, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists), while getting rid of the enigmatic Howard (who is having his worst statistical season since his rookie year with 12.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists) is a win in itself. But when you throw in a beast like Brendan Haywood, while he is in a contract year, makes this trade extremely lopsided in Dallas' favor.

The biggest problem with the Mavericks defense lately has been the lack of a post-defender with Erick Dampier in-and-out of the starting line-up with a knee injury. Haywood is 7 feet tall and 263 pounds, averages 2.1 blocks per game (career 1.5) and averages double-digits rebounds at 10.3 per game. While he is somewhat like Dampier in that he averages only 6.3 rebounds for his career, he is on a one-year lease (just like Dampier) and the Mavs have the option after this season to let him go to another team with no financial burden to worry about.

In the deal Washington saves about $10 million for the Summer 2010 free-agency bonanza and $5 million worth of savings on the cap immediately. But it seems while the team is going to be saving some cash in this, one Bleacher Report writer thinks the Wiz should be feeling a bit sore on their back-side.

Good deal for Dallas, Mavs' fans hope this deal puts a spark back into the team and I think it will.

(UPDATE: It's officially a done-deal according to ESPN's Marc Stein.)

Kidd Added To All-Star Roster

Jason Kidd will be joining Dirk Nowitzki for Sunday's All-Star game in Arlington. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

ESPN's Marc Stein reports Jason Kidd has been added to the Western Conference All-Star roster.

Kidd will take the place of Kobe Bryant who is out with various injuries. Good news for Mavs fans as the veteran point guard will make his 10th All-Star game appearance and fans will have a chance to see two of Dallas' best players.

No Mavs are involved with the Rookie-Sophomore game on Friday night or the Skills competitions on All-Star Saturday night. But Dallas is likely to have participants in the Legends game (or whatever it's called) and Spud Webb is a judge for the dunk competition.

Mavs Limp Into All-Star Break - 91-127

Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd look on as the Mavericks got their collective asses whooped by the Nuggets in Denver. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Is it possible for a 36-point loss to not feel that close?

Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups returned to the line-up as the Denver Nuggets (35-17) put a hurtin' on the Dallas Mavericks (32-20).

Dallas was without both Shawn Marion (lower back tightness) and Erick Dampier (left knee issues) and did check into their hotel room in Denver at 4 a.m. Tuesday; but enough with the excuses: the Mavericks sucked tonight.

Dallas allowed Denver to make 60.8 percent of their baskets (61 percent on threes), were out-rebounded by the Nuggets 47-38 and scored only 16 points in the paint compared to Denver's 44.

Mavericks' players avoided the painted area like the plague as they were out-hustled by the Nuggets all game long. One possession in particular, late in the first half, the Nuggets got four straight rebounds on one trip down the floor - concluding with a foul on Rodrigue Beaubois and two made Aaron Afflalo free-throws. Dallas not only got beat-up physically, but played timid all-game long as well.

Nowitzki, Howard Lead Awful Shooting Night

The Mavericks shot a lowly 32 percent in the first half and finished the game at 38.2 percent. Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki combined to shoot 10-29 from the field (34 percent) and 1-5 from deep.

Mavs Bench Dominated By Nuggets

Bench play wasn't even close. Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, back from missing their last game against Utah, barely broke a sweat in this game as the Denver bench thoroughly outplayed the Mavs.

The Nuggets outscored the Mavericks bench 50-32, led by Chris Anderson's 14 points and 10 rebounds.

"The good thing is my first game back, I didn't have to do much," said Anthony, who still scored 19 points and dropped six dimes in 30 minutes of action. "I wanted to play [more], but I'll take a 36-point win any day."

Whats Next

Not a good way to go into an All-Star break that is being played on your own home turf. Disgusting performance.

No games for Dallas until next Tuesday, look for Dirk Nowitzki in the All-Star game Sunday evening.

News and Notes

• Dallas has lost six of the last seven games against Denver (including the playoffs).
• The Mavs never led in this game and 36 points is the worst defeat-margin for Dallas this season.
• In the Mavericks first 32 games (2009), they lost by double-digits only three times. So far in 2010 (20 games) they have lost six games by 10 or more points.
• Dallas is now 6-7 this season on the second night of a back-to-back. The Mavs have four more back-to-backs this season including two in a row their first week back after the All-Star break.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Fourth Quarter Kings 127-117

Drew Gooden and the Mavericks avoiding losing to the two worst teams in the Western Conference back-to-back as Dallas came back from being down double digits early in the fourth quarter. Dallas ended the game on a 19-5 run. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Shawn Marion characterized this game as a "must win" for the Mavericks, but it didn't look good as the Mavs struggled defensively throughout the game.

Then came the fourth quarter.

The Dallas Mavericks (32-19) had allowed the Golden State Warriors (13-37) to score 98 points at the end of three quarters, 70 in the first half, and were staring at a 100-90 deficit with 11:02 left in regulation. The Mavericks defense tightened, allowing only 19 total fourth quarter points, and Dallas then went on a 37-17 run to the end of regulation.

"This was a bit of a gut-check for us, " said coach Rick Carlise, echoing the pre-game opinion of Marion. "It was a game we desperately needed and we fought hard for."

Jason Terry led all scorers with a season-high 36 points, while also contributing nine assists, six rebounds and three steals. Terry didn't settle for jump-shots as his 12-13 free throws can attest.

"The best thing you can do is put pressure on them, don't settle and just play as hard as you can," said Terry, who was also 6-9 from behind the arc. "It's my job to go out and perform at a high-level every night that I'm out there."

The Mavericks set season-highs for fast-break points (41) and free-throws made/attempted (41-46). In the fourth quarter alone, Dallas was 14-2 on the break and 16-17 from the line.

Bench Play Comes Up Big

With Dirk Nowitzki in foul trouble early and only playing 29 minutes for the game, it was up to the rest of the Mavs players to step up. Drew Gooden (24) and Josh Howard (25) set season-highs for points as the Mavericks' bench outscored the Warriors' reserves 54-14.

J-Ho and Gooden combined to go 15-26 from the field (58 percent) and 18-20 from the free-throw line as they pulverized Golden State in the paint. Gooden also brought down 10 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season.

This was a great sign for Howard, too, as he only attempted two three-pointers (making one) and was predominately around the basket all game long.

What's Next

Dallas can breathe a sigh of relief as they narrowly avoided losing two straight against teams with a combined 26-75 record on the season. It wasn't pretty, but the Mavs came through in the clutch and got the job done.

The Mavericks have a quick turnaround as they take on the Denver Nuggets, Tuesday night, in Denver. The Nuggets are 34-17 on the year, good for second in the Western Conference.

Denver scored the second-most points per game in the NBA (107.2) and average over 111 points per game at home. They also feature the third-best road record in the NBA (22-4). The Mavs beat the Nuggets 104-96, in Denver, earlier this season.

Carmelo Anthony (second in the NBA in scoring at 29.7 points per game) and Chauncey Billups, are listed as questionable for the game.

Tip-off is at 8:00 p.m. and can be seen locally on KTXA 21.

News and Notes:

• Jason Kidd scored 17 points and dished out 12 assists for his 15th double-double of the season. Kidd is 5th in the NBA among point guards in double-doubles.
• The Mavericks had previously lost five of their last six in Golden State before Monday's victory.
• This was the 11th time this season that the Mavs have rallied from a double-digit deficit to win a game - tops in the NBA.
• Erick Dampier missed his 13th game of the season due to a swollen left knee. The Mavericks are 10-3 in games Dampier misses.

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Super Bowl 44

This Super Bowl match-up proves momentum going into the playoffs is overrated. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

So much for every "expert's" assertion that you have to be playing well going into the playoffs.

The Indianapolis Colts (two straight) and the New Orleans Saints (three straight) combined to lose five straight games going into the playoffs by an average of 12 points a game.

In the playoffs, however, the Colts have been dominant. They've allowed only 20 points in two playoff games while scoring a total of 50 against two of the best defenses in the league. Both Baltimore (16.3) and the New York Jets (14.8) were in the top three in scoring defense in the NFL, during the regular season.

New Orleans won convincingly in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, a 45-14 beat-down of Arizona, and then their ball-hawking harassed and confused Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings all game long. This led to five forced turnovers for a team that was second in the NFL in takeaways during the regular season with 39.

Prediction

This is the most excited that I've been about a Super Bowl in a long time.

Super Bowl 44 features two excellent offenses led by arguably the two best quarterbacks in the game today. Drew Brees and Peyton Manning have combined to throw 11 touchdowns with only one interception in the postseason, while also taking only five sacks combined - one for Brees and four for Manning.

Don't sleep on the defenses either, as both the Saints and the Colts get pressure on the quarterback and force turnovers.

Manning will be tested by Darren Sharper (nine interceptions, three touchdowns in the regular season) but, unless the Saints get pressure on him, he is going to have a field day.

The Colts defense (even if Dwight Freeney doesn't play - which he will), has dealt with injuries to it's top players all season long. From former Defensive MVP Bob Sanders, to losing starting corners; this team has persevered through injuries to their best defensive players for most of the season.

I beleive this will be an exciting game, with lots of points on the board and some key turnovers on both sides.

Peyton Manning is too good not to win this game. He is, in my opinion, easily the best quarterback in the last 10 years - if not the best of all-time.

Colts - 42

Saints - 38

Pathetic Performance - 117-108

Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks stumbled in the 4th quarter against the second-worst road team in the NBA. Minnesota has now beaten Denver, New Jersey, Utah and Dallas for their four road wins this season (4-24). (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Is this rock-bottom for this year's iteration of the Dallas Mavericks? This team is supposed to be comprised of veterans that know how to finish games late, especially against the worst team in the Western Conference.

That didn't happen tonight.

After two Jason Kidd free-throws gave the Dallas Mavericks (31-19) a 106-104 lead with 2:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Mavs allowed the the Minnesota Timberwolves (12-38) to go on a 13-2 run.

Dallas was 0-5 from the field during the run and their two points was on 2-4 shooting from the free-throw line. This while allowing Minnesota to make 3-4 shots (2-2 from deep) and go to the line five times, three of those after a bone-head play from Nowitzki on a Corey Brewer attempt from deep.

"We need to dig down and find some pride," said Mavericks coach Rick Carlise. "It's as simple as that."

Minnesota had a balanced effort on offense, with six players scoring in double-figures. Rookie point-guard Jonny Flynn led the Timberwolves with 19 points and also chipped in seven assists. Kevin Love had 17 points and 11 rebound off the bench on 8-12 shooting and Minnesota shot 53 percent for the game.

"I think we've matured as a team," said Flynn, who has led the T-Wolves in scoring 13 times this season. "We are just starting to find ourselves."

Maybe Dallas is starting to find itself also, and it's not liking the team it is. But I think this is the same thing many other teams, that have added a key player in the off season, are either going through or have already gone through this season.

I said this before the season and I'll say it again here: the regular season is going to be an adjustment period for many of these teams that are really just trying to figure out who they are with their off season acquisitions. The real season doesn't start until April, when teams have had a chance to get a full season together, and know who they are what they're capable of. For these teams, (Dallas, San Antonio, Portland, Cleveland, Orlando, among others) you just have to hope your in the playoffs by the time you figure it out.

Nowitzki Benches Himself

After showing up to shoot-around 30 minutes late, Dirk Nowitzki decided he needed to learn his lesson. So, he put himself in time-out for the first 5:12 of the first quarter. Josh Howard started in Nowitzki's place, but it really didn't matter much. Dirk still played 37 minutes scoring 21 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists.

J-Ho went 4-11 for 11 points as he, again, fell in love with his mediocre-to-below-average jump-shot.

Beaubois Plays Entire Fourth Quarter.

Rookie Rodrigue Beaubois, fresh off Rick Carlisle's statement that he is now the Mavs' backup point guard, had a big fourth quarter.

Roddy B scored 10 points, made 3-4 from behind the arc, and dished out an assist in his first crunch time minutes of the season. The kid is going to continue to grow and the more time he gets the better.

Beaubois finished with 17 points, two assists and two steals in 24 minutes.

Shoddy Defense Leads to Mediocre Play

In the year 2010, the Dallas Mavericks are 9-9. In 11 of those 19 games, Dallas has allowed 100 or more points and their record in these contests is 3-8.

In the last six games, the Mavs defense has allowed at least 101 point and the lowest field goal percentage they have held an opponent to is 49.4 percent (Utah-Loss, Golden State-Win). Dallas has allowed an average of 109 points over the last six and their record is 2-4 in those games.

The Mavericks have got to figure out something as they appear compeltely uninterested on the defensive end of the floor. Carlisle keeps calling this team out for lack of heart and that may very well be the case as it isn't like this team is not capable of being a top-10 defense (see the first two months of the season).

Whats Next

Dallas travels to Oakland, Monday night, to take on the Golden State Warriors for the second time in six days. Dallas is 1-1 against the Warriors this season.

Golden State is not a very good team but, with this Dallas team, no win is ever assured.

Tip-off is at 9:30 p.m. and can be seen locally on Fox Sports Southwest

News and Notes:

• Dallas had won 13 straight overall and seven straight at home against Minnesota before this loss.
• Dirk Nowitzki's self-imposed benching meant he came off the bench for the first time since Dec. 14, 1999 against the San Antonio Spurs. That was Nowitzki's second season.
• Ryan Hollins had 15 points and five rebounds, but fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
  
• Minnesota has now won three straight games for the first time this season.
• Mavericks' fans at the AAC got fed up with the team numerous times during Friday's game. A well-deserved chorus of boos was dropped on the Mavs several times during the game.
  

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Mavs Survive 110-101

Mavericks withstand Ellis' career night to snap three-game skid. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Even the crappiest of teams still have a chance against this year's Mavericks.

What seemed like an easy blow-out win for the Dallas Mavericks (31-18) turned into a close game down the stretch. Dallas led by as many as 18 in the first half (62-44) and 14 in the second (73-59), before the Warriors made it a close game in the fourth.

The Golden State Warriors (13-25) got to within six at the end of the third quarter and were down only three at 95-92 with less than five minutes to play. Dirk Nowitzki then took over as he scored six straight points to put the Mavericks up 101-92 with 3:19 left in regulation.

Nowitzki appeared to injure his thumb late in the third quarter but returned to score nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, leading Dallas to it's 31st win of the season.

"Teams are putting smaller guys on me," said Nowitzki, who made seven of his 11 shot attempts. "When I go into the post, here comes the double-team and the ball is out of my hands. I wasn't getting a lot of looks. But I got enough to win the game."

Jason Terry led the Mavericks with 21 points (8-17 from the floor) and Shawn Marion (9-11) tied his season-high with 18 as Dallas shot 54.4 percent as a team.

Josh Howard had his second-highest scoring game of the season (19) as he and Drew Gooden combined to score 35 of Dallas' 45 bench points. The Mavericks bench outscored the Warriors bench 45-21 for the game.

"We give guys contract extensions."

For the second time in the last three games, at home, the Dallas Mavericks have allowed a player to score their career high against them.

Andre Miller demolished his previous career-high (35) with his 52 point night in Dallas on Jan. 30, and Monte Ellis put on a show tonight in Dallas.

Ellis was 17-23 from the field (74 percent), 4-6 from deep and scored a career-high 46 points in 41 minutes of playing time.

"That's what we do," Nowitzki joked. "We give guys contract extensions."

Unlike Miller, Ellis is an excellent scorer - he is sixth in the NBA in scoring at 26.6 per game - so it wasn't as bad as letting Miller (12.6 per game average) go off. Ellis previous career-high was 45, which occured earlier this season (Nov.30) against the Indiana Pacers at home.

What's Next

Dallas has an excellent chance the next two games to pick up some ground on the Denver Nuggets for second place in the West before their Feb.9 showdown in Denver. The Mavericks have a home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday and go on the road to Golden State to take on the Warriors again on Monday. These teams have the two worst records in the Western Conference, so Dallas should be able to take care of business. Should.

The Timberwolves are 11-38 and have the second worst record in basketball, behind only the 4-44 New Jersey nets. Minnesota is 3-21 on the road (tied for second-worst in the NBA) and allow an average of 106.7 points a game while scoring only 97.6, the second worst differential in the NBA (9.1).

Minnesota has lost five of their last seven games and haven't won on the road since Dec. 23, 2009 (10 games), against the Nets.

Tip-off is at 7:30 and can be seen locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

News and Notes:

• Jason Kidd tied a season-high with six steals and with 16 assists (11 in the first half alone) had his fourth 15+ assist game this season. Dallas is 4-0 in those games. Kidd is fifth in the NBA is assists per game (9.3).
• This will be the first time Ryan Hollins and Nathan Jawai will play in Dallas since they left the Mavs in the offseason. (Wow. Slow news and notes day)
  

(Portions of this article were taken from The Associated Press)

Fourth Quarter Meltdown - 92-104

Andrei Kirilenko (47) and the rest of the Jazz completely bent over the Mavericks in the fourth quarter as Dallas has now lost three straight games for the first time this season. (AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson)

The Dallas Mavericks (30-18) did not end this game well, to say the least. After being down only one point at the end of three quarters (76-77) Dallas was outscored 27-16 in the final 12 minutes.

When the game mattered (before Dallas waved the white flag with 2:27 left) the Mavs made 2 of 11 field goals, turned the ball over seven times and allowed the Jazz to grab seven offensive rebounds. Utah made 10-19 shots during this time and, after 13 lead changes the first three quarters, the Jazz took their first double-digit lead at 93-82 with 6:48 to go and didn't lead by less than 10 the rest of the game.

The Utah Jazz (29-18) have won a season-high six straight games and are now only a half a game behind Dallas for third place in the West. Utah bullied Dallas inside all game, beating the Mavs on the boards by nine (43-34) and scored 54 points in the paint compared to Dallas' 32.

Dallas is now three games back of Denver for second in the West and three-and-a-half games back from being out of the playoffs altogether.

2010 Pro-Bowl

How the Dallas Cowboys did in a meaningless game you likely didn't watch. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)


Tony Romo: 13-18 154 yards 0 touchdowns 1 interception.
Romo led the NFC squad to 10 points in his three possessions running the offense, then he threw an awful pass (reminiscent of the int in Minnesota) that was intercepted by James Harrison. For some reason, Romo was booed during introductions but I'm not sure what the Floridians had against the Cowboys QB.

Jason Witten: 3 catches for 49 yards.
Witten had a 33-yard reception at the end of the first quarter and caught an eight-yard pass to the AFC 6-yard line that led to an NFC 17-14 lead.

Miles Austin: 6 catches, 49 yards, kick return for 15 yards
Austin did most of his damage after Romo came into the game as the pair hooked up for three receptions an (eight-yards, 13-yards, and 17-yards) on the NFC's final drive.

Demarcus Ware: 4 tackles, 1 sack, forced fumble.
Ware sacked Pro Bowl MVP Matt Schaub mid-fourth quarter, forcing a fumble - although the AFC recovered.

Jay Ratiliff: 2 tackles 1 pass deflection.
Ratliff tipped a pass at the line intended for Chad Ochocinco , that was about it.

Terence Newman: 7 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 punt return for 15 yards
Newman had a game-high seven tackles, but was burned a couple of times deep. Ochocinco beat him deep for 40 yards and 17 yards.

Mike Jenkins: 5 tackles, pass deflection
Jenkins got beat a couple of times too, but that's how it goes for defensive backs in the Pro Bowl.


The AFC won 41-34.