Moral Victory? Mavs Fall To Spurs 99-93

The effort was certainly there on this night, but Gary Neal (14) and the Spurs were too much for the Nowitzki-less Mavs. (AP Photo/Tim Sharp)

Coming off possibly the ugliest loss of the season, largely due to the lack of sustained energy, next up was the San Antonio Spurs (28-4) who are off to the best start in franchise history. However, getting up to face the NBA's best team was no problem for the Dallas Mavericks (24-7), as this team hung tough against the hard charging Spurs throughout.

"It's a tough loss," Mavericks' coach Rick Carlisle said, "but we just have to keep battling."

Despite the loss, the mood in the locker room after the game was unexpectedly upbeat -- considering the Mavericks had just been beaten by a division-rival, in what was a close contest at times.

Dirk-Less Mavs Tumble Vs Raptors - 84-76

Ed Davis (32) had a career night, and Dallas had trouble scoring points - reverting to launching almost nothing but 3's in the fourth quarter - as Toronto snapped the Mavs' five-game winning streak. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Coming off an emotional win against Oklahoma City, in which they beat and bullied the Thunder to take control of the game in the fourth quarter; the Dallas Mavericks (24-6) were beaten and bullied by a shorthanded and struggling Toronto Raptors (11-20) squad Tuesday night.

While the Mavericks' leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki had to miss the game due to a knee injury suffered Monday night, the Raptors were missing their own leading scorer in Andrea Bargnani (who averages just over 21 points per) and starting power forward Reggie Evans - who leads the team in rebounding at just over 12 per contest.

The Raptors, like Dallas, were also on the second night of a back-to-back -- having played the night before in Memphis -- so I think that takes care of all the would-be excuses for a Mavericks' team that collectively got their asses kicked.

"It was a disappointing loss, but I would credit Toronto more on their effort and how well they played," Mavericks' coach Rick Carlisle said. "They won the game. We didn't give it to them."

Fourth Quarter Stand - Mavericks 103 Thunder 93

With Dirk Nowitzki looking on from the locker room for most of the night due to injury, Shawn Marion (above, left) and the rest of the Mavericks picked up the slack - holding the Thunder to just 12 points in a dominant fourth quarter to pick up the win. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Without injured superstar Dirk Nowitzki (who left early in the second quarter due to a right knee injury), the Dallas Mavericks (24-5) proved they're more than just a one-man show Monday night in Oklahoma City. Dallas showcased great depth and tenacious defense in dispatching the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-11), increasing their league-best road record to 11-1.

Kevin Durant broke out of his slump against Dallas with 28 points on the night, but the Mavericks used a strong fourth quarter, especially on the defensive end, to persevere without their injured MVP. A suffocating defense held the Thunder to only 4 of 18 shooting in the final frame and Dallas doubled-up OKC 24-12 for the quarter.

The anchor of the Mavs' defense, Tyson Chandler, closed out the game with a block, a rebound and a steal on Oklahoma City's final two possessions to finish off the Mavericks' 17th win in 18 contests.

"I knew this team was a defensive team. They have the record of 24-5 because they have a talented group of guys that play well," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said.

Cardinals Take Cowboys Down A Peg - 27-26

Dallas couldn't overcome two pick 6's, one from Antonio Rogers-Cromartie (29) on the Cowboys' first possession, and kicker David Buehler's extra point went wide left as Arizona won on a last-second field goal. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The Dallas Cowboys (5-10) are still a dumb and inefficient football team.

They may have tried to fool you the last couple of weeks with some strong play but, I assure you, it was all a mirage. Despite out-gaining the Arizona Cardinals (5-10) by over 110 yards and holding the ball for over 16 more minutes than the Cards, Dallas was beaten by a Jay Feely 48-yard field goal with only five seconds left in regulation.

Arizona drove 46 yards with less than 1:45 left in the contest and only one timeout, converting a 4th and 15 along the way against a Cowboys defense that is now ranked 31st in the NFL against the pass.

Dirk Tops Bird; Mavs Stop New-Look Magic 105-99

Dirk Nowitzki (above, left) passed Larry Bird for 25th on the NBA's all-time scoring list and the Mavericks took care of a retooled Magic squad for their 16th win in the last 17 contests. (AP Photo/Stephen M. Dowell - Orlando Sentinel)

Forget being on a streak, right now it's tough for any NBA team to look at the schedule and see the humming Dallas Mavericks (23-5) on the horizon.

Dallas took time out Tuesday evening from bustin' streaks to take care of a struggling Orlando Magic (16-12) team, who now have lost eight of their last nine contests. The Mavericks persevered through a third consecutive game with at least 19 points and 20 rebounds from Magic center Dwight Howard with (surprise) some smothering defense and a well-rounded offensive attack.

Caron Butler led six Mavs in double figures with 20 points, and Dallas shot an even 50 percent for the game (including an outstanding 46.2 percent from behind the arc) while holding the Magic to only 44 percent shooting.

"We feel like we're one of the best teams in the league, if not the best right now," Butler said. "We're playing great basketball, so we want to capitalize on every opportunity."

Orlando's newcomers, acquired in a couple of blockbuster trades earlier in the week, failed to make a positive impact on the contest.

Bustin' A Streak - Mavs 98 Heat 96

Jason Terry (31) took flight in the clutch once again, scoring all 19 of his points in the final 11 minutes, and Shawn Marion (0) grabbed seven of his season-high 13 rebounds as the Mavericks took control in the fourth quarter to snap Miami's 12-game winning streak. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

If your a team in the NBA and riding a streak of five or more wins this season, it's not a good sign to see the Dallas Mavericks (22-5) next on the schedule. This is true especially for the Miami Heat (21-9), who have also now lost 14 straight regular season games against the Mavericks. Mavericks' coach Rick Carlisle reiterated after the contest that his team is concentrating only on victories, not bustin' streaks.

"I don't make a huge deal out of the streak," Carlisle said. "We are just trying to play solid basketball and win as many games as we can."

A matchup between two teams in the top-5 in the NBA in both points allowed and opponent field goal percentage (Miami is first in both categories) did not disappoint as each team showcased some shut-down defense.

Cowboys Sneak Past Redskins, 33-30

Cowboys blow 20-point lead, rally late to salvage three-point victory. Jason Witten (above) led the way offensively, racking up a touchdown and a season-high 140 yards receiving. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

When your defense is this bad, even a 27-7 lead in the third quarter against a journeymen quarterback starting his first game in two years isn't safe.

The Dallas Cowboys (5-9) struggled yet again to keep a bad offensive team from lighting up the scoreboard, this time it was newly christened starter Rex Grossman and the Washington Redskins (5-9) who supplied the fireworks. Grossman threw for a career-high four touchdowns, two during the Redskins fourth quarter rally alone, and 322 yards - only the second time in his eight year career he has gone over 300 yards passing.

The Cowboys defense did step up to force a Redskins punt late in the fourth, sacking Grossman two straight times to push the Washington offense back 17 yards to the 8-yard line - setting up the offense in great field position near midfield.

Nash Still A Fan Of Dallas

While his return to Dallas this season ended with a disappointing injury in the first quarter, Steve Nash (left) says he still considers the place he grew as a player a home away from home - over seven seasons after leaving the Mavericks via free agency. (AP Photo/Matt York)

After a great ovation from Mavericks' fans during pregame introductions, not many people in the arena expected to bust out another ovation for Suns' point guard Steve Nash in a matchup between conference rivals Friday night.

Unfortunately, and unexpectedly, the two-time MVP went down with a scary injury in the first quarter; prompting another round of cheers as Nash was able walk back to the locker room after having no feeling in his arms and legs for 10 long seconds.

Luckily, Nash told me he felt no lingering effects after the game and hopes to play early next week pending doctor's approval. Bouncing-back from injuries is nothing new for the 14-year vet, something he's proved time and time again throughout his career.

Coming into the 2010-2011 season, Nash has been the epitome of consistency and durability.

Mavericks Crush Nash-Less Suns - 106-91

Suns' point guard Steve Nash went down with a stinger injury in the first quarter, and Jason Terry (above) led a balanced attack as the Mavericks cruised to an easy win. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

The Dallas Mavericks (21-5) caught a break yet again Friday night as another former player was unable to showcase their skills due to an early exit. It's the second time in the last five games that a former Mavericks' point guard has gone down with an injury in the first quarter and then failing to return for the rest of the contest.

It happened Dec. 9, with New Jersey Nets' point guard Devin Harris crashing to the ground on his left shoulder, and this time it was against the Phoenix Suns (12-13) as two-time MVP Steve Nash went down hard in a collision with Mavericks' center Tyson Chandler five minutes into the opening quarter.

A scary scene played out as Nash laid motionless on the ground for a few minutes, and he said after the contest that he had no feeling in his arms or legs after his neck bent awkwardly against Chandler's hip and elbow.

"I couldn't feel my arms or legs for about 10 seconds," Nash said. "My left side came back, then my right side came back when I went to the locker room - and I feel better."

Not This Time - Nowitzki, Mavs Halt Blazers 103-98

After struggling through three quarters, Dirk Nowitzki erupted with a huge fourth quarter to prevent Dallas from blowing a double-digit lead for the second straight game. (AP Photo/Michael Fuentes)

Even after failing to hit the broad side of a barn for three quarters, superstars like the Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki know how to rev it up into another gear with the game on the line.

He proved as much again Wednesday night as, coming into the fourth quarter, Nowitzki had made only 2 of 9 shots from the field before stepping up huge for the Dallas Mavericks (20-5) with 12 points on 5 of 7 shooting to lead his team to victory over the Portland Trail Blazers (12-14).

"We had a chance there at the end. Dirk made two really tough shots, that's what he does," Blazers' forward (and Dallas-native) Lamarcus Aldridge said. "We did our best to make the shots tough, but he still made them."

Aldridge matched Nowitzki stride for stride in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 of his career-high 35 points in the contest, but it wasn't enough as Dallas held strong after blowing 17-point lead in the third quarter.

So Long Lee, We Hardly Knew Ye

It appears as though the "mystery team" involved throughout the negotiations has snatched Cliff Lee (right) from the grasp of both the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, and it's a team he's played for before - the Philadelphia Phillies. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

Well, at least he didn't sign with the Yankees.

Various reports surfaced late Monday night that Texas Rangers' ace Cliff Lee is set to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The left-hander Texas traded for at the deadline last season, and whom subsequently led the Rangers to their first World Series appearance, is expected to sign a five-year, $100 million contract with a player-option for a sixth year.

Bucked! Milwaukee Snaps Streak 103-99

Dallas got out to another big lead early before blowing it in the second half, this time Andrew Bogut (above) and the Bucks completed the comeback with only their third win on the road (in 11 tries) this season. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

This was bound to happen.
 
The Dallas Mavericks (19-5) have played with fire over the past few games, getting out to huge leads before lethargic, sloppy play reared it's ugly head. It happened again Monday night against the Milwaukee Bucks (10-13), and this time the Mavericks were unable to mount a late rally to salvage the victory.
 
"This kind of slippage we've seen all too often," Mavericks' coach Rick Carlisle said. "I've got to coach harder, the players have got to be more conscientious, we've got to do better than we did tonight."

Dallas jumped out to a 42-22 midway through the second quarter, dominating the Bucks on both ends of the floor with a 15-2 run to take the largest lead of the game for either team.

Eagles Sprint Past Cowboys - 30-27

Dallas battled the Eagles all game long but, in the end, DeSean Jackson (10) and the explosive Philly offense was too much to handle. (AP Photo/Canon, Bob Malish)

With two flicks of the wrist, Philadelphia Eagles' (9-4) quarterback Michael Vick made a statement to start the game against the Dallas Cowboys (4-9), and set up wide receiver DeSean Jackson yet again to finish it in the fourth quarter to vault the Eagles to first place in the NFC East.

It's the Eagles first win at Cowboys Stadium and, with the loss, the Cowboys are now officially eliminated from playoff contention.

"It doesn't feel good," Cowboys' owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. "They made a couple of big plays that we weren't able to make, but I liked the way we got after Vick, I really did. I like the way that we responded when we got down each time, a whole bunch of good things."

While the Cowboys were able to contain Vick in the pocket, while also putting pressure on the speedy QB, the Eagles quarterback and his favorite target still shredded the Dallas defense.

Mavs Knock Of Jazz 103-97 - Win 12th Straight

Tyson Chandler (above) and the Mavericks blew a huge early lead, but got hot late to take care of Jazz and push win streak to a dozen. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

After an outstanding start from the field, things changed quickly Saturday night for the home team at the American Airlines Center.

The Dallas Mavericks (19-4) hit 13 of 18 field goals in the first quarter (7 of 10 from 3-point range) jumping out to a 25-point lead right out of the gate. But, by the fourth quarter, the Utah Jazz (17-8) battled back to tie the game at 89 with only 4:31 left in regulation.

"They slowly chipped away and chipped away and finally tied the game there in the fourth, and we had to really dig deep, grind it out and get some stops," said Dirk Nowitzki, who led Dallas with 31 points and 15 rebounds on the night.

Show Lee The Money

Rangers must do everything they can to sign Cliff Lee (left) and remain relevant in the landscape of Major League Baseball. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

As the bidding war escalates between the American League Champion Texas Rangers and 27-time World Champion New York Yankees, it's time for the Rangers' brass to do what that did in acquiring Cliff Lee out from under the Yankees in the first place: up the ante.

Show Lee the money!

I've read some grumblings from Dallas-area sports columnists about how this signing is similar to the epic-fail courtship and record-setting contract given to Alex Rodriguez by former owner Tom Hicks just nine seasons ago.

This is a not a fair comparison, in fact, it's a vast underestimation of Lee's talents and what he brings to a team.

Streak Continues - Mavs Handle Nets 102-89

Mavericks notch 11th straight win in Avery Johnson's return to Big D. Jason Terry (31) notched 15 points to go along with a huge night for the Dallas reserves. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Another night, another win for the streaking Dallas Mavericks (18-4).

This time, no fourth quarter outburst was needed as Dallas got out to a quick start and held on to beat the New Jersey Nets (6-17) - and former head coach Avery Johnson.

"It was pretty emotional," the Nets' head coach said after the contest. "A lot of friends and family are here tonight... it was good seeing some the guys."

4th Quarter Kings - Mavs Win 105-100

After 24 lead changes, the Mavericks put together one of their patented fourth quarter runs to take care of the Warriors and push their winning streak to 10 straight games. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Over a quarter of the way into the 2010-2011 season, the Dallas Mavericks (17-4) are the most clutch team in basketball.

How else can you categorize a team that has won time and time again during this 10-game streak using the same formula: close out the fourth quarter.

"We're a veteran ball club and we expect to win in the fourth quarter," Mavericks' sixth man Jason Terry said.

Dallas did just that Tuesday night, trailing for the first minute of the final frame to the Golden State Warriors (8-13) before taking the lead and never looking back to pick up the win.

The People's Choice

In his first meaningful action of the season, Tashard Choice (32) proved against Indy that he should have a shot at carrying the load in the running game for Dallas. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

With four games left in the 2010-2011 NFL season, it's time for the Dallas Cowboys to evaluate their talent going into next year. While winning three of the last four games in nice, at 4-8 on the season, it's time for the Cowboys to make decisions on who's in and who's out going into 2011-2012.

This is true especially at the running back position where Dallas has struggled on the ground for most of the year with a trio of runners who contributed so much last season.

Much of that changed Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis, as Tashard Choice - with Marion Barber out of the lineup with a strained calf - spearheaded a season-best 217 yard rushing attack.

Intercepted - Cowboys Corral Colts In OT 37-34

The Cowboys withstand Colts' charge as Peyton Manning's fourth interception, the second pick of the game from rookie linebacker Sean Lee (above), set Dallas up for the game-winning field goal in overtime. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

In back-to-back weeks now, the Dallas Cowboys (4-8) have a pushed team that played in the Super Bowl just a season ago to the limit in a back and forth contest.

This time, however, the Cowboys were able to come through in the clutch, taking down the Indianapolis Colts (6-6) on the road in impressive fashion.

Mavs Sneak Past Kings - 105-103

Mavericks use 15-4 spurt to end contest, extending win streak to nine games. Jason Terry (31) scored eight of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and had a game-sealing steal in the final seconds to propel Dallas to victory. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In an unexpected turn of events, the lowly Sacramento Kings (4-15) played some of their best basketball of the season Saturday night, providing the Dallas Mavericks (16-4) with arguably their stiffest test in the last nine games.

Tyreke Evans scored 25 points for the Kings, but a late rally by Jason Terry and the Mavericks proved to be to much for the young squad to handle.

"I remember it was 99-90 (Kings) and we were able to lock them down from that point on," Mavs' center Tyson Chandler said. "We were able to close it out. This was huge one for us coming off a big win (Friday night) against Utah. Everyone was a little tired, but we withstood their runs."

Sacramento jumped out to a 37-25 lead late in the first quarter behind 35 combined points from Evans (14 points), Demarcus Cousins (11) and Donte Green (10).

Streak Busters - Mavs Smother Jazz 93-81

Mavericks snap five-game skid in Utah - along with the Jazz seven-game winning streak overall - and push win streak to eight straight games behind a strong second-half performance from Dirk Nowitzki (41). (AP Photo/Colin E Braley)

Time and time again through the early part of this season, the Dallas Mavericks (15-4) continue to impose their will in big-time contests. For a fifth time this season, the Mavericks have put an opposing team's winning streak of five or more games out to pasture.

The trend continued Friday night, as the Mavericks used another late game run to put away the Utah Jazz (15-6) in a hostile environment on the road.

"Dallas came out and beat us in the second half," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said. "They really pushed the ball up the floor, and we had a tough time getting back on defense."

The Mavericks trailed 46-43 with 9:07 left in the third quarter, after a hotly contested first half saw neither team lead by more than seven points, before making their move.

Mavericks Take Care Of T-Wolves - 100-86

Shawn Marion (0) led an extremely balanced attack on offense, scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds off the bench, as Dallas didn't trail after the first quarter against Minnesota. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

It was another blowout win for the Dallas Mavericks (1-4) against the Minnesota Timberwolves (4-14) Wednesday night, the team's the second straight and seventh consecutive win overall.

Dallas outrebounded the normally stout on the boards Timberwolves 50-46, something that was a key coming into the contest.

"That was a point of emphasis for the game," Mavericks' coach Rick Carlisle said. "Everybody was focused on keeping a body on their man and knowing where [Kevin] Love was on the floor."

The NBA's leading rebounder still secured 15 boards, along with 12 points, but was overshadowed by Mavericks' center Tyson Chandler.