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. Ian Mahinmi, filling in for injured starter Tyson Chandler (stomach illness), played the entire fourth for the Mavs, scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds to lead Dallas. Mahinmi finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds - the first double-double of his career.
"We played with great passion tonight in the fourth quarter, especially on defense," Mahinmi said. "That has to be our main focus and as long as we're doing that we give ourselves a good chance to win every game."
The defense certainly came alive late, the Mavericks forced five turnovers in the fourth quarter, 19 for the game, as the team just seemed to flip that switch like they've done so often over the last few weeks.
Terry, who scored 10 points in the final frame, continued to preach defense after the contest.
"For us down the stretch defensively it's about getting stops," Terry said. "Dirk [Nowitzki] got a couple of key deflections late and we came up with some key rebounds and then we executed on the offensive end."
Nowitzki, who also had a game-high 25 points, stuffed David Lee at the rim and stripped Stephen Curry in the lane to key the Mavericks defensive surge in the final 1:30 of regulation. The big German finished with a season-high four blocks, while the Mavericks accumulated 10 rejections as a team.
What's Next:
Former Mavericks' coach Avery Johnson and point guard Devin Harris come to town Thursday night as Dallas takes on the New Jersey Nets. The Nets are 6-16 this season (2-10 away from home), and have lost five straight games and seven of eight overall.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. central time, and I'll be there to be your eyes and ears behind the scenes to give you the full story.
News and Notes:
- Alexis Ajinca, another Mavs' backup center stepping up huge on the night, chipped in six rebounds, three points and two blocks in nine minutes of action.
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