Mavericks Win Again With Defense 95-90

Defense Prevails Again as Dallas Shoots Only 43.9 Percent For the Game.

The Dallas Mavericks (7-3) faced off against the Detroit Pistons (5-5) Sunday night (Nov. 15) and both teams seemed to have their injury issues. The Pistons were without shooting guard Richard Hamilton and forward Tayshaun Prince, while Dallas was without Josh Howard and (a late scratch) Erick Dampier. Damp was actually taken to the hospital shortly before tip-off and it is being reported that he fell "ill", whatever that means. Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said its nothing serious, but Damp will be held overnight for observation.

Drew Gooden started for Damp and had his first double-double in a Mavericks uniform with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Gooden relished the opportunity to start his first game with the Mavericks, even though it was under difficult circumstances.

"I didn't know I was starting until they were announcing the lineups — I thought Erick was still on the floor with us," Gooden said. "This was an opportunity, and with all the talent on this team, I knew I needed to take it."

Detroit kept the game close throughout, and were within three points with two seconds left in regulation. Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum shredded the Dallas defense, getting to the basket at will and scoring 28 and 27 points respectively. The Mavericks defense held late, though, and Ben Gordon missed a three-pointer that would have sent it to overtime. Only one other Pistons player was in double figures; Charlie Villanueva at 13. Ben Gordon was 1-16 on the night.

"We knew that they were going to give us a battle and they did," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "We were fortunate to get out of this one alive, but we'll take it."

Rookie Rodrigue Beaubois started his second consecutive game and set career highs in shooting percentage (6 of 6), points (14), assists (four), and minutes (19). Despite his strong start on the offensive and defensive ends (he held the Bulls Ben Gordon to only 1 basket and forced two turnovers against the NBA's 5th leading scorer) Carlisle decided to play it safe with the rookie, allowing him to gradually make his way into the full rotation. Or Carlisle has a short fuse and any mistake Roddy B makes, he takes him out.

Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas in scoring for the eighth time in ten games with 25 points but, again, it took Dirk 27 shots to get there. Nowitzki also contributed six boards, five assists, and two blocks.

Dallas has now won five of seven games this year in which they have scored under 100 points.

This was the first night of a back-to-back and Dallas will be in Milwaukee Monday night (Nov. 16) to take on the Bucks at 7:00 p.m.

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

Cowboys Shut Down 17-7

Green Bay’s Aggressive, Swarming Defense Too Much for Dallas. (AP Photo/ Morry Gash)

The Dallas Cowboys (6-3) came into Sundays game (Nov. 15), against the Green Bay Packers (5-4), ranked 3^rd in the NFL in offensive yards per game (404.5) and 5^th in points scored per game (27.1). Against the Packers, the Cowboys managed only 278 total yards and were held without a point until Roy Williams caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo with 39 seconds left in the game.

Green Bay came into the game against Dallas having allowed 78 points over their last two games, and with only three total sacks in their last three games. Against the Cowboys the Packers had five sacks, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. Packers’ cornerback Charles Woodson led the way with eight tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, and an interception.

"It seemed like guys had a lot of passion out there today for the game," Woodson said. "Where it came from, I don't know, but we were happy to have it and got a big win for this team. We've got to have that passion every week, and it's got to show up on the field."

On their first possession of the game, Dallas drove all the way down to the Green Bay 20-yard line. After Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo was sacked on third-and-three, Dallas kicker Nick Folk lined up for a routine 38-yard field goal. After going 9 for 9 on field goals from within 40-yards in Dallas’ first eight games, Folk hooked this one wide left and the Cowboys’ turned the ball over on downs.

The Cowboys’ offense went five possessions in a row, starting with ten seconds left in the first quarter and ending with 13:14 left in the fourth quarter, converting only one first down. Romo went 24 for 39 (61.5 percent) for the game with 251 yards passing along with a touchdown and an interception, but most of his yardage and his only touchdown came late in the fourth quarter with Green Bay up 17-0.

"Their defense is good, they've got a good scheme," Romo said. "I don't know how they are normally, but today they definitely got good pressure on the quarterback, slowed our running game and they played good behind it. The secondary, they've got good players."

Romo and wide-receiver Roy Williams seemed to be on the same page for the second week in a row as Williams had the most receiving yards (105) and best yards per catch average (21.5) as a Cowboy. These stats don’t tell the full story; however, as Williams had a 41-yard reception turned fumble that led directly to Green Bay scoring the first points of the game: a field goal to end the first half, giving the Packers a 3-0 lead. Williams also killed a drive in the first half on a pass that went straight through his hands and then literally hit him right in the face-mask.

The Dallas defense did the best they could with what they had to work with, but their offense put them in some difficult situations. The Cowboys totaled four sacks for the game, forced three fumbles (recovering one), and held Green Bay to only 283 total yards.

The Cowboys’ also had numerous players sitting out plays or series with injuries sustained during the course of the game. Offensive tackle Marc Colombo broke his leg with 5:41 left in the first quarter and may miss the rest of the regular season.

After back-to-back losses to sub .500 teams, Green Bay touted this meeting with Dallas as their most important game of the season, and they played like it. Dallas plays their next game at noon, Sunday Nov. 22, against the Washington Redskins.

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

Mavs Whoop-Up on Wolves 89-77

Shawn Marion Dunks In The First Quarter As Injury Depleted Timberwolves No Match For Mavericks. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

The Dallas Mavericks (6-3) allowed the least points thus far this season (77) against the Minnesota Timeberwolves (1-9), Friday night (Nov.13). Dallas also forced a season low shooting percentage (32.6 percent) en route to a blowout victory.

After Minnesota kept it close for the majority of the first half, Dallas pulled away as Dirk Nowitzki scored 15 of his 20 points in the third quarter. This offensive outburst occured after former Mavericks' center Ryan Hollins decided he wanted to pick a fight with Nowitzki. After the altercation, Timberwolves point guard Jonny Flynn decided to join in and players had to be separated. Needless to say, this was not a very good idea for Flynn.

"Sometimes you've got to pick your battles. You don't want to do anything to spark a sleeping giant like that," Wolves rookie Flynn said. "You want to just let him sleep the whole game."

Nowtizki also grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Dallas. Shawn Marion second on the team in scoring with 15, and made his presence felt around the basket on the offensive end all game long.

Rodrigue Beaubois started his second career game and picked up where he left off, scoring the first 7 points of the game for Dallas. Roddy B finished with 9 points in only 15 minutes of action as it seems Rick Carlisle has a short leash on the rookie.

This was Minnesota's 9th straight loss after winning their first game of the season. This was a game, especially after the letdown against another injury depleted team in San Antonio, that the Mavericks had to win.

Dallas' next game is in Detroit against the Pistons at 5 p.m, Sunday (Nov. 15), locally on Fox Sports Southwest.

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

Sunday Sack-tacular?

Green Bay Packers' Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Has Been Beaten Up All Season Long. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

The Dallas Cowboys play the Green Bay Packers Sunday (Nov.15) afternoon and it seems as though its going to be a case of meet the QB in the backfield for the Dallas defense.

Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been sacked 37 times through the first eight games of the season. He is on pace to break the record set by David Carr, for the expansion Houston Texans in 2002, of 76.

Some say this is due, in part at least, to Green Bay moving to more of a down-field passing offense.

"They're taking away the slant game," Rodgers said. "You've got to throw the ball down the field. You throw the ball down the field, you've got to hold it a little longer. The protection's got to hold up, and you've got to sit in there. That's kind of the give and take you've got to deal with."

Another big problem is the number of offensive line combination's the Packers have used already this year. Three left tackles, two left guards, two centers, and two right tackles have all started at different points in the first eight games of the season. If rookie T.J. Lang starts Sunday for Green Bay, that will make three different right tackles.

"I'm confident, if we eventually find the right rhythm, the right group up front, guys that are healthy," Rodgers said. "And it's a necessity. I don't know how long I can hold up, 16 games, taking 4, 4.7 sacks per game. That's a lot of pounding."

In spite of all the sacks, Rodgers has remained consistently good if not great all season long. Rodgers has a 103.3 passer rating, 5th in the NFL. He is tied for 3rd in the NFL with 16 touchdown passes, while only throwing five interceptions.

The Dallas Cowboys, however, are 11th in the NFL in defensive sacks with 20 so far this season. The Cowboys' are also on a roll with 14 sacks in their four game winning streak. I don't think there is any doubt about it that Cowboys coach/defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is going to send some serious pressure Rodgers' way.

The good news for Green Bay is the Dallas defense is 20th so far this season against the pass.

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

Josh Howard's Status Unknown For Next Game

Reported soreness in Josh Howard's surgically repaired ankle. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

Dallas Mavericks swingman Josh Howard was reportedly taken out of Wednesday's game (Nov.11) against the San Antonio Spurs due to soreness in his surgically repaired left ankle. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle reportedly noticed Howard limping during the course of the game, moreso at the start of the second half, and decided to take some precautions on the second night of a back-to-back.

Howard did provide a spark for Dallas in his first two games back, but his last game was a disaster. J-Ho shot only 2-11 from the field and seemed content with shooting jumpers rather than going to the basket.

Dallas plays three games (all on the road) in the next five days, starting with Minnesota on Friday night (Nov.13). It is uncertain whether Howard will play.

(UPDATE: Howard Out Indefinitely)