DMN:
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Scouting the Mavericks
They have been heating up from long range, knocking in at least eight 3-pointers in each of the last five games and shooting 43.8 percent in that span. That has brought their season 3-point percentage to just a shade under 37 percent. ... Dirk Nowitzki's 34 points against Denver ended a streak of four consecutive sub-20-point games. ... They own the best road record – 23-14 – in the Western Conference. They won just 18 times on the road last season. ... March has been good to Shawn Marion, who has averaged 15.6 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting 56.8 percent during the month.
Scouting the Grizzlies
They lost at Milwaukee on Sunday to end a three-game road trip 1-2 and lost home games to Denver and San Antonio this month. ... Zach Randolph perpetually eats up the Mavericks. He has averaged 25.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in the two meetings this season. ... They have three consecutive wins over the Mavericks in Memphis and two of the wins were by 16 and 20 points. The other was by five. ... O.J. Mayo has averaged 21.5 points against the Mavs this season and Rudy Gay 20. ... After averaging less than 23 wins in the previous three seasons, they need three more wins to assure a .500 record this year.
Eddie Sefko
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commercial appeal:
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Eight of the Grizzlies' final nine opponents this season have winning records. Gay needs just 26 points to pass Mike Miller (5,403 from 2002-08) for third-most points all-time in Griz history. Conley is averaging 19.5 points, 9.5 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals in his last two games. Gay is averaging 22.5 points, 8 rebounds and 61-percent shooting in the last two games. Mayo is averaging 19.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals in the past four games. Randolph is averaging 24.4 points and 12 rebounds in the last five games. Dallas' last two wins have come by an average of 15.5 points. Nowitzki had 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double Monday against Denver. Nowitzki has outscored his opposing power forward by 10-plus points in 42 games this season. He is the NBA's leader at that position.
The skinny
Memphis' three-game home winning streak over Dallas is the longest in team history. The Grizzlies have beaten the Mavericks in three of the last four games after losing 13 straight in the series.
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--> also they would have to win almost every game against some good competition to keep that chance, they can't be that delusional, can they?