GDT: Hornets @ Mavs: 4/10, 7:30 CST

[mary]

Here's the important stuff..

Tyson Chandler is listed as OUT by ESPN with an ankle injury - not returning until next week.

Josh Howard is listed as day-to-day, but I would be shocked if he didn't play.

The Mavs got spanked pretty good by the Hornets last time, but Kidd had an awful game and Howard was injured in the first half - PLUS they were playing in New Orleans.

They are freaking 6.5 point favorites - so yes ghazi, they are supposed to win this game.

While we're at, the Spurs need to get off their asses tonight and do us a solid. So, go effing spurs.

[ghazi]

The guys need to hit their shots and play some defense and all will be well. The Hornets have been TRASH for the past 7 week and their margin of victory over the last 1/3 of the season is a whopping ZERO (this is the epitome of mediocrity).

The offensive efficiency for the guys in blue has been remarkably amazing when J-Ho/Dirk/Terry lately are playing at the same time, although it's been few and far between over the last 2 months with Terry missing 8 and J-Ho missing quite a few himself. But our guys are healthy now, let's keep it going.

[Dirkadirkastan]

A win, however we can get it, would be nice, but I want to see another glorious asskicking to finish off this homestand.

[left texas]

Go Mavs!

[Bayliss]

Mavs need to win the next games against NO. Winning those two games will pretty much get them out of the 8th spot.

Is Posey out as well?

[darkwitzki]

is it possible for us to sneak into 6th spot?

[Sportstudi]

If Chandler doesn't play, that will be a huge advantage. No more silly alley-oop assists by Paul towards Chandler. The other players are not that good in it like Tyson (although it's the only thing he does well on offense). I cheer for a win. If that happens, we have an excellent chance to leave the 8th spot.

[mavs777]

Originally Posted by darkwitzki

is it possible for us to sneak into 6th spot?

very much so

[Underdog]

I can't remember the last time Mary made a GDT...

Mavs - 112
Bugs - 104

[MaVs 41 BaLler]

Hornets-Mavericks Preview
By DAN PIERINGER, STATS Writer


The Dallas Mavericks clinched the last unclaimed playoff spot in the Western Conference by delivering two of their best offensive performances of the season over the last week.

There's plenty more to be gained if they can keep it up over their final four games.

The Mavericks take their surging offense into the opener of a home-and-home series against the Southwest Division rival New Orleans Hornets on Friday night in Dallas, where the clubs continue their fights for position in the tightly packed West race.

Dallas (47-31) virtually assured it would make the playoffs by shooting 60.0 percent from the field and making a season-high 15 3-pointers in a 140-116 rout of Phoenix on Sunday, then clinched its ninth straight postseason berth with a 130-101 win over Utah on Wednesday night. Those are the two highest point totals of the season for the Mavericks, averaging 102.1 points in 2008-09.

With the playoff spot wrapped up, the Mavericks have turned their attention toward avoiding an eighth-place finish and a first-round meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers, who have clinched the No. 1 seed.

"If we continue to win, we have a real opportunity to move up," coach Rick Carlisle said. "So that is the challenge."

Carlisle's club is tied with Utah for seventh place and sits one game behind sixth-place New Orleans (48-30) as the teams enter this crucial home-and-home set.

The Hornets have dropped three of their last four and are 7-7 since March 14. They know that these games will go a long way toward determining their playoff seeding.

"It's like a playoff series with Dallas," forward David West said after a 105-100 home loss to Phoenix on Wednesday night. "We have two games with them, with huge implications. We need to try to go down to Dallas and steal one. We just need to try to pick up wins."

The Hornets have won both their games against the Mavericks this season, the teams' first meetings since New Orleans beat Dallas in five games in the first round of the playoffs last spring.

All-Star point guard Chris Paul has averaged 26.3 points, 11.1 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 steals while shooting 49.5 percent from the field in 11 games against the Mavericks since the start of last season, including playoffs. New Orleans is 8-3 in those contests.

Paul has been especially effective against Dallas this season, averaging 30.0 points, 13.0 assists, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals.

While Jason Kidd has done a stellar job running Dallas' offense lately, he's struggled to contain Paul and has averaged just 10.9 points and 6.4 assists in nine games against New Orleans since the Mavericks acquired him from New Jersey last February.

Kidd's averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 assists while going 6-for-20 (30.0 percent) from the field against the Hornets in 2008-09.

Kidd had 10 assists and Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points while going 12-for-18 from the field Wednesday. Jason Terry added 21 points with five 3-pointers off the bench as the Dallas reserves outscored Utah's 63-30.

"Knowing the importance of each game and the sense of urgency, we treat every game like it's a Game 7 playoff game," Terry said. "We go out there and fight and scrap and do whatever it takes to win. We've got each other's back."

The Hornets didn't get the same production from their reserves in their last game. They had only 11 bench points to the Suns' 28.

"We need big-time help off the bench and we just aren't getting it," coach Byron Scott said. "To win, we need to have six or seven guys come out and play hard, especially in the Western Conference."

GO MAVS!

[DavidDaMonkey]

So if we win tonight, and Utah loses, are we tied for 6th?

[MaVs 41 BaLler]

Originally Posted by DavidDaMonkey

So if we win tonight, and Utah loses, are we tied for 6th?

Yup =)

and then Utah will be in 8th

[Dirkenstien]

HUGE game tonight. This will be fun.

GO MAVS!

[TheMaverick]

Sean Marks is underrated.

he is no Tyson Chandler, especially on defense. But, he can still finish lobs and is a much better team basketball player on the offensive end.

be ready for a lot of David West pick and pops tonight.

[MX425]

Let's go Mavs! Blow their doors off. I would love to beat them down here, hop on a plane and then do it again in front of all their fans.

[MX425]

I agree Maverick. I see West and Paul having big nights. I think pushing the ball in transition will and closing out on Peja when he lines up a 3. If we let anyone get hot from downtown we will be making it much harder for us. This should be a very fun game.

[TheMaverick]

Peja is back?

[MX425]

back and killing it. He has been on from downtown and averaging 2.5 steals over the last week.

[jthig32]

According to my research (I LOVE thread tags, btw) Mary has only started one other GDT thread this season, and it was the Philly game where Dirk hit a shot at the buzzer to win.

I call that a good omen.

[Lor20]

seeing as how phoenix beat the hornets at new orleans right before we blew them up I think we are the clear favorite here.... just have to take care of businesson the defensive end. the last game or two were the first ones in a while where i actually saw our guys trying to get some stops instead of just trying to outshoot the opponent like we tried most of the season.

[MX425]

Agreed. For much of the season we didn't make the other team work on the offensive end. When we are active with our hands and limit offensive rebounds we can be scary. I think if we pick one area to focus on tonight it is limiting second chance points. If we can hold them to only one shot attempt per trip down the court then I think we easily conrol the game.

[12 Tone Melodies]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignments
Apr 10, 2009
New Orleans @ Dallas--M. Callahan; D. Jones; E. Roe

[SMC0007]

Damp needs to work Richard Marx over in the box and go at him offensively when he gets the chance.

Finish the run Mavs!

[rabbitproof]

oh my gohzzzz....

this is so huge that even your moms cant eat it..

[sefant77]

Well, just stick with the Jazz-Game.

Crashing the boards will be the key and Chandler being out will help but still: Get the damn boards first. 2nd chances are huge for us as a jumpshot-team when they doesnt fall so well.

Perimeter-Defense is the other key. Peja is back and he is good and Butler having a great year, hitting a ton of big threes. Posey out should help there too.

Finally i hope Barea has a again a good game in the defense and can help with Paul. Hopefully the Refs wont buy all the drama and flopping crap from Creepy3 with every 2nd possesion ending in a and1 or FT for Paul...

This has to be a win. The Hornets are really crappy the last weeks (ok without Peja too), beating the Kings just with a Buzzer, winning against the Heat in OT because of a choking Wade and a late crazy 3 from Butler etc.

[kishcarlton]

We need Singleton, Bass,and Barea to have big nights; also, some good D by Wright would be good. Here's a Link for the game..

http://myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=35047&part=sports

[vRookie]

Coach needs to put Wright on Paul all throughout the game. No JET or Barea defending cp3 please

[sefant77]

Originally Posted by vRookie

Coach needs to put Wright on Paul all throughout the game. No JET or Barea defending cp3 please

That works against Deron Williams but he is way too slow for Paul.

[vRookie]

Originally Posted by sefant77

That works against Deron Williams but he is way too slow for Paul.

I'd still give him a try. He can't be slower than Kidd who has tried to guard Paul but has failed over and over again. I think Barea might do well too as he is quick enough to keep up with him but then again CP3 is stronger and much more skilled. JET on the other hand will just get torched

[DirkFTW]

[mmmfast]

Hornets are falling and we are overdue a revenge win at the very least.
Get angry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVYjjCKeaRg

[Zki41]

It would be nice if Cleveland loses to the sixers tonight or to Boston on Sunday so that the Lakers would make sure to win every game and keep home court.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

KILL!

Dirk needs to bitch-slap West back by scoring 40.

Go Mavs!

[TheMaverick]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

KILL!

Dirk needs to bitch-slap West back by scoring 40.

Go Mavs!

I disagree. I think Dirk should literally bitch-slap West.

[vRookie]

Originally Posted by TheMaverick

I disagree. I think Dirk should literally bitch-slap West.

lol. I was about the post the same thing. repped

[LonghornDub]

The Hornets are probably one of the 2 or 3 toughest matchups in the league for the Mavs. We need to really bring it all together to win this one, and I think we will.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

The Hornets are probably one of the 2 or 3 toughest matchups in the league for the Mavs. We need to really bring it all together to win this one, and I think we will.

Yeah..people playing the whole "we best team A, and they beat Team B, so WE should beat team B" are really missing a very basic part of the NBA game; that being matchups.

The NBA, more than any other professional sport, is all about matchups. And we do not match up well with the Hornets at all.

[Lor20]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Yeah..people playing the whole "we best team A, and they beat Team B, so WE should beat team B" are really missing a very basic part of the NBA game; that being matchups.

The NBA, more than any other professional sport, is all about matchups. And we do not match up well with the Hornets at all.

agreed. I was comparing phoenix because nash is a worse defender than kidd and with chandler out our deficit damp vs shaq shouldn't be so significant.

Paul and West have been getting into a lot of foul trouble with chandler out lately - we need to attack (ok - mostly josh, barea and kidd) them on offense to get them into trouble.

[iella]

Getting Chris Paul could be Plan A for Mavs' summer

Picture Chris Paul in a Mavericks uniform.

That might make it easier for MFFLs to watch this weekend's home-and-home series with New Orleans if Paul dominates Dallas, as he does most times the Hornets and Mavs meet. But it's also a realistic scenario for next season.

HAHAHAHAHAHA HA Ha ha

ha..

ha.

[mavs777]

Anybody have a link for the game so I can watch it? Thanks