PGT: Dallas vs Orlando

[Bayliss]

Mavs won. But Carlisle's decisions in the fourth almost cost them the game.

[Ninkobei]

Carlisle wants the mavs to get used to crunch time so he is intentionally putting them in do-or-die situations. It helps build Clutchness. Nice three from Collison! Yeah!

[jthig32]

Not sure what issues there were with the decisions in the fourth. Magic went on a run, it happens.

Overall I thought it was a solid, encouraging game. I thought Collison turned in one of his better overall games of the season. His defensive activity was very high, and he facilitated well for most of the game.

Elton Brand playing like this makes such a huge difference.

[fluid.forty.one]

Mavs 5-1 in the last 6. Rockets, Blazers and Lakers keep losing. Getting there...

[grndmstr_c]

Wasn't expecting much from Orlando, but that was a pretty game effort from them. They made the Mavs work for it. And it probably shouldn't have been quite so tight - blame some misses on some very makable shots late and the defensive miscue on the Redick 3-ball - but still a well-deserved W.

Agree with thig on Collison's defense. This was a more active and physical brand of defense than I'm used to seeing from him, and I'm sure it factored into him getting the closing minutes tonight. He did get caught in no-man's land on that Redick 3, and that could have been a costly mistake - he probably won't enjoy the part of the film session when that comes up - but like I said after the OKC game, if we're going to be getting mistakes from our point guard down the stretch, I'd rather it be the young guys making them so there's at least a chance for some hands-on learning of what not to do.

And great floor game from Vince on both ends of the court.

[sefant77]

Carter 0-6 in the 4th, ewwww

[Cerberus]

Crowder starting to get his jumper back. 48%FG/50% 3PT this month. Also liking his active hands on D, gets a lot of deflections/steals from a bench role.

Team TO have dropped significantly which is a great sign...GO MAVS!

[rabbitproof]

EB started the second half. Think he goes back to starting soon?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

EB started the second half. Think he goes back to starting soon?

I would think so, but I believe this already happened a couple weeks ago as well so who knows.

[BGMaverick9]

I don't know if a legit move into the starting lineup is made with Brand, but he's definitely going to get the lion share of minutes at the center position. The concept of Brand and Kaman playing together likely is done. Speaking to a few different sources, they really do like what they get out Brand when he comes off the bench. The combination of Vince's scoring and Brand's defense brings a nice sense of versatility.

In regards to Collison, he continues to get better, but I'm not sure if a true two-man game will develop between himself and Dirk. Mayo and Dirk still seems like the best fit for a two-man game, but it won't exactly be the same as it was with Jet.

It's going to be a ridiculously intriguing period in terms of phone calls made between now and the deadline.

[Kante]

Brand starting looked awful in the third somehow and i'm with BG or the sources, he looks good off the bench.

[j0Shi]

Really good all-around effort from 1-8. Crowder, Brand, Carter all did nice things off the bench and Marion had a super-efficient game once again.

All I can say about Mike James is that I was extremely happy that his minutes stayed down in this one.

[dirt_dobber]

Notebook: Mavericks 111, Magic 105
http://www.nba.com/games/20130120/DA...s=iref:nbahpts
Dick Scanlon, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:23 PM - Updated Sun Jan 20, 2013 10:23 PM

THE FACTS: Darren Collison hit a 3-pointer with 31.9 seconds left, joining six Dallas teammates in double figures to help the Mavericks open the second half of their season with a 111-105 victory over the Orlando Magic Sunday.

The Mavericks (18-24) saw a 13-point fourth-quarter lead chopped to two when Collison got open in the corner, took a pass from Vince Carter and nailed the jumper to make it 107-102.

Shawn Marion led the Mavericks with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Carter came off the bench with 15 points and six assists. Glen Davis scored a game-high 24 points and Jameer Nelson added 20 for the Magic (14-26), who lost for the 13th time in 15 games. J.J. Redick had 18 points including a 3-pointer to cut the Dallas lead back to two after Collison's big shot. Dirk Nowitzki and O.J. Mayo then clinched the Mavericks' fifth victory in six games with four free throws.

QUOTABLE: "Biggest play of the game. It was pretty clear at that time we needed to space the floor. Vince [Carter] penetrated and he had three options. Darren [Collison] stepped into that thing with a lot of confidence and he knocked it in. That's a big shot for us, a big shot for him. We really needed that."

--Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle on Collison's big shot

QUOTABLE II: "We put ourselves in position where we were a stop away, and they made a shot. Sometimes it's just that simple."

-- Magic coach Jacque Vaughn

THE STAT: Both teams shot 50 percent or better from the floor. It was the first time that happened all season in a game involving either the Mavericks or the Magic.

TURNING POINT: After the Mavericks fell behind 18-4, Marion scored six points on a 19-2, four-minute spurt on which Dallas went 9-for-11.

HOT: After missing eight of their first 10 shots, the Mavericks shot 70 percent (23-for-33) for the rest of the first half.

QUOTABLE III: "Winning cures a lot. We had a bad atmosphere there for a while when we were losing. The coaches were on the edge and the players were, but when you win it is a lot more fun . . . We had a big week [three wins and an overtime loss] and I think we are only three games out of the eighth spot."

-- Dirk Nowitzki

NOT: Magic guard Arron Afflalo shot 5-for-13 and is shooting 39 percent (35-for-90) in his last six games.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Still a little slow after missing 27 games while recovering from knee surgery, Nowitzki had 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 32 minutes. Carlisle said he does not expect him to be in peak form until after the All-Star break.

ROOKIE WATCH: Jae Crowder hit a big 3-pointer and a spectacular one-hand putback for the Mavericks. . . . Mo Harkless had three dunks and four rebounds for the Magic. Andrew Nicholson did not play for only for only the second time this season.

NOTABLE: It was the ninth game in 16 days for the Mavericks, who will not play again until Friday. . . . The Magic have lost their last seven games against teams currently holding losing records.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Friday vs. San Antonio, Sunday vs. Phoenix, Tuesday (Jan. 29) @ Portland. For the Magic, Tuesday @ Detroit, Thursday vs. Toronto, Sunday vs. Detroit.

[Dirkadirkastan]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Carter 0-6 in the 4th, ewwww

Now I may not know anything since i was unable to watch the game, but it sure looked like that was Vince in the highlight reel lacing up a three with 8:45 left in the game.

[Bayliss]

I'll start the GDT against SA on Friday morning.

Mavs are slowing starting to come together. If Dirk gets back int form then the Mavs could become very good. Just wish that they weren't playing so hard just to get OKC in the first round. Had Dirk been here at the start of the season... Mavs would be fighting for a Top 4 seed, easily.

[SMC0007]

The putback from Crowder is a great example of why he gets consistent playing time.

[jthig32]

The problem with Brand coming off the bench is that Dirk starts at PF, and there appear to be very obvious advantages to the frontcourt pairing of Brand/Dirk and Kaman/Marion. There's obviously always going to be some overlap with the other combinations, but spending so much time at the start of each half with Kaman/Dirk paired just doesn't work very well in my eyes.

If they love Brand off the bench then the goal of this deadline should be to unload Kaman and find a center that fits the roster better. Which may be a goal for them no matter what, if you assume that they are not punting the season.

[C_Man]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Carter 0-6 in the 4th, ewwww

Not really "ewww". When your shot's not falling, you're supposed to do other things to help contribute (rebounds, assists, blocks, steals). That's exactly what VC did in the 4th.

[oilfieldtrash]

Lakers look awful. They have no offense. Bunch of big name players that are just big names with no game.
On another note Kyle Lowry and Calderon looked pretty good against the lakers. Either one would be a welcome addition to the mavs. Not sure of Lowry's availability though.

[MaverickOutlaw]

Originally Posted by oilfieldtrash

Lakers look awful. They have no offense. Bunch of big name players that are just big names with no game.
On another note Kyle Lowry and Calderon looked pretty good against the lakers. Either one would be a welcome addition to the mavs. Not sure of Lowry's availability though.

Howard is done.

[oilfieldtrash]

Originally Posted by MaverickOutlaw

Howard is done.

I'd give him another year to see if an offseason off with some work might sort him out. I definitely wouldn't give him a max at this point and hope he recovers.

[spreedom]