Mavs/Hornets Thoughts

[ddh33]

After an emotional win against the Spurs in San Antonio last night, it might have been easy for the Mavs to have a little bit of a letdown tonight against a Hornets team playing for their playoff lives. To be short though, Dallas didn't let down.

The Mavs seized control of the game very early, and there was never any doubt about who the superior team was/is. The Mavs were very efficient and aggressive on offense. They pushed the ball up the floor repeatedly. They moved the ball well. They got into the lane off the dribble. They knocked down open shots. They crushed the Hornets on the boards. They used their quick hands to constantly force turnovers and harass the Hornets. With all of that it's no wonder the team won by 24.

Dirk continues his run to the MVP. Nowitzki had 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in 28 minutes and on 12 shots. There was little doubt as to who the best player on the floor was. Dirk's passing was particularly impressive tonight as he found cutters and open shooters all night long. He is quickly becoming almost impossible to defend, and he's always been one of the toughest covers in the league.

Josh Howard, meanwhile, simply continued to play outstanding basketball. Howard had 19 points and 8 rebounds. He has been great since he made his return to the lineup. I think it's obvious that his play is going to be key to this team's title hopes. He's been a force in all aspects of the game, and his offense just seems to be improving by the game right now.

Jason Terry had another very good game with 19 points, 3 assists, and a couple of steals. For the second night in a row Terry found himself against a very good point guard, and for the second night in a row, Terry's defense was very good.

Jerry Stackhouse didn't shoot very often tonight, but for the second night in a row, Stack played a solid floor game. He led the team in assists with 8 assists. I love when he's able to do that. The 5 turnovers are too many, but he's been a nice presence on the floor for the last couple of games because he's always a threat to hurt the opposing team. That kind of allows Dirk, Josh, and Terry to function with a little more ease.

Desagana Diop also had a nice night. Diop's stats aren't very impressive, but he had an almost dominant stretch in the third quarter when he blocked a couple of shots, grabbed some traffic rebounds, had an impressive dunk, and finished a very nice turnaround jumper.

Erick Dampier also played very well. Damp once again worked his way to double digits in the rebounding department, and his play on the defensive end has been solid. Damp does exactly what he gets paid to do by clogging up the lane, providing good help defense, as well as good man to man defense against the opposing post players. His improvement at the free throw line has also been impressive.

Marquis Daniels had kind of weird night. Daniels seems to have caught the eye of the officials in some way because he continues to get called for several offensive fouls a game. Marquis did a pretty good job of taking care of the ball though, and the offense ran through him for big portions of the game. Quis also seemed to be making a conscious effort to push the ball a little more as he had the opportunity. He got into the lane at will, but he couldn't really finish a lot of those shots. I know he felt like he wasn't getting the calls, but he just has to play through it. He'll be fine.

I like what Josh Powell has been doing since Van Horn went down. Powell probably isn't going to blow anyone away with his stats, but that's not what the team needs anyway. He continues to play hard, and he looks so much more comfortable and confident on the floor right now. He still makes youthful mistakes, but he's always willing to throw his body around and do what he can. He is another player who is showing an improved offensive game of late. In fact, I would imagine that his play had probably been enough to keep this roster in tact.

Darrell Armstrong got plenty of minutes tonight against his old team. He played a nice game and did a solid job of keeping the offense moving. By now, I think everyone knows exactly what to expect from DA, and he delivers it when called on.

DJ Mbenga had 4 points and 3 rebounds in 6 minutes. He also had a goaltending block that drew some oohs and aahs from the crowd. I think the Mavs have to be pleased with his progress though. DJ is actually looking pretty good on offense right now. I know these minutes are coming with nothing really to play for, but I think DJ has certainly shown enough to warrant the Mavs interest in him. By the way, did anyone catch Chris Sheridan's write up of DJ on ESPN? He says that DJ has replaced Damp as the Mavs primary and best post defender. Kudos to the experts, fans. You think maybe Mr. Sheridan has been watching games at all?

Rawle Marshall continues to show signs of being a nice find. I like the way he moves on the floor. In time, I think he can contribute to this team.


You know, what I liked most about tonight's game was the energy and confidence. There was no letdown, and this team seems to be getting their swagger back. They seem to believe that they can beat anyone right now. The way the team is playing right now, maybe you wouldn't want to bet too much against them.