GDT: Dallas at Miami December 20, 6:30 p.m. central

[Bayliss]

This is going to be a very tough game. Miami has found their groove. Ironically, it happened after Dallas beat them in Dallas. Maybe it will happen again.

[rabbitproof]

Pumped for the Florida series!

The championship hype has moved back East to Miami, Orlando (and Boston). Time to bring that ish back.

Pretenders, meet Dallas!

EDIT:

After that bit of bravado, Miami is looking super scary. From ESPNDallas:

- During the 12-game win streak, Miami has won 10 times by 10 points or more, including the first nine, and five games by 20 or more.
- They've averaged 101.9 points while allowing just 84.1 for a mind-blowing differential of 15.3.

Light stat digging: for the month of December, they are smoking from the three (.468). It will be a question of packing it in tight for Wade/LeBron vs exposing the three shot.

[41mvp]

Beat The Heat!!!

[sike]

Originally Posted by 41mvp

Beat The Heat!!!

a controversial opinion...but I'm gonna say I agree!

[bernardos70]

It will be fun watching this on SunSports here in Miami just to hear what kind of half assed excuse the heat announcers will use to describe the ass whooping we'll give them....

[Mav Addict]

I hope we smash the Cheat tonite...but it will be tough
We will end that 12-games streak tonite...book it

Mavs 90
Cheat 87

Go Mavs!

[AngieO41]

This will be the first time in 5 years that I haven't been to a Mavs game at least once during the season, but when the crappiest seat in the building is $88 it's not happening. We need to kick them in their throats because Miamians are starting to get a little cocky.

GO MAVS!

[Underdog]

Time to see if the Heat can finally beat a team worth a sh!t...


(alternately: time to kill another streak...)

[jthig32]

Thoughts on the matchup from the Heat perspective:

Neutralize Nowitzki
If it feels like Dirk Nowitzki doesn’t miss these days, that’s because he doesn’t. The 32 year-old is in the midst of one of the best shooting campaigns in the history of the NBA, nailing 56 percent from the floor with most of those shots coming outside the paint. But Nowitzki has only four games where he shot less than 40 percent -- and one of them came against the Heat. Nowitzki uncharacteristically missed 14 of his 23 shots in their first match-up back on November 27. The Heat were fortunate. Time and time again, Heat big men guarding Nowitzki would double up on the ball handler (even J.J. Barea) in a pick-and-roll situation, leaving Nowitzki alone for the jumper. Nowitzki didn’t hit his shots, but the Heat have to communicate better through screens to keep a body on Nowitzki at all times. Also, he’s absolutely deadly from the right block, especially when he pivots to face up. Bosh must stay close and keep his hands active when Nowitzki has the ball on his hip since it’s virtually impossible to affect Dirk's shot once he brings it over his head. The moment you relent, the ball’s already splashing through the net.

Jumpstarting James
Lost amidst the silly “bumpgate” coverage in Game 1 was the fact that LeBron James had a dreadful shooting night. The two-time MVP went 0-for-9 on shots outside 15 feet and bricked all six of his attempts during the decisive third quarter. James lazily launched jumpers early in the shot clock, as if November 17, 2010 marked the first time he had seen a zone defense. Maybe we could excuse the passivity as a symptom of the Heat's back-to-back. Or more likely, it was because of Tyson Chandler. The Mavericks center obliterated the Heat on offense, but also bothered James all night, altering the Akron native’s drives to the basket and deterring potential penetration. The Heat would do themselves a service by keeping Zydrunas Ilgauskas out on the perimeter and make it hard for Chandler to rotate over to stop James. Erick Dampier and Joel Anthony warrant little attention on offense, liberating Chandler to help without consequence. Ilgauskas isn't an offensive juggernaut by any means but Dampier and Anthony's presence effectively encourages a double team. The Heat won’t win their 13th straight game if James settles for jumpers again.

Fight the Mavs off the ball
With one-third of the season in the books, it's clear this isn't your typical Dallas Mavericks offense. The Mavs are a far more creative unit, mixing in clever half-court sets into their traditional read-and-react system. Some of those new schemes are still works in progress, but when the Mavs are clicking -- as they have been for the better part of a month -- they're incredibly efficient. Nowitzki will almost always get his, but the Mavs have integrated several new features into their offense. Guys who had a tendency to fall stationary or worked primarily in isolation, like Caron Butler and Shawn Marion, are working off the ball to find clean looks. In his first meeting with the Heat, Marion tormented Miami by running in constant motion in the half court. The Matrix would curl off an elbow rub from one of the Mavs' guards, catch the ball on the move, then take it to the rim. Then there's Chandler. If you need one guy in the NBA to set you a pin-down for a game-winner, he's the guy. Mavs' scorers are using him beautifully as a screener both on and off the ball to get open space to catch, then drive or shoot. The Heat's efforts to fight through Chandler were miserable in meeting No. 1. Worse, helpers were routine late (if they arrived at all) on the switch to pick up the cutter. That has to change on Monday.

Attack the Dallas zone
The Heat's loss against Dallas on November 27 was their fourth least efficient outing of the season. One of the reasons? They scored on only 10 of 34 possessions against the Mavericks' pesky zone defense. The 2-3 matchup zone is working wonders in Dallas, largely because the Mavs are exerting more ball pressure than most passive zone defenses apply. The Dallas zone makes an effort to pin the ball on the sideline and double scorers when they get the ball within proximity of the basket. In addition, the Mavs are using their length to deny the kind of side-to-side passes that destabilize a zone. The Heat tried to move the ball against the Mavs' zone, but rather than zip passes to cutters and teammates on the move, they simply passed the ball deliberately around the perimeter, never challenging Dallas in earnest. Fortunately, the Heat have installed some new features into their offense since that horrendous night in Dallas. They're moving cutters along the baseline and from the weak side, good antidotes for the zone. They also need to get LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to penetrate from the top of the floor, which will draw collapsing defenders. This will earn a bundle of free throws and some clean looks for Miami's perimeter threats. What the Heat can't afford to do is meander like they did in Dallas.

Handle Tyson Chandler
Want to know one of the primary reasons Dirk Nowitzki is having an MVP season? Try getting around a Chandler pin-down. The 7-foot-1 Buick has found a perfect home in Dallas, a place where his body can generate space for one of the most prolific shooters of his generation, and where his ability to roll to the rim can be rewarded with a pinpoint pass from one of the most talented point guards of his era, Jason Kidd. In addition to pancaking defenders trying to fight through picks, Chandler is posting career highs in Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and free-throw percentage. He's leading the entire NBA in true shooting percentage at 70.9 percent, ranks eighth in rebounding rate and his turnover rate has plummeted. His 17 rebounds against the Heat on November 27 was as many as Miami's two leading rebounders that night ... combined. He abused Miami underneath the Mavs' offensive glass for seven offensive boards, ripping rebounds away from Bosh, Ilgauskas and James. Containing Chandler beneath the glass will need to be a committee effort.

[xrobx]

i'm not sure that the refs are going to allow us to win this game, stern wants the lakers win streak broken

[mavspwnage]

[LonghornDub]

I have a good feeling about this.

[SMC0007]

We should win this mostly because Chris Bosh looks pretty stupid and punchworthy. His face especially. That and the fact that we are a pretty good team with some depth.

Go Mavs

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by SMC0007

We should win this mostly because Chris Bosh looks pretty raptory. His face especially.

Fixed.

[Underdog]

The Skull of Roy Tarpley says: "Locusts and wheelchairs shall plague the
tribe of Miami; the streets shall run red with the blood of the Warriors-Three."

[BGMaverick9]

Mavericks Embrace the Challenges That the Road Presents

After their longest home-stand of the season, the Dallas Mavericks will take a quick trip to the Sunshine State to take on the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. The season has been front-loaded with home games for the Mavericks but they have the league's second best road record at 9-1. The Mavericks had the best road record in the league last season at 27-14 and they appear to be on pace for another banner year in that department. "We're an experienced team," said Mavericks Coach Rick Carlisle. "We've been in a lot of battles in other buildings so our guys know what it's about. We don't take anything for granted. We know that going into other people's buildings is always going to be a challenge."

Mavericks Guard Jason Terry echoed the coach's sentiments and Terry believes the Mavericks have a road warriors mentality. "For us, our core group is pretty much all veterans," said Terry. "We take pride in going into other people's gym and kicking their butt. I think that's the thing about us, it doesn't matter where we're at, we're going to rise to the challenge and we feel like every time we step on the road it's a new challenge."

you can read more at http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2010/12...-road-presents

[dude1394]

F'em

[Kidd Karma]

Originally Posted by xrobx

i'm not sure that the refs are going to allow us to win this game, stern wants the lakers win streak broken

Haha, interesting, if there will be phantom calls, foul and free throw differentials.

[Sportstudi]

Beat the Cheat!

[41mvp]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHpA38FHzZU

nice Dirk Nowitzki highlights

[dirt_dobber]

time for Dirk and the Mavs to get to work



GO MAVS!

[SMC0007]

I can dig it

[sike]

Originally Posted by mavspwnage

that deserves about 20 +reps...sorry I could only give one.

[DULLAH]

Originally Posted by ESPN

The Heat's loss against Dallas on November 27 was their fourth least efficient outing of the season. One of the reasons? They scored on only 10 of 34 possessions against the Mavericks' pesky zone defense. The 2-3 matchup zone is working wonders in Dallas, largely because the Mavs are exerting more ball pressure than most passive zone defenses apply. The Dallas zone makes an effort to pin the ball on the sideline and double scorers when they get the ball within proximity of the basket. In addition, the Mavs are using their length to deny the kind of side-to-side passes that destabilize a zone.

Originally Posted by Bayliss

Dallas beat them in Dallas. Maybe it will happen again.

A SEQUEL !!!!!

[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

Pumped for the Florida series!

The championship hype has moved back East to Miami, Orlando (and Boston). Time to bring that ish back.

Pretenders, meet Dallas!

EDIT:

After that bit of bravado, Miami is looking super scary. From ESPNDallas:

- During the 12-game win streak, Miami has won 10 times by 10 points or more, including the first nine, and five games by 20 or more.
- They've averaged 101.9 points while allowing just 84.1 for a mind-blowing differential of 15.3.

Light stat digging: for the month of December, they are smoking from the three (.468). It will be a question of packing it in tight for Wade/LeBron vs exposing the three shot.

The surprising thing is that James and Wade have played a significant part in their long-range success. Wade's made 48% of his 25 attempted threes in the month, and James has connected on just over 43% of his 44 attempts. There's just not much you can do with those two when they're hitting from deep like that.

I'll be interested to see how things go with them once they (and some of their teammates) come back down to earth; which might not happen tonight, but will happen eventually. They've also been riding 44% from Arroyo (career 34%), 43% from Chalmers (career 35%), and 53% from Jones (career 40%) in December.

One thing that's been instrumental in Miami's recent run of success (from what I've seen, anyway) that I don't think is going to change, though, is their ability to punish teams for their mistakes. Turnovers, missed layups, and lapses in transition defense are especially costly against them.

[41mvp]

Go Mavs!!!
(win or you know what)!!!

[BGMaverick9]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

One thing that's been instrumental in Miami's recent run of success (from what I've seen, anyway) that I don't think is going to change, though, is their ability to punish teams for their mistakes. Turnovers, missed layups, and lapses in transition defense are especially costly against them.

This is true, they make you pay for mistakes. Turnovers have gotten better over the course of the season for the Mavericks. When they're a problem, they're coming at critical points in the game. I think Dallas will have to be aggressive right back at the Heat and be ready to go on transition defense.

I'll be very interested to see the prize fight aspect of the game, does someone try to go for the knockout blow first and if they do, how does the other team respond?

[Kidd Karma]

Originally Posted by BGMaverick9

This is true, they make you pay for mistakes. Turnovers have gotten better over the course of the season for the Mavericks. When they're a problem, they're coming at critical points in the game. I think Dallas will have to be aggressive right back at the Heat and be ready to go on transition defense.

I'll be very interested to see the prize fight aspect of the game, does someone try to go for the knockout blow first and if they do, how does the other team respond?

Read an article about a week ago that had Spoelstra allowing anyone creating a turnover to do whatever they wanted to do with the rock on the offensive end.

[Rick41]

We're going to need Dirk to go balls out tonight.

F the Heat. We better win this one.

[Rick41]

Originally Posted by 41mvp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHpA38FHzZU

nice Dirk Nowitzki highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyHu6...eature=channel

Lol.

[rabbitproof]

Originally Posted by grndmstr_c

The surprising thing is that James and Wade have played a significant part in their long-range success. Wade's made 48% of his 25 attempted threes in the month, and James has connected on just over 43% of his 44 attempts. There's just not much you can do with those two when they're hitting from deep like that.

I'll be interested to see how things go with them once they (and some of their teammates) come back down to earth; which might not happen tonight, but will happen eventually. They've also been riding 44% from Arroyo (career 34%), 43% from Chalmers (career 35%), and 53% from Jones (career 40%) in December.

One thing that's been instrumental in Miami's recent run of success (from what I've seen, anyway) that I don't think is going to change, though, is their ability to punish teams for their mistakes. Turnovers, missed layups, and lapses in transition defense are especially costly against them.

I want to say the law of averages will hit the Heat (and hit them hard) but when everybody is flying above sea level like that, it probably means the physics of the environment have changed for good. I imagine their pace and LeBron/Wade's penetration skills will likely have those players shooting a higher % from downtown than most of their careers. Not unlike what happens to most players overall FG% who play with Dirk.

Another variable is Mike Miller, who might make his season debut tonight. I don't think he'll be a major factor if he does but if he just adds a couple more made threes per game, it'll be a lot to handle. He is a career 41% man so even if their others shooters come down a bit, I think he will keep the train rolling a bit beyond tonight.

[left texas]

Go Mavs!!

[Kidd Karma]

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

I want to say the law of averages will hit the Heat (and hit them hard) but when everybody is flying above sea level like that, it probably means the physics of the environment have changed for good. I imagine their pace and LeBron/Wade's penetration skills will likely have those players shooting a higher % from downtown than most of their careers. Not unlike what happens to most players overall FG% who play with Dirk.

Another variable is Mike Miller, who might make his season debut tonight. I don't think he'll be a major factor if he does but if he just adds a couple more made threes per game, it'll be a lot to handle. He is a career 41% man so even if their others shooters come down a bit, I think he will keep the train rolling a bit beyond tonight.

never know when those averages hit the skids. hopefully it's tonight. Depends on the minutes Miller gets. Him being on the floor alone, will open it up quite a bit....when he is in there. Noticed in boxes that Arroyo is being backed up by Chalmers, so there really isn't much of James at the "point guard spot" to cause much matchup problems. I think the key will be Dirk-Bosh, probably see Chandler defend Bosh most of the night. Dirk just needs to play like Dirk, and we should be good.

[grndmstr_c]

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

I want to say the law of averages will hit the Heat (and hit them hard) but when everybody is flying above sea level like that, it probably means the physics of the environment have changed for good.

I don't buy it. Arroyo's played with Wade and Howard before and never shot from the outside like this over a full season. Same with Jones, who's played with Wade and Nash; and Chalmers, to whom Wade is likewise no stranger. And teams have been begging Lebron and Wade to shoot long jumpers for years.

[FINtastic]

Originally Posted by rabbitproof

I want to say the law of averages will hit the Heat (and hit them hard) but when everybody is flying above sea level like that, it probably means the physics of the environment have changed for good. I imagine their pace and LeBron/Wade's penetration skills will likely have those players shooting a higher % from downtown than most of their careers. Not unlike what happens to most players overall FG% who play with Dirk.

Another variable is Mike Miller, who might make his season debut tonight. I don't think he'll be a major factor if he does but if he just adds a couple more made threes per game, it'll be a lot to handle. He is a career 41% man so even if their others shooters come down a bit, I think he will keep the train rolling a bit beyond tonight.

You know, I don't see Mike Miller as really adding much. It seems to me like James Jones has taken over his role as the guy who stands in the corner and bombs threes, and he's doing it an extremely high level right now. I can't see Miller really topping that, and I imagine they are going to be fighting each other for minutes for the most part.

As you mentioned, the one thing Miller will provide is a hedge in case Jones goes into a slump. However, that doesn't really add anything to the Heat squad that just rattled off 12 wins in a row, all it really does is provide nice safety net.

[fluid.forty.one]

crush those bastards

[CadBane]

Originally Posted by FINtastic

You know, I don't see Mike Miller as really adding much. It seems to me like James Jones has taken over his role as the guy who stands in the corner and bombs threes, and he's doing it an extremely high level right now. I can't see Miller really topping that, and I imagine they are going to be fighting each other for minutes for the most part.

As you mentioned, the one thing Miller will provide is a hedge in case Jones goes into a slump. However, that doesn't really add anything to the Heat squad that just rattled off 12 wins in a row, all it really does is provide nice safety net.

You HIGHLY underrate Mike Miller. Not only is he a better shooter than Jones, but MM is a great basketball PLAYER. He's a great passer and playmaker so he can create for others. Obviously w/ LBJ & Wade he won't be handling the rock a ton, but he can keep the flow going and take some of the pressure off of them. MM is also a very good rebounder for his position. The guy is incredibly versatile. The main knock on him is that he's too unselfish.

[FINtastic]

Originally Posted by CadBane

You HIGHLY underrate Mike Miller. Not only is he a better shooter than Jones, but MM is a great basketball PLAYER. He's a great passer and playmaker so he can create for others. Obviously w/ LBJ & Wade he won't be handling the rock a ton, but he can keep the flow going and take some of the pressure off of them. MM is also a very good rebounder for his position. The guy is incredibly versatile. The main knock on him is that he's too unselfish.

The rebounding is a valid point. However, when it comes to the offense his main role in that offense is going to be to catch and shoot. The ball is moving through Wade and LBJ so Mike Miller's passing ability is likely going to mitigated.

The main point is that it's going to be hard to top James Jones' 66.6% True Shooting Percentage right now. That's an insane number right there and it's the main reason you need either guy on the floor.

[CadBane]

But the thing is, MM does SO much more than Jones. And I think he can top it.

Last year for the f'ing Wizards, MM posted:

11/6/4 on 50/48/82 shooting. No, that's not a typo.

In 06-07 with Memphis, MM posted:

19/5/4 on 46/41/79 shooting.

JJ is a spot-up shooter. MM is a jack of all trades. I guarantee you he'll be playing more than JJ, and helping the team a hell of a lot more.

[LSMF]

Man, this should be a fun game. I really hope we can get this win.