GDT: Mavs at Thunder 12-27-2012

[dirt_dobber]

Dirk Nowitzki will keep coming off bench for now
http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/maver...-bench-for-now

DALLAS – Dirk Nowitzki isn’t going to be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate at the end of the season, but he will continue coming off the Mavs’ bench for now.

That’s the easiest way for the Mavs to manage Nowitzki’s minutes as he eases his way back from a much-longer-than-expected rehab process following Oct. 19 arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

However, coach Rick Carlisle reserves the right to sub Nowitzki a minute into Thursday’s game in Oklahoma City if the Mavs get off to an ugly start.

“I’m just telling you he’s coming off the bench and we’ll see where it goes,” Carlisle said. “If there’s a limited number of minutes we can play him, to burn those up at the very beginning when there’s no timeouts the first six minutes is tough on him and it doesn’t make sense for us. So our starters got to hold the fort.

“And then we get him in there and he’s still on his second game in. It’s going to be a process.”

After getting some extra post-practice conditioning work in, Nowitzki dashed up the stairs and into the trainers’ room for treatment, declining to talk to the media Wednesday.

There’s no doubt, however, that Nowitzki is on board with his temporary role as a reserve. He originally made the suggestion to bring him off the bench for a few games a month ago.

[dirt_dobber]

Our Mavericks are now ranked:
Points per game 10th
Rebounds per game 23rd
Assists per game 13th
Points allowed 28th

thunder
points per game 3rd
rebounds per 14th
assists 14th
points allowed 11th

remaining games against
01/18 - OKC @ DAL
02/04 - DAL @ OKC
03/17 - OKC @ DAL

[dirt_dobber]

Mavericks-Thunder Preview
http://espn.go.com/nba/preview?id=400278143

Failing to measure up in their much-anticipated NBA Finals rematch, the Oklahoma City Thunder have gone back to the drawing board.

The Dallas Mavericks are also looking to refocus now that their star forward has returned to the lineup.

The Thunder will try to stop their first losing streak of the season and win their 11th straight at home on Thursday night when they take on the Mavericks.

After winning 12 consecutive games -- the franchise's longest streak since 1995-96 -- Oklahoma City (21-6) dropped consecutive road contests against Minnesota on Dec. 20 and Miami on Tuesday.

The Thunder suffered their first defeat in five games following a loss and haven't lost three in a row since April 2-6.

While Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined to score 54 points -- more than any set of teammates had against the Heat -- both missed potential game-tying 3-pointers in Miami.

"Unfortunately we didn't come away with the win but we did a lot of good things that we can take away to the next game," coach Scott Brooks told the team's official website.

The Thunder fell to 11-3 when both stars score 20 or more points, but they could certainly use some help. Durant and Westbrook have scored 117 points in the team's last two losses, while the rest of the team has totaled just 73.

After averaging 108.6 points while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor during its 12-game run, Oklahoma City has slowed to 95.0 and 41.2 percent, respectively, the past two contests.

The Thunder should have a decent chance to get back on track against a Dallas team that ranks near the bottom of the NBA in scoring defense (103.8 per game) in December.

The return of former MVP Dirk Nowitzki wasn't enough to prevent the Mavericks (12-16) from losing for the sixth time in seven games, as they fell 129-91 at San Antonio on Sunday.

Dallas trailed by as many as 46 before losing its ninth game by 15 points or more.

"We got a (butt-kicking), that's it," forward Shawn Marion said. "No need to explain it ... it was an old-fashioned (butt-kicking)."

The blowout loss spoiled the long-awaited return of Nowitzki, the team's leading scorer every season since 1999-00. He scored eight points in 20 minutes off the bench after missing the first 27 games following knee surgery in October.

"We need to keep on working," Nowitzki said. "We've got a lot of areas to improve. We might not be as talented as some teams on the top, but if we're not, you have to make it up with how you play and compete and it's just not there."

While it's likely to take Nowitzki some time to get back into form, the Mavericks could use his prolific scoring with O.J. Mayo battling illness and a minor slump.

Mayo, who missed the team's workouts earlier in the week because of a fever, is expected to play after returning to practice on Wednesday.

The team scoring leader (19.3) will try to bounce back after averaging 8.3 points on 9 of 33 from the field in his last three games.

Dallas has totaled just 89.3 points on 41.5 percent shooting during its three-game skid, but might be catching the Thunder at the right time. Oklahoma City has given up 101.0 points on 45.7 percent in its back-to-back losses.

The Thunder have won six straight against the Mavericks, including a sweep in the first round of the 2011-12 playoffs.

[dirt_dobber]

Dallas Morning News
Eddie Sefko:
http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/2012/...ly-lucky.html/

Why OKC Thunder (Mavs’ foe Thursday) are likely to be in foul mood but have been ‘incredibly lucky’

Mavericks at Oklahoma City

7 p.m. today, TV: TNT; Radio: KESN-FM (103.3), KFLC-AM (1270 in Spanish).

Scouting the Mavericks

They are hoping to avoid their first four-game losing streak of the season. A lonely win against Philadelphia is the only bright spot since Dec.11. They are 1-6 since then. … Dirk Nowitzki had eight points and six rebounds in 20 minutes in his season debut Sunday and probably will remain on a minutes restriction, especially given that the Mavericks play again Friday in Dallas against Denver. … They have lost four of their last five regular-season meetings with the Thunder, and that doesn’t include the first-round sweep in the playoffs last season. … Shawn Marion continues to be the Mavericks’ most reliable player, with a double-double in four of the last six games he’s played.

Scouting the Thunder

They are likely to be in a foul mood after losing two in a row on the road, including Christmas Day in Miami. … In their 103-97 loss to the Heat, four players combined to score 84 of Oklahoma City’s points. Beyond Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Kevin Martin, they have little firepower. Of course, that foursome can create havoc for a defense. … They continue to have incredible luck in the injury department. They have had the same starting five in every game. By comparison, the Mavericks have had 10 players start games this season, and that will grow to 11 when Dirk Nowitzki makes his first start of the season. … Durant is second in the NBA in scoring at 28 per game and he shoots 52 percent from the field and 43 percent on 3-pointers.

[dirt_dobber]

Carlisle going to sleep 'one more night' on choice to be primary point guard
by: Eddie Sefko
http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dal...oint-guard.ece


OKLAHOMA CITY — The Mavericks are pretty confident about one thing regarding their point guards. They’ll all look a little better with Dirk Nowitzki playing next to them.

That’s the way things work with superstars.

But it will be interesting to see which point guard is the biggest beneficiary of playing alongside Nowitzki. It’s already known that Nowitzki will come off the bench for at least one more game. So whichever point guard starts the game, probably gets less time to work with Nowitzki.

Rick Carlisle’s biggest job moving forward will be figuring out the rotations and who plays best with each other. And Dominique Jones, Darren Collison and Roddy Beaubois all are going to have to earn the trust of their coach.

“Look, we’ve got three guys [at the point] that have all done good things,” Carlisle said. “We just need to keep going forward and keep getting those guys better, and I think Dirk being back on the floor certainly enhances everybody’s opportunity to play better.”

Carlisle said he’s got an idea of who he expects to be the primary ballhandler. Of course, he wasn’t in a divulging mood to enlighten anybody about how he’s leaning.

“I’m starting to get a feel as to who the guy is probably going to be,” Carlisle said. “I’m going to give myself one more night to sleep on it. I don’t think that’s unfair.”

[Kante]

Hope it's not on Jones!

[Bayliss]

Dirk should just sit this one out and play more minutes against Denver. The Mavs (IMO) don't have a chance against OKC but against Denver there is a chance.

[MavsFTR]

That's dumb. The dude has only played 20 minutes in the season. He needs the time to practice and get a feel for his teammates.

[Kante]

Yep, but he also needs to get in some kind of groove/rhytm. Every minutes he plays is good and helps him.

Still a L!

[oilfieldtrash]

Just compete and let Dirk have a shot at the end to close it.

[Bayliss]

That's dumb. The dude has only played 20 minutes in the season. He needs the time to practice and get a feel for his teammates.

If Pop can do with Duncan, I'm sure Carlisle can do it with Dirk. Sure he needs minutes but he also doesn't need back to backs right out of the gate either.

[DavidDaMonkey]

Originally Posted by Bayliss

If Pop can do with Duncan, I'm sure Carlisle can do it with Dirk. Sure he needs minutes but he also doesn't need back to backs right out of the gate either.

I think it has nothing to do with what Carlisle can or can't do. It has to do with Dirk. Ballers wanna ball.

[SMC0007]

Huge embarrassing loss!

[MavsFTR]

Originally Posted by Bayliss

If Pop can do with Duncan, I'm sure Carlisle can do it with Dirk. Sure he needs minutes but he also doesn't need back to backs right out of the gate either.

Dirk isn't an old lady that he can't play 20-25 minutes tonight and 30 minutes against Denver. He needs the practice. This isn't April.

[LSMF]

Hmm...seems like another easy loss on TNT to me.

[Bayliss]

Yeah.... going to be a blowout.

[Murphy3]

The Mavs will finish in second place tonight..

[sefant77]

Such an easy win, i think i will save my time and sleep early.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by Murphy3

The Mavs will finish in second place tonight..

Mr. Brightside

[sefant77]

Silver Medal, wooow

[Bayliss]

Silver Medal, wooow

Where is Tonya Harding when we need her?

[markus1234]

Rick Carlisle says Rodrigue Beaubois will likely be inactive after showing up and vomiting in the locker room.

Josh Howard is an iron man compared to Roddy.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally Posted by markus1234

...what's next ?

I'd love to see his entrance and what he told Carlisle before that scene. Pure gold.

[Kante]

No limits?

Carlisle on Dirk's minutes: "There's no set number, as much as everybody would like to have a number that they can go tweet to somebody."

Carlisle says Dirk's minutes will be based on "feel." He'd like to have Mayo on the floor at the same time as much as possible.

[adonis]

Let's give a good fight. Don't want to lose by 35, even though that's the gut feeling.

[Kante]

Good job, good effort!

[fluid.forty.one]

Can't wait to see Dirk

[Bayliss]

Hopefully Wright and Dirk are paired together. But I doubt it.

[Kante]

Good move!

Mavs starters: COLLISON, Mayo, Dahntay, Marion and Kaman.

[adonis]

Thank god no more Dojo

[adonis]

Collison showing up

[Kante]

Grab a rebound...

[Bayliss]

Kaman and Marion are not rebounding.

[some1nw]

id trade kaman for a dirty rebounding center. Varejao woulda been nice

[GermanStandard]

Dat Rebounding Work is hilarious. I see Ibaka get a knew Carrer High in Rebounds maybe 30+

[Bayliss]

I never realized how poor a rebounder Kaman truly is. Take away yhe rebounds he gets from his own shitty shots.... and he would be putrid.

[Bayliss]

Got damn.... take care of the ball.

[Kante]

Good god... No rebounding, even the loose ball goes through Kaman!

[Bayliss]

Kaman blew it again. Good God. Grab the ball.

[Bayliss]

Keep shooting dirk.