Kings-Mavericks Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Jan 14 2012 1:36AM

After a rough start, the Dallas Mavericks are finally looking the part of the defending NBA champions.

The Sacramento Kings are unlikely to slow them down.

The Mavericks go for their 15th straight home win over the Kings on Saturday night.

Dallas has won four in a row as it makes its 0-3 start an increasingly distant memory. The Mavericks (7-5) defeated Milwaukee 102-76 at home Friday, leading by as many as 30 points while holding the Bucks to 37.2 percent shooting and connecting on 52 percent of their own field-goal attempts.

Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with 11 points in 22 minutes, became the 23rd NBA player to score 23,000 before he and the rest of the Dallas starters rested the entire fourth quarter with the game's outcome no longer in doubt.

"Milestones are going to be great when I look back on my career in 10 or 15 years," Nowitzki said. "But as of right now, I'm trying to help this team, and franchise, win as many games as I can. We've been playing better. That's all I'm worried about right now."

After giving up 100 points in each of its first three losses, the Mavericks have allowed an average of 86.9 in the nine games since. They scored 33 points off 19 Milwaukee turnovers Friday, also outrebounding the Bucks 43-36.

"On defense, we're doing a good job of holding each other accountable and we feel like we can always do better at not letting the other team get in a flow," said Vince Carter, who scored a season-high 16 points.

The Mavericks haven't played great defense against Sacramento in recent meetings, but they haven't had to. Though the Kings have reached 100 points in seven of the last nine games in the series, Dallas has won all nine. The Mavericks have scored 114.7 points per game during their 14-game winning streak versus the Kings.

Sacramento (4-8) might have trouble keeping up with Dallas on both ends of the court. The Kings, who are scoring a Western Conference-low 93.0 points per game while allowing an average of 102.3 - also worst in the West - suffered their third loss in four games Friday, falling 103-89 at Houston to drop to 1-5 on the road in 2011-12.

Tyreke Evans scored 27 points, but the rest of the starting lineup combined for only 20.

DeMarcus Cousins managed four points and four rebounds as his streak of four consecutive double-doubles ended. He shot 1 of 7, and admitted after the game that he was feeling under the weather.

"I don't know what's going on," Cousins said. "I couldn't stop coughing and I can't seem to get over it."

If Cousins plays Saturday, he'll look to have another good game against the Mavericks. He averaged 17.3 points and 12.7 rebounds in three games versus Dallas last season.

Mavs rout Kings 99-60 for fifth straight win

Posted Jan 15 2012 12:38AM

DALLAS (AP) The Dallas Mavericks were able to rest their regulars in the fourth quarter thanks to a record defensive effort.

Jason Terry scored 21 points, Vince Carter added 16 and the Mavericks stretched their winning streak to five games with a 99-60 rout of the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

The Kings went 22 for 86 from the field (25.6 percent) against a Mavericks team that allowed the fewest points in franchise history.

Dallas' previous low was 65 points against Minnesota on Feb. 27, 2007.

"(The Kings) had some struggles. Their shot-making wasn't great, but I thought we had something to do with that," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're placing emphasis on energy, defense and rebounding. The guys are responding."

Dirk Nowitzki contributed 14 points in a little over 20 minutes for the reigning NBA champs (8-5), who've won six in a row at home after a 0-2 start.

Both teams were playing their fourth game in five nights, but the Mavericks were fresher after resting their starters throughout the fourth quarter of Friday night's 102-76 victory over Milwaukee.

Marcus Thornton scored 14 points for the Kings (4-9), who've dropped four of five, including Friday night's 103-89 defeat at Houston. Sacramento was making the fourth stop of a five-city road trip and struggled from the opening tip.

"When you come into the league, what you want to do is make shots," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "When you're not making those, you get down. When you get a collection of players doing that, the team gets down."

The Mavericks were again able to sit their key players in the final quarter in anticipation of a four-game road trip over six days that begins Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"We're on an uptick right now and we've got to keep it going because the schedule is getting tougher this week," Carlisle said.

Dallas put the game away early, finishing the first quarter with a 15-1 run keyed by Terry's eight points for a 27-11 lead.

The Mavericks came out with energy on the defensive end, limiting the Kings to 4-for-25 first-quarter shooting.

Improved defense helped Dallas' championship run last season, and increased attention to the defensive end has contributed heavily to the current streak.

"It's all dictated on our defense," Terry said. "We want to play great defense and get stops."

Dallas went on an 11-2 spurt early in the second quarter capped by Nowitzki's 14-foot bank shot with 7:39 left until halftime to push the advantage to 38-15.

The Mavericks were in command at intermission, 52-23.

The 23-point half was the lowest in Kings franchise history. The previous low was 25 points against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 26, 1957, when the Kings were based in Rochester, N.Y., and known as the Royals.

Dallas also set a defensive record, allowing the fewest points in any half in franchise history, surpassing a 24-point half by Vancouver on March 13, 1999.

The first-half defensive dominance meant the Mavericks had allowed 54 points during a span of four quarters.

Sacramento's offense was a little more efficient in the third quarter, narrowing the deficit to as few as 21 points.

But Dallas carried a 72-45 lead into the fourth quarter and went with subs the rest of the way.

Tyreke Evans, who entered the night as the Kings' top scorer with an average of 18.8 points, finished with three points on 1-for-8 shooting.

NOTES: Dallas G Jason Kidd (lower back) returned after sitting out four consecutive games. Kidd converted a layup on his first shot attempt, his first two-point field goal of the season. His first 12 baskets were 3-pointers. Kidd also had six steals, one short of his career high. ... Thornton started after missing three games with a bruised left thigh. ... Owner Mark Cuban said the Mavericks will receive their championship rings prior to the Jan. 25 home game against Minnesota. That will allow former Dallas and current Minnesota G J.J. Barea to participate. ... Sacramento C/F Chuck Hayes missed his fifth straight game with a dislocated left shoulder.

Notebook: Mavericks 99, Kings 60

By Dave Ivey, for NBA.com
Posted Sunday January 15, 2012 12:25AM

THE FACTS: The defending champions defended the basket in record-breaking fashion Saturday, with Dallas delivering a thorough 99-60 thrashing to Sacramento. The Kings scored the fewest points and registered the lowest field-goal percentage (25.6 percent) by any opponent in 32 seasons of Mavericks basketball. The Kings also set a franchise record for futility with 23 first-half points and finished with their fewest points since a 101-59 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 10, 1991.

Jason Terry scored a game-high 21 points for the Mavs, winners of five straight. Vince Carter added 16 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 14 and Shawn Marion tallied 10 points and eight rebounds. The Kings, who have lost 15 straight meetings at the American Airlines Center, got 14 points from Marcus Thornton and 12 points and 10 boards from DeMarcus Cousins.

QUOTABLE: "They had some struggles and their shot-making wasn't great, but I thought we had something to do with that. We're placing our major emphasis on energy, defense and rebounding. The guys are responding."
--Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle

THE STAT: The previous records for fewest points and lowest shooting percentage by a Mavericks opponent were both set by the Timberwolves on Feb. 27, 2007. Minnesota shot 29.6 percent from the field en route to a 91-65 defeat. The Kings' previous low for a half was 25 points against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 26, 1957, when the franchise was still the Rochester Royals. Sacramento scored 11 in the first quarter and 12 in the second.

TURNING POINT: After the Kings bricked their first eight shots of the game, the outcome was never in doubt. The Mavericks led wire-to-wire for the second time this season (Jan. 10 at Detroit).

QUOTABLE II: "We use the term traveling training camp, because that's pretty much what this is. The guys are still trying to get up to speed on what I want to do and how I want to play."
-- Sacramento head coach Keith Smart, who replaced Paul Westphal earlier this month.

HOT: This marked the 110th time that Dallas has played four games in five nights, but just the fourth time it won all four games. The Mavericks also completed the sweep in November 2010, November 2006 and February 1987.

NOT: Tyreke Evans had scored 25-plus points in four of the Kings' previous five games, but mustered just three points on 1-for-8 shooting.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Back in the starting lineup after missing four games with back spasms, Dallas point guard Jason Kidd played 29 minutes and contributed a season-high six steals, six assists, five points and three rebounds. Kidd's layup in the first quarter was his first two-point field goal of the season. His first 12 buckets were all from 3-point range and he was 0-for-5 inside the arc in his first eight games.

ROOKIE WATCH: Sacramento guards Jimmer Fredette and Isaiah Thomas were a combined 2-for-14 from the field.

NOTABLE: Owner Mark Cuban said the Mavericks will receive their 2011 NBA championship rings at their Jan. 25 game vs. the Timberwolves. Former Dallas guard J.J. Barea plays for Minnesota. ... The Mavericks are 8-0 when holding opponents under 90 points and 0-5 when they allow 90-plus. ... Dallas had a 60-28 advantage in bench scoring.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Monday @ Los Angeles Lakers, Wednesday @ Los Angeles Clippers, Thursday @ Utah. For the Kings, Monday @ Minnesota, Wednesday vs. Indiana, Friday @ San Antonio.

• Kings: Honeycutt, Whiteside
• Mavericks: Jones, Williams

• Kings: Thompson
• Mavericks: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
• Officials: #13 Monty McCutchen, #20 Leroy Richardson, #74 Curtis Blair
• Attendance: 20313
• Duration: 2:04