Mavericks-Timberwolves Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Feb 09 2012 10:26PM

The Dallas Mavericks entered 2011-12 having dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves over much of the previous six seasons.

It's been a different story this year.

Dallas concludes a three-game trip Friday night hoping to avoid a third consecutive loss to Minnesota, which welcomes back star Kevin Love following a two-game suspension.

The Mavericks (15-11), who from Jan. 7, 2006-March 24, 2011, took 18 of 19 from the Timberwolves (13-13) while outscoring them by an average of 9.6 points, have surprisingly been stifled in the first two meetings.

After its nine-game winning streak at the Target Center came to an end with a 99-82 loss Jan. 1, Dallas was handed a 105-90 defeat at home Jan. 25.

Much of the Mavericks' troubles versus Minnesota can be attributed to their inability to contain Love, who's recorded a combined 56 points and 28 rebounds against them this season.

Love returns to the court after serving his suspension for "driving his foot into the upper body and face of Houston's Luis Scola as Scola was lying on the floor" during Saturday's 100-91 win. The Timberwolves went 1-1 during Love's absence, defeating Sacramento 86-84 on Tuesday before falling 85-80 at Memphis the following night.

While Love acknowledged that his suspension was warranted, he seems ready to put it behind him and is looking forward to continuing his tremendous season.

Ranking in the top five in the NBA with averages of 25.0 points and 13.7 boards, Love was added to the Western Conference All-Star team Thursday.

"It's a lot of joy," he said. "It's really a respect thing. I've had a great season thus far and we've had some success as a team. For me, it's definitely a big deal. I put in a lot of work these last three and a half seasons and I don't intend on stopping."

While Love and the Timberwolves have had their way with Dallas, they could have their hands full with a Mavericks team coming off one of its more inspired efforts of the season. Behind 25 points from Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas defeated Denver 105-95 on Wednesday to snap a three-game skid.

"A win. A much-needed win," said Nowitzki, who was held out Jan. 25 versus Minnesota as part of a planned four-game absence to strengthen his sore right knee.

"We worked hard the last three games in our preparation, trying to keep them out of the lane, trying not to let them get into transition. I liked some of the stuff that we did. We rebounded the ball well. We outrebounded them on the road, and that is definitely a plus when we do that."

After being held to a combined 28 points during his first three games back, Nowitzki is averaging 26.3 on 61.5 percent shooting in his last three. He shot 11 of 20 versus the Nuggets.

"An All-Star performance, didn't you think? He's getting back into a groove offensively and he's looking like himself," coach Rick Carlisle told the NBA's official website.

Nowitzki will be joining Love in Orlando, making his 11th straight All-Star appearance.

"It was a tough road back to full health for me, but I am honored that the coaches thought enough of me to make me an All-Star," he said in a statement.

Jason Kidd, who missed Dallas' last six games with a strained right calf, could be available in this one. He is averaging 4.1 points and 5.1 assists - significantly lower than his career marks of 13.1 and 9.1.

Mavericks hold off T-wolves 104-97 behind Nowitzki

By DAVE CAMPBELL
Posted Feb 11 2012 12:03AM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Dirk Nowitzki and his smooth, soaring jump shot were in prime form.

What truly made the Mavericks too tough for the sloppy Timberwolves to handle was the presence of their savvy old point guard, Jason Kidd.

Nowitzki welcomed Kevin Love back from his two-game suspension with a season-high 33 points, winning the matchup of Western Conference All-Star power forwards and helping Dallas stave off a Minnesota in a 104-97 victory over on Friday.

"He makes the game so much easier for everyone," said Jason Terry, the other part of the veteran trio that steadied the Mavericks down the stretch after a 19-5 run spurt by the Wolves brought them within 78-75 on Nikola Pekovic's putback to open the fourth quarter.

Kidd, playing for the first time in seven games due to a strained right calf muscle, responded by swishing a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to six with 10:15 left.

"He's a big part of our heart and soul. When we're without him, we can win some games but we're not the same team," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.

Terry had nine of his 16 points in the final period. Kidd had eight points, 10 assists and five rebounds. The Mavericks blamed most of his eight turnovers on teammates unprepared for his slick passes, since they hadn't seen them in a while.

Kidd joked it must've been fan appreciation night because of all the balls being thrown into the seats. He didn't have time to think about his big shot because he was huffing and puffing on the stationary bike behind the bench - riding all the way across the river to St. Paul, he joked - until entering the game 17 seconds before.

"Whatever I can do to help my team," he said.

Nowitzki topped 24 points for the fourth straight game by shooting 11 for 19 from the floor, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Love finished with 32 points and 12 rebounds, going 14 for 14 from the free-throw line, but the Wolves missed a chance to sweep the season series from a Western Conference foe since beating the Memphis Grizzlies all three times in 2008-09.

"That is definitely vintage Dirk. He's a Hall of Fame player and when he decides he wants it, more often than not he's going to have success," Love said.

The Wolves had a season-high 28 turnovers and shot just 6 for 23 from 3-point range.

"Just being a youthful team, we're going to have lapses like that and unfortunately it was against a team that we beat a couple of times," Love said.

Love was punished for stepping on Luis Scola's face against the Houston Rockets last weekend. He was by far Minnesota's most productive player in his return, but his was still a rather quiet performance. He made nine of 12 shots from 3-point range over the Wolves' two previous wins over the Mavericks, but he went 0 for 3 behind the arc in this one.

Nowitzki, named to his 11th straight All-Star game despite a relatively slow start to his 13th season, has clearly worked himself back into shape. After averaging less than 10 points over the three games prior to this spurt, Nowitzki is averaging 28 points in the last four games while shooting 60.5 percent. Though he lost his touch late, he seemed to have an extra edge against Love. The two of them bumped elbows and torsos in the post all night.

"He's been fun to watch. He's an animal on the glass. We all know that. He's tough to play," Nowitzki said.

The Wolves (13-14) still haven't had a record this good this late in a season in six years. The Mavericks (16-11) didn't have to be convinced. They were blown out in both of the first two meetings.

But the league's oldest team still has plenty of pride - and championship rings on their fingers. They showed the Wolves, who were the second-youngest team in the NBA when this lockout-sliced season began, that they're still a team to be reckoned with in the top-heavy West.

The Wolves made only two baskets outside the lane in the first quarter and fell behind 29-16; Love and Wes Johnson combined to shoot 1 for 8 in that frame. Nowitzki's first 3-pointer made it 11-6 Mavericks, and the Wolves didn't get back within five again until a flying putback dunk by Derrick Williams at the end of the third.

"We threw passes away when we worked hard defensively and got the ball back. We just threw it away like there was no value to the ball," coach Rick Adelman said, lamenting what he called a lack of concentration.

The Mavericks took advantage of the small Wolves backcourt by posting up Vince Carter often, and Nowitzki made them pay when they switched to a zone.

"His presence opens so much up for everyone else. That's called an All-Star presence, to me. It's not always about the numbers," said Mavericks backup Delonte West, who had 10 points.

NOTES: The Mavericks are 8-1 when they score 100-plus points this season. ... Ricky Rubio reached 10 points with a late push and had eight assists for the Wolves. Pekovic had 12 points, and Michael Beasley scored 20 points in his new reserve role.

Notebook: Mavericks 104, Timberwolves 97

Posted Friday February 10, 2012 11:47PM

By Jim Beilby, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: In game showcasing two of the leagues premier power forwards, Kevin Love matched Dirk Nowitzki's numbers, but Dirk and the Dallas Mavericks won the battle that mattered most, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-97 on Friday night.

Nowitzki scored 33 points and gave Dallas a quick start, hitting a pair of 3-pointers to key a 20-4 run early in the first quarter. Love played his first game after serving a two game suspension and made a big difference, scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. The Wolves were 1-1 in his absence, but cleared missed his 25.0 points and 13.7 rebounds per game.

QUOTABLE: "Dirk played great at both ends [of the floor]. He gave us a presence around the basket with his length and he was getting the ball in the basket. His threes were timely threes. . . And I don't know what [Jason's Kidd's] plus-minus was, but he had to be about a plus 15 or 18. He got us off the a great start and then when they cut it to three, we put him back in the game and he got us back up to 13 or 14."
-- Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle.

THE STAT: Minnesota turned the ball over a season-high 28 times leading to 30 Dallas points and Dallas recorded a season high 16 steals.

TURNING POINT: After trailing by as many as 17 points with 4:00 to play in the third quarter, Minnesota went on a 16-3 run to cut Dallas's lead to three points. Dallas, however, immediately responded with 14-4 run and eventually built a 14-point lead with 5:35 to play. Minnesota never seriously threatened Dallas after that.

QUOTABLE II: "Very disappointed in our concentration tonight. We slipped backwards... our turnovers: disasterous. We never gave ourselves a chance. We would cut into the lead and then turn it over two or three times and let them open it back up again. We have got to get our concentration back to where it needs to be."
-- Minnesota head coach Rick Adelman.

HOT: Minnesota's duo of Love and Beasley shot 17-for-27 from the floor (62.9%)

NOT: Minnesota's squadron of guards (Luke Ridnour, Ricky Rubio, and J.J. Barea) shot 5-for-24 (20.8 percent). In fact, Minnesota's guards did not make a field goal until Rubio hit a jumpshot with 40 seconds to play in the second quarter.

NOTABLE: The Mavericks eclipsed the century mark tonight for the ninth time in their 27 games. They are 8-1 when doing so. With a victory, Minnesota would have completed a season sweep of Dallas. The only other time they accomplished that feat was in the 1995-1996 season.

UP NEXT: For the Wolves, Saturday vs. New York, Monday @ Orlando, Wednesday vs. Charlotte. For the Mavericks, Saturday vs. Portland, Monday vs. Clippers, Wednesday vs. Denver.

• Mavericks: Jones, Williams
• Timberwolves: Lee, Milicic

• Mavericks: West
• Timberwolves: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Officials: #27 Dick Bavetta, #75 Eric Dalen, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 17119
• Duration: 2:20