Mavericks-Suns Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Mar 08 2012 1:23AM

The Dallas Mavericks haven't won away from home in nearly three weeks, and their upcoming stretch of three road games in three nights may have come at an inopportune time.

They have a solid chance of ending that streak, though, considering their recent dominance of the Phoenix Suns.

Dallas looks to avoid a fifth straight road loss Thursday night by sweeping another season series from Phoenix, which has won five of its last six at home.

The struggling Mavericks (23-17) have won only twice in their last seven games overall, though Dirk Nowitzki's 28 points helped them earn a 95-85 home win over New York on Tuesday.

"This was a much-needed win. It was a big character win," said Jason Kidd, who scored 15 points.

Dallas is in the midst of playing nine games in 12 days, and it will make trips to Sacramento on Friday and Golden State on Saturday to conclude that stretch.

Starting center Brendan Haywood's status is uncertain after he sat out Tuesday with a sprained left ankle, but coach Rick Carlisle said he'll travel with the team.

Nowitzki has done his part over the last three games, averaging 31.7 points and shooting 52.5 percent from the field. He scored 24 in the second half Tuesday.

"The rhythm I had there in the second half, I was definitely looking for the ball," Nowitzki said. "I was chasing the ball sometimes, I was looking at Kidd and basically telling him, 'Just bring it over here and let me try and take it home.'"

It's winning on the road that's been the problem for the Mavericks.

They've lost a season-high four straight road games, the last being a 95-91 loss at Oklahoma City on Monday. Kidd was fined $25,000 for criticizing the officiating after that contest.

Another trip to Phoenix may help end that skid after Dallas routed the Suns 122-99 on Jan. 30 in its last visit. That marked the club's eighth consecutive win over Phoenix, which played without Steve Nash due to a left thigh contusion.

The Suns, though, have their point guard back and went 5-1 on a six-game homestand from Feb. 19 through Sunday before falling 115-104 at Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Nash had 12 points and 13 assists and Marcin Gortat finished with a career-high 28 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix (17-21), which blew a 16-point second-half lead and was outscored 31-16 in the fourth quarter.

"I thought we gave ourself a chance and we just weren't able to close it out," coach Alvin Gentry said. "You hope for a chance to be able to compete and put yourself in a position to where maybe making a couple of plays down the stretch you'll be able to win the game."

Nash, who played for the Mavericks from 1998-2004, has averaged 11.4 assists in his last five games against his former team, though he's scored eight points or fewer in three of those contests.

He went 2 for 9 from the field in Dallas during a 93-87 loss Jan. 23, when former Suns forward Shawn Marion scored a game-high 29 points. Nowitzki didn't play that night, sitting out with a sore right knee.

Nowitzki scored 20 points and Nash had a solid 15-point, 12-assist performance Jan. 4 in Dallas' 98-89 win.

Phoenix's last victory in the series was a 112-106 home win Jan. 28, 2010.

Suns get 1st win over Mavericks in 9 tries

By BOB BAUM
Posted Mar 09 2012 2:55AM

PHOENIX (AP) The Phoenix Suns finally got the best of the Dallas Mavericks. Barely.

Jared Dudley scored 12 of his 18 points in a third-quarter comeback and Phoenix held on to beat Dallas 96-94 on Thursday night, the Suns' first victory over the Mavericks in nine tries, four this season.

"This is definitely big for us," Dudley said. "We've struggled against this more than any other team, especially at home."

Dallas blew out the Suns in Phoenix 122-99 on Jan. 30.

Grant Hill scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half for Phoenix, but missed two free throws with 15.4 seconds left. Dallas had two chances after that, but Rodrigue Beaubois missed a driving layup, then couldn't hit an open 18-foot jumper at the buzzer.

"You are not always going to get your star players the shot at the end because they attract so much attention," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said, explaining the last play. "That is one of the reasons Rodrigue got so wide open."

One player who wondered why he wasn't in the game at the end was sharpshooter Jason Terry.

"I can't check myself in and out of the game," he said. "You got to ask the person who didn't have me in the game. Ask him his thoughts on why I wasn't in the game. What I think doesn't matter."

Asked why Terry wasn't in the game Carlisle simply said "coach's decision."

Marcin Gortat added 16 points and 12 rebounds as the Suns won their fourth straight home game, their longest streak in nearly two years. Steve Nash had 11 points and 11 assists.

Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki had 18 points apiece for Dallas in the Mavericks' fifth road loss in a row.

Phoenix, coming off a loss at Oklahoma City the previous night, outscored the Mavericks 31-8 over a stretch late in the third quarter and early in the fourth, erasing a 12-point deficit to go up by 11.

"We got the pace of the game up where we wanted it," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "Once again we came up with stops, which is really important to run off misses as opposed to taking the ball and running off makes. We had the game at the tempo where we wanted it and we were able to score."

Nash said the game was crucial as the Suns try to climb into contention for a playoff berth.

"We couldn't lose both of these (Oklahoma City and Dallas) and stay in the playoff picture," he said. "It's an early crunch time for us. We've got to keep crawling back to that eight-nine-ten spots and try to give ourselves a chance to sneak in there."

The Suns had an 18-4 outburst over the final 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter to take a 78-76 lead entering the fourth. Phoenix added to the onslaught with a 13-4 run to start the final quarter. Sebastian Telfair made a 3-pointer, then Shannon Brown's thunderous dunk on a rebound put the Suns up 90-80. Hakim Warrick capped the outburst by making one of two free throws.

But the Suns failed to score in the final 2:46 after Warrick made one of two free throws to put Phoenix ahead 96-87.

Jason Kidd sank his third 3-pointer and Nowitzki's 14-footer cut the lead to 96-92 with 1:01 to play. Gortat scored on a layup but was called for an offensive foul. That led to Nowitzki's inside basket that cut the lead to 96-94 with 25 seconds left. Hill was fouled, but missed both free throws and Dallas called a timeout with 14.3 seconds to go.

Beaubois drove the lane but his shot in traffic was off the mark. The ball was knocked out of bounds, and after referees reviewed the replay, the ball was awarded to Dallas with 2.5 seconds left. Beaubois then misfired from 18 feet and Phoenix escaped with its sixth win in eight games.

"This was just a mental breakdown by our team," Carter said.

Dallas led 72-60 after Lamar Odom's 3-pointer with 4:43 left in the third quarter and was up 74-63 on his dunk with 3:59 to go. The Suns scored the next 11 to tie it 74-74 on Dudley's 20-footer with 1:34 left. Nowitzki's two free throws put Dallas back on top 76-74, but Nash made a 16-footer, then Dudley scored inside with 29.8 seconds left to give Phoenix the lead.

The Suns shot 74 percent in the third quarter (14 of 19).

Carter scored 11 in a 4 1-2 minute span late in the second quarter as the Mavericks took a 53-44 lead at the break. But he had only five points in the second half.

Notes: Phoenix wore its "Los Suns" jerseys for its annual tribute to the city's Latin heritage. ... The Suns last beat Dallas on Jan. 28, 2010, in Phoenix. ... The Mavericks were called for defensive 3 seconds violations four times. ... The Mavericks' last road win was on Feb. 17 at Philadelphia. ... The Suns are 6-1 at home since the players dressed up a model skeleton in the locker room with Warrick's jersey, headband and shoes.

Notebook: Suns 96, Mavericks 94

Posted Friday March 9, 2012 2:08AM

By Mike Tulumello, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: The Dallas Mavericks don't look like world champs these days.

The Mavericks got a chance for comfort Thursday night from a familiar source, rolling up a 12-point lead over the Phoenix Suns -- a team they'd beaten eight straight -- but they couldn't hold it.

The Suns roared back, then held on in the closing seconds for a 96-94 home win. That sent the Mavericks to their seventh loss in the past 10 games.

The Suns (18-21) won their sixth in the past eight. They also have won four straight at home, overcoming double-digit deficits in all of them.

They got 18 points and eight rebounds from Jared Dudley plus 16 points and 12 boards from Marcin Gortat.

For the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki shot 8-for-15 for 18 points and Vince Carter shot 8-for-21, also for 18.

The Mavericks ran up a 55-44 halftime lead and increased it to 72-60 on a Lamar Odom 3-pointer with 4:43 left in the third quarter.

Then the Suns, with Hakim Warrick joining the starters, sprinted off on an 18-4 run to close the quarter and take a 78-76 lead.

The Suns led 83-80 early in the final quarter when Warrick hit a pair of free throws, Sebastian Telfair nailed a 3-pointer and then Shannon Brown scored on a spectacular follow-slam to make it 90-80 with 7:30 left.

But with the Suns leading 96-94 in the closing seconds, Grant Hill missed two free throws. He'd also missed a shot that would have virtually wrapped it up, an uncontested layup with 4:13 left and the Suns leading 93-84.

The Mavericks' Rodrique Beaubois missed a runner in the lane with 5.6 seconds left, but the ball was knocked out of bounds back to the Mavericks. Beaubois missed an open 16-footer, and the Mavericks were done.

The Mavericks played the first of three straight; they visit the Sacramento Kings Friday night and Golden State Saturday night.

QUOTABLE: "This is definitely big for us. We've probably struggled against that team more than any other. They have a lot of guys who can make plays, are smart, and they know the game."
-- Jared Dudley on beating the Mavericks.

THE STAT: The Mavericks shot just 35 percent in the second half.

TURNING POINT: The Suns' 18-4 run at the end of the third quarter, which gave them a 78-76 lead heading into the final quarter. This was the Suns' first lead since the first quarter.

QUOTABLE II: "I gotta go with guys who perform. If he's going to be out there, he's got to perform."
-- Suns coach Alvin Gentry on the slumping Markief Morris.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Channing Frye continued his slide. He shot 2-for-8, making him 12-for-47 over the past four games.

GOOD MOVE: Gentry replaced Frye in the second half with the energetic Warrick instead of the sleepy Morris. The game turned in the Suns' favor immediately.

BAD MOVE: That Gentry used Morris at all. Morris failed to score or grab a rebound in six minutes, though he did commit a 3-shot foul. Over the past six games, he's averaged 2.0 points on 4-for-26 shooting.

NOTABLE: Carter moved past Bob Pettit (20,880 points) for No. 32 all time. Pettit was the first NBA player to eclipse 20,000 points.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Friday @ Sacramento, Saturday @ Golden State and Tuesday vs. Washington. For the Suns, Saturday vs. Memphis, Monday vs. Minnesota and Wednesday vs. Utah.

• Mavericks: West, Wright
• Suns: --

• Mavericks: --
• Suns: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
• Officials: #13 Monty McCutchen, #28 Tommy Nunez Jr., #65 Sean Wright
• Attendance: 15498
• Duration: 2:24