Kings-Mavericks Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Apr 09 2012 2:27PM

The Dallas Mavericks finally got back on track following a rough start, but now there's real concern they won't even get the chance to defend their NBA title.

If Dallas does make another playoff push, first-year Mav Lamar Odom won't be along for the ride.

The Mavericks go for a 16th consecutive home win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night, a day after announcing Odom's season in Dallas is done.

After winning the franchise's first NBA championship, Dallas (31-26) opened 2011-12 by losing three straight and four of five.

The Mavericks recovered from their championship hangover and climbed to fourth in the Western Conference with a season-best six-game run Feb. 8-17, but they've gone 11-15 since and are clinging to one of the final three playoffs spots.

"I'm not a big watcher of the standings, but for anybody that is, it brings to the forefront the urgency of the situation," coach Rick Carlisle said following Saturday's 94-89 loss at Memphis.

Before opening a four-game trip, Dallas will try to avoid a third consecutive loss and second in a row at home.

The Mavericks will have to do so without Odom, who Monday was placed on the inactive list - where he'll remain for the rest of the season. Odom averaged career lows of 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in just over 20 minutes a game while shooting 35.2 percent.

After being acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers shortly before the season - Odom would have gone to New Orleans as part of a trade for Chris Paul had the league not nixed that deal - the veteran forward has been unable to fit into Dallas' system.

The Mavericks, who called up Kelenna Azubuike from the D-League on Monday, are not expected to waive last season's Sixth Man of the Year.

"I'm done talking about (Odom)," Nowitzki said following Saturday's loss.

With that distraction behind them, the Mavericks can focus on extending a regular-season home winning streak over Sacramento (19-38) that began in January 2004.

Dallas won 99-60 in the Kings' last visit to American Airlines Center on Jan. 14. It was the fewest points ever allowed by the Mavericks, and Sacramento's 23 first-half points were a franchise low.

The Kings ended a 10-game skid in this series with a 110-97 home win March 9, but they enter this contest with just two wins in their last 11 games.

They dropped their fourth in a row Sunday, 104-87 to Houston, as injuries to Marcus Thornton (bruised left calf) and Francisco Garcia (concussion) forced coach Keith Smart to give rookie Jimmer Fredette his first start since Jan. 31. Fredette finished with 17 points but was unable to contain Courtney Lee, who scored 17 of his 25 in the opening 12 minutes as Sacramento fell behind by 11.

"We've got guys that are normally in the rotation, trying to come in, trying to play frontline teams, NBA players who are starters on other teams," Smart told the league's official website. "... But you know, you've got to fight through it and we will fight through it."

Thornton could return as the Kings open this three-game trip after missing the last four. Garcia is questionable, as is John Salmons, who has missed eight straight with a sore hip.

Whoever is on the court needs to take care of the ball and make free throws. Sacramento has committed 41 turnovers in the last two games while hitting just 39 of 65 from the foul line.

DeMarcus Cousins has missed nine of 15 free throws during that stretch and has averaged 10.7 points over his last three since scoring a career-high 41 last Tuesday against Phoenix.

The Kings are a conference-worst 5-23 on the road.

Mavs gets much-needed win, 110-100 over Kings

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
Posted Apr 11 2012 2:18AM

DALLAS (AP) The Dallas Mavericks finally won a game without Lamar Odom, who is no longer an option for them.

Rodrigue Beaubouis, Jason Terry and the rest of the guys still coming off the bench for the defending NBA champions did just fine in a much-needed victory before going on the road, 110-100 over the struggling Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

Yi Jainlian, a 7-foot forward from China, added eight points with four long jumpers in a 5-minute span of the second quarter when the Mavericks went ahead to stay.

"We needed it. (The backups) had good energy put the ball in the basket," coach Rick Carlisle said. "I thought Yi's minutes were vital. ... It energized us, kept us going."

Dirk Nowitzki and Beaubois each had 15 points to lead six players in double figures for the Mavs, who lost three of their previous four games. They are seventh in the Western Conference standings, a half-game behind sixth-place Houston and only a half-game ahead of Denver.

Dallas (32-26) plays six of its last eight games on the road, with a four-game trip in five days starting Thursday at Golden State. They play at home again next Wednesday against the Rockets.

"We've got a lot of veterans in here and we've been through worse than that," Terry said when asked about Odom's departure. "We wish him the best in his future endeavors, but that's now all in the past and we are focused on the job at hand, and that's making the playoffs."

In a strange twist, Dallas was 0-7 in games Odom missed before Tuesday, a day after the team said they had parted ways with the NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year. His averages of 6.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 20.5 minutes in his underwhelming 50-game stint were career lows.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said the end came after a heated halftime exchange with Odom after the forward's uninspired four minutes at Memphis on Saturday night.

"I just asked him, does he want to go for it or not. Is he in or is he out? I think he thought we were playing poker. I just didn't get a commitment. And that was the end," Cuban said before the game in his first public comments about Odom's departure.

When asked if that was the first time he noticed Odom having such a demeanor, Cuban responded, "No, but the first 17 times, I decided to try to help him and turn it into a positive."

Odom is still on the roster, but Dallas said he would be listed as inactive for the rest of its games and is no longer with the team.

Carlisle said the Mavericks are only focused on what they have to do moving forward.

Delonte West and Jason Terry each had 13 points, and Brendan Haywood 11 for Dallas. Shawn Marion had 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Dallas never trailed again after a 12-3 run over a 2 1/2-minute span early in the second quarter with none of its starters on the floor. Beaubois started it with a three-point play and Vince Carter had a 3-pointer for a 31-29 lead.

Marcus Thornton made a 3-pointer for the Kings before Yi had back-to-back jumpers that sandwiched a blocked shot by Carter before one of the highlight play of the night.

Carter had a steal and pushed the ball ahead to Terry, who threw the ball up in the air over his shoulder to a flying Brandan Wright for a powerful dunk.

After Sacramento tied the game for the last time, Beaubois had two free throws and Yi had two more long jumpers.

DeMarcus Cousins had 25 points and 18 rebounds for the Kings (19-39), who have lost five in a row and 10 of 12.

Thornton, Isaiah Thomas and Tyreke Evans each had 16 points for the Kings. Jimmer Fredette had 13.

Sacramento had an 8-0 run to get within 92-87 in the fourth quarter before Delonte West stole the ball from Cousins and got fouled. West hit both free throws to start a game-clinching 12-4 run.

"I thought the tone was set for us to play, we had to make sure we kept this game under control," Kings coach Keith Smart said. " We had a few little details of turning the ball over or maybe some quick shots, but that's what you get with a team that's trying to learn how to win and close out quarters."

NOTES: Jason Kidd returned for Dallas after missing four games with a strained right groin. The 39-year-old guard had seven points on 2-of-5 shooting with two air balls in his 1,310th career game, most among active players and 10th on the all-time list. ... Carter had a powerful one-handed slam over the 7-foot Hassan Whiteside in the third quarter, soon after missing a layup and being called for traveling trying to shoot again. .. .Dallas had won 10 consecutive regular-season games in the series before Sacramento's 110-97 win at home last month.

Notebook: Mavericks 110, Kings 100

Posted Wednesday April 11, 2012 12:03AM

By Dave Ivey, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: A group effort by Shawn Marion and the Mavericks offset a great effort by DeMarcus Cousins and gave Dallas a desperately needed 110-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center on Tuesday.

Marion led six Mavericks in double figures with 10 points and 14 rebounds for his 10th double-double. Dirk Nowitzki added 15 points and eight boards and Delonte West had 13 points, while reserves Rodrigue Beaubois (15 points) and Jason Terry (13) fueled the Mavs' 54-23 advantage in bench points.

Cousins contributed game highs of 25 points and 18 rebounds to go with a career-high six steals, three assists and two blocked shots. Marcus Thornton, Tyreke Evans and Isaiah Thomas each scored 16 for the Kings, who dropped their fifth straight game.

QUOTABLE: "We just need to come prepared and ready for business the next [eight] games. Everybody needs to be focused so we can make a push for the playoffs."
-- Mavericks guard Vince Carter, who had seven points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

THE STAT: This was the Mavericks' 16th straight victory in the series at the AAC. The Kings have not won in Dallas since Feb. 27, 2003.

TURNING POINT: Both teams shot exactly 44.6 percent (41-for-92). The difference was that Dallas was more aggressive, attacking the glass and getting to the line. The Mavericks won the battle of the boards 56-40, including 17-8 on the offensive glass. They had a 20-10 advantage in second-chance points and made 12 more free throws than the Kings.

QUOTABLE II: "This is the first time we've had this complement of players healthy. It's a beginning. We don't have a lot of time to be experimenting and this and that. Every second counts from here on out, and we know that."
-- Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle

HOT: With the disgruntled and disinterested Lamar Odom out of the picture in Dallas, Yi Jianlian took advantage of his increased playing time. He swished all four of his field-goal attempts in the second quarter, draining jumpers from 17, 20, 20 and 22 feet to match his season high of eight points. He heard more cheers in about four minutes that quarter than Odom did in four months.

NOT: The Mavericks committed seven turnovers in the first quarter on their way to 17 miscues for the second straight game. The Kings were credited with 12 steals.

BAD MOVE: After the Kings cut the Mavericks' lead to 92-87 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Thornton and Jimmer Fredette, Cousins stalled the momentum with a silly foul. Prone on the floor under his own basket, he reached up and flattened West with an arm tackle. West made both free throws with 5:58 left, then canned a 3-pointer on Dallas' next possession to push the lead back to 10.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: After missing four games last week with a strained right groin, Dallas point guard Jason Kidd looked rested and re-energized. He finished with seven points, seven assists, six rebounds, two blocks and one steal.

NOTABLE: Dallas is 17-1 when scoring 100 or more points. ... Only two of the Mavericks' eight remaining regular-season games are at home. ... The Kings are just 5-24 on the road. ... Dallas (32-26) gained some ground in the Western Conference playoff race on idle Denver (31-26), Phoenix (30-27) and Utah (30-28).

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Thursday @ Golden State, Friday @ Portland, Sunday at L.A. Lakers. For the Kings, Wednesday @ New Orleans, Friday @ Oklahoma City, Sunday vs. Portland.

• Kings: Salmons
• Mavericks: Azubuike, Odom

• Kings: --
• Mavericks: --

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 2

• Arena: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
• Officials: #49 Tom Washington, #65 Sean Wright, #66 Haywoode Workman
• Attendance: 20241
• Duration: 2:16