Warriors-Mavericks Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Nov 19 2012 12:21AM

Many of the Dallas Mavericks' best performances this season have come on their home court, which may not bode well for the visiting Golden State Warriors.

Dallas seeks its 11th victory in the last 12 home matchups with Golden State as the teams meet Monday night.

The Mavericks (6-5) ended a four-game road losing streak with a 103-95 win over Cleveland on Saturday, getting 19 points from O.J. Mayo and 15 points and eight rebounds from Chris Kaman.

Dallas overcame 22 turnovers and shot 58.8 percent in the fourth quarter, when it used a pair of 9-0 runs to post its second win in six games.

"We quit doing certifiably insane things with the basketball," coach Rick Carlisle said. "Right now, we're trying to figure out what kind of a team we are. We've just got a lot of things going on, and it's important to pull together and make something good happen."

Shawn Marion had 10 points and 10 boards while Vince Carter and Darren Collison added 14 points each.

"We got a little bit of confidence," Collison told the team's official website. "This was a good team win. These are the wins that make you feel good, because we know we all did it together.

"Hopefully we can take that same vibe on our homestand and get a little home cooking."

The Mavericks, who play their next three at home, are 4-1 at American Airlines Center and scoring 107.6 points per game at home - the second-best average in the NBA to Miami's 116.5.

Dallas has won 10 of the last 11 home matchups - including the postseason - with the Warriors, who are coming off a 119-109 loss at Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Golden State (5-5) tied a season low for turnovers, but it was outscored 26-12 on fast-break points.

"(Thirteen) turnovers for us is acceptable, but not when they wind up with fast-break dunks (and) 3-point shots," coach Mark Jackson said. "That's when it takes the life out of you."

Stephen Curry scored 22 points and David Lee added 19 and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, who shot a season-best 52.4 percent and outscored the Thunder 58-32 in the paint.

"We came here to get a win, but there are some good signs in this," Jackson said. "We're not satisfied, but we feel good about where we're headed.

"That being said, if we limit some of the mistakes we made, it gets very interesting."

Jackson has been impressed with rookie Harrison Barnes, who shot 5 of 11 and scored 12 points. The seventh overall pick is averaging 16.3 points while shooting 51.4 percent over his last three games.

"He's playing very well," Jackson said. "He's battling defensively and he's attacking offensively."

The Warriors, though, have lost three four on the road after winning their first two away from home. Curry is shooting 36.7 percent on the road, including 27.8 percent from 3-point rage, compared to 46.0 percent - 40.7 behind the arc - at home.

Dallas has won eight of the last 10 overall matchups, including the most recent meeting April 20 when Carter scored 19 points and an injured Curry sat out the Mavericks' 104-94 home victory.

Curry steps up in 4th and OT as Warriors beat Mavs

By DAVID JIMENEZ
Posted Nov 20 2012 12:52AM

DALLAS (AP) Stephen Curry had a big finish in the fourth quarter to help Golden State force overtime.

When Dallas made it tougher for Curry to score, the fourth-year guard became a willing passer in overtime.

Curry scored 20 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and his assist on David Lee's go-ahead layup with 32.8 seconds left helped the Warriors beat the Mavericks 105-101 Monday night.

With the score tied at 99, the Mavs' defense collapsed on Curry in the lane, but he quickly shuffled a pass to an open Lee for the go-ahead basket.

That was the last of three assists Curry had in overtime.

"It's really whatever the defense gives you," said Curry, who finished with nine assists. "When (Lee) is finishing that bucket at the end, we're celebrating. It doesn't matter who's finishing, as long as we get it done."

Curry was only 4 of 12 shooting after three quarters and rolled his right ankle early in the fourth before he picked it up offensively, scoring 14 of Golden State's last 17 points in regulation. Curry added six points in overtime.

"He certainly ran this team down the stretch the way that I envision him running it," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said.

O.J. Mayo scored 27 points, including all 11 of the Mavericks' points in overtime. His eight-footer in the lane tied it at 99 with 41.2 seconds left.

Dallas has lost five of seven since starting the season 4-1.

Lee had 17 points and a season-high 19 rebounds, and rookie Harrison Barnes had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Golden State.

The Warriors were coming off a 119-109 loss at Oklahoma City on Sunday night. Despite the back-to-back games, Golden State mustered enough energy late to finish off Dallas.

Curry hit a 14-footer on Golden State's first possession of overtime. He then fed Festus Ezeli for a dunk and found Barnes for a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 97-90 lead.

Mayo scored the next seven points and his layup tied it at 97 with 1:38 left in overtime.

Curry hit two free throws to give the Warriors a 99-97 advantage with 51.1 seconds remaining.

After Lee's basket, Shawn Marion missed a potential tying jumper. Curry and Draymond Green each hit a pair of free throws to give Golden State just its third win in its last 11 games against Dallas.

"It was a big-time win for a young basketball team," Jackson said.

Chris Kaman had 18 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for Dallas, and reserve Troy Murphy chipped in 12 points.

Curry hit a 16-foot jumper off one leg to give Golden State a 90-88 lead with 1:57 left in regulation before Darren Collison connected on a 20-foot jumper with the shot clock running down to tie it at 90 with 36.9 seconds remaining.

The Mavericks had a chance to win it after that. But Vince Carter, who had left earlier in the fourth with a right hamstring injury, missed a long jumper over Barnes on the last play of regulation.

"It's very disappointing," said Mayo, who scored 23 points in the second half. "It's a game we should have had. But hats off to them, they played well tonight."

The Warriors outrebounded the Mavericks 62-43 and had a 19-7 edge in second chance points.

When Ezeli put back an offensive board over Kaman early in the third quarter, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle kicked the scoring table in frustration.

"Sometimes guys are bigger, stronger, quicker and faster," Carlisle said. "It's got to be part of who we are that we scramble and stay in there and battle."

Lee had 10 points and 12 rebounds in the first half, helping the Warriors take a 43-38 halftime lead. He had a pair of baskets in a 12-2 run in the second quarter that gave Golden State a 35-25 advantage, its largest of the first half.

It was nip-and-tuck in the second half. The Mavericks took their first lead with less than 5 minutes left in the third.

That was the first of 18 lead changes in the second half.

Notes: Carlisle said All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki has `'picked up his activity level" in his rehab from Oct. 19 surgery on his right knee. Carlisle didn't say when Nowitzki might be able to practice again. Nowitzki was expected to resume on-court activities six weeks after the surgery. ... Golden State F Richard Jefferson missed the game with a strained right calf.

Notebook: Warriors 105, Mavericks 101, OT

Dave Ivey, For NBA.com
Posted Tue Nov 20, 2012 12:33 AM - Updated Tue Nov 20, 2012 12:33 AM

THE FACTS: Stephen Curry scored 20 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and overtime Monday to lead the Golden State Warriors to a rare 105-101 road win over the Dallas Mavericks. Harrison Barnes tallied 20 points and 12 rebounds and David Lee added 17 points and 19 boards for Golden State, which had dropped 10 of its last 11 at the American Airlines Center.

O.J. Mayo led Dallas with 27 points and nearly answered Curry bucket for bucket down the stretch, scoring seven of the Mavericks' last 10 points in regulation and all 11 of their points in the extra session. Chris Kaman finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds and Troy Murphy was the only other Maverick in double figures with 12.

QUOTABLE: "I thought we did a great job of screening and then [Curry] did a great job of coming off aggressively, whether it be to score or make plays. He certainly ran this team down the stretch the way that I envision them running."

--Warriors coach Mark Jackson

THE STAT: Golden State is 6-0 when it wins the rebounding battle this season, although Dallas really didn't put up much of a fight. The Warriors dominated the glass, 62-43, including 19 offensive rebounds for 19 second-chance points.

TURNING POINT: After Mayo made it 99-99 with a spin move and a short jumper with 41.9 seconds remaining, Curry penetrated the lane and dished to Lee for the go-ahead layup with 32.7 ticks left. The Mavericks came up empty on their next two possessions with misses by Shawn Marion and Mayo, while Curry and Draymond Green each made two free throws to clinch it.

QUOTABLE II: "I was able to make plays for my team tonight. Everybody on our team had a part of this win and that's what good teams do."

--Stephen Curry.

HOT: Curry scored 14 of the Warriors' last 17 points in regulation. In overtime, he either scored or assisted on Golden State's first 13 points (six points, three assists).

NOT: The shooting slump continues for second-year Golden State guard Klay Thompson. He was just 2-for-14 against Dallas and is shooting 29.2 percent (26-for-89) from the field in his last six games. ... It was a rough night for Mavericks point guard Darren Collison, other than his game-tying 20-footer with 37 seconds left in the fourth. He finished 2-for-11 with five fouls and five turnovers.

BAD MOVE: Considering he had hobbled to the locker room earlier in the fourth quarter clutching his right hamstring, Vince Carter may not have been the best option for the Mavs with the game knotted at 90-90 and a chance to win it in regulation. His off-balance 19-footer hit the back of the rim with 0.9 seconds left.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Curry's big night included three 3-pointers, a game-high nine assists, six rebounds and two steals.

ROOKIE WATCH: Warriors center Festus Ezeli was 4-for-4 from the field and finished with nine points, eight rebounds and one block. Green had nine points, seven rebounds and three steals in 25-plus minutes off the bench.

NOTABLE: Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki said he will update the media on the status of his right knee on Tuesday. The 11-time All-Star and all-time leading scorer in franchise history had surgery on Oct. 19 and was originally expected to miss six weeks. ... Golden State forward Richard Jefferson (right calf strain) did not play and is day-to-day. ... Marion made his 700th career 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. ... Mayo has scored at least 18 points in 10 consecutive games. Since 2002-03, the only Maverick besides Nowitzki with a streak that long was Jason Terry with 15 straight from Nov. 19-Dec. 21, 2008. ... Curry has made 30 consecutive free throws. ... The Mavericks have scored 100-plus points in 26 consecutive home games against the Warriors, the longest active streak in the NBA. ... Dallas is 0-6 when it trails by double digits.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Wednesday vs. New York, Saturday vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Nov. 27 @ Philadelphia. For the Warriors, Wednesday vs. Brooklyn, Friday @ Denver, Saturday vs. Minnesota.

• Warriors: Bogut, Rush
• Mavericks: Cunningham, Nowitzki

• Warriors: --
• Mavericks: --

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 13

• Arena: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
• Officials: #47 Bennie Adams, #18 Matt Boland, #45 Brian Forte
• Attendance: 20034
• Duration: 2:42