Preview: Celtics (15-15) at Mavericks (20-12)

Earl K. Sneed previews the Dallas Mavericks' Monday night matchup against the Boston Celtics as the defending champions look to bounce back after having their six-game win streak come to an end in New York.

DALLAS — Caught in all of the hype surrounding “Linsanity” Sunday was the fact that the Dallas Mavericks’ season-high six-game win streak came to an end. And after having that victorious stretch ended by Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks following a 104-97 road loss, the defending NBA champion Mavericks will try to get back on track one night later against the Boston Celtics, who have lost three straight contests overall.

Falling to the Knicks after Lin’s 28-point, 14-assist performance and looking to get back in the win column with their final two games before the All-Star break coming against the Celtics (15-15) Monday night and Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, the Mavs will try to build some momentum before the layoff between games. But after needing every bit of 48 minutes to defeat the Celtics back in January, the Mavericks (20-12) know very well how daunting Monday night figures to be.

“We would have loved to have ran the table heading into the All-Star break, but it’s a tough loss,” 11-time All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki said after scoring a season-high 34 points against the Knicks. “The good thing about the NBA is there’s always the next night. … So, in the NBA you’ve got to forget, you’ve got to have a short memory and come back [Monday] and leave it all out there.”

With both teams taking the court on the second night of a back-to-back, the Mavs will try to rebound from Sunday’s loss by replicating a 90-85 win in Boston after scratching and clawing their way to the victory in a hostile venue. In that first meeting with the Celtics on Jan. 11, Nowitzki’s go-ahead driving three-point play around Kevin Garnett with 5.1 seconds remaining broke an 85-all tie and put the Mavericks up for good.

“[Jason Terry] set a good screen and I was able to get some separation on the catch. I saw the clock going down and he was really up tight on me, basically making me put the ball on the floor and that’s what I did,” Nowitzki said of the sequence. “I was able to get to the rim, didn’t even see the ball go in to be honest. I just threw it up there. I saw the contact and was a little lucky it went in.”

“Tremendous play,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle added. “He made the right read, Garnett got real close, drove it and made the shot.”

Nowitzki has averaged 27.5 points an outing against Boston since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, which is his best output against any opponent. And with Garnett's status for the game unknown after missing Sunday's 96-81 defeat in Detroit due to personal reasons, Nowitzki could once again have a field day.

Still, the Mavs will be prepared for another dogfight against the perennial Eastern Conference power. And with the Mavericks’ roster recently ravaged by injuries and personal issues, the team will try to head into the break riding a successful close to the first portion of the season.

Last Wednesday night, the Mavericks learned that they would be without new addition Delonte West for an extended period of time after he fractured his right ring finger during the first half of a 102-84 home win over Denver. West underwent surgery to stabilize the finger and is expected to be out “a number of weeks,” according to Carlisle. The team also continues to play without third-year guard Rodrigue Beaubois due to personal reasons, although Terry returned from his two-game hiatus with a mild right quad strain and his own personal issues to score 13 points off the bench against the Knicks.

And even despite their shorthanded status after returning from a two-game road trip with a 1-1 mark, the Mavs remain confident as they try to take down the Celtics a second time with a second matchup against the Lakers looming.

“This is how we like it. We like it tough,” Terry said with the last two teams before the Mavericks to win the title coming into the American Airlines Center this week.

He added: “These are the type of games you love. New York, Boston and L.A., what more could you ask for?”

Note: The Mavs return to the American Airlines Center Monday night when they host the Boston Celtics. Dallas leads the season series 1-0 after a 90-85 win in Boston on Jan. 11. The game will air nationally on TNT at 7 p.m. CT. Fans are encouraged to arrive early due to the early tipoff. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.

Single-game tickets are on sale and available at the American Airlines Center North Box Office, online at mavs.com, via phone by calling 214-747-MAVS or 1-800-4NBA-TIX and all Ticketmaster outlets (Fiesta Grocery Stores, Wal-Mart, Simon Mall in Garland and the Shops at Willow Bend in Plano).

Dr. Pepper Family Nights are here! Plans include four Mavs tickets and four McDonald’s extra value meals, starting at $49. Visit mavs.com or call 214-747-MAVS for a schedule of games and to purchase tickets.