Preseason recap: Rockets 104 at Mavericks 123 -- Mayo, Crowder lead Dirk-less Mavs to rout
Preseason recap: Rockets 104 at Mavericks 123 -- Mayo, Crowder lead Dirk-less Mavs to rout
DALLAS — Since returning stateside from their European exhibition tour, all signs seemed promising for the Dallas Mavericks as they patiently await the return of 11-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki from a right knee effusion that sidelined him for last Tuesday’s 99-85 defeat to F.C. Barcelona Regal.
Practicing with the team since its return, Nowitzki appeared to be nearing a return to action. So, it came as some surprise when Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle announced that Nowitzki would be sitting out Monday night’s preseason home opener against Houston.
Joining fourth-year guard Rodrigue Beaubois (sprained left ankle) on the mend, Nowitzki was forced to watch as his team took on the Rockets team, which was without prized off-season signee Jeremy Lin (rest). Meanwhile, Dallas fans got their first look at their new-look lineup, as big man Elton Brand stepped into the starting five in Nowitzki’s place at power forward, alongside center Chris Kaman, small forward Shawn Marion and guards Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo.
“The knee didn’t really respond great to the last couple of days,” Nowitzki admitted to reporters. “I mean, I basically practiced full and there was a little swelling in there again. The good news is, or the good thing is, there’s not as much as there was last week in Barcelona, so I guess that’s a little positive. But, we’re gonna see if it gets a little better in the next couple of days before we do another decision. That’s really the only update we’ve got. I mean, there’s a little swelling in there. It makes no sense at this point in the preseason to play on a swollen knee, so I’m excited to see what’s gonna happen here in the next couple of days.”
Then the Mavericks (2-1) showed they could win without their go-to scorer, routing the Rockets with a 123-104 blowout victory.
Without No. 41 in the lineup, the Mavericks tried to keep pace with the up-tempo Rockets (2-2) in the first quarter. But, led by sharpshooter Kevin Martin and supreme outside shooting, the Rockets would quickly surge in front to take a 29-25 edge after 12 minutes of play.
Hoping for a spark from Vince Carter, Brandan Wright and the Dallas reserves, the Mavs started the second stanza with their bench leading a rally. Still, even with Mayo and Carter reaching double figures in scoring for the half, the Mavericks found themselves down as much as seven in the second period before a furious comeback brought the team within one, 58-57, at the intermission.
“Our second half was great and our first half was really below average, just because defensively the deposition wasn’t there,” Carlisle confessed. “We gave up 15 transition points in the first half, and second half we made a stand and did a lot better.”
Overcoming Martin’s 16-point half and Houston’s 8-of-14 3-point shooting, the Mavericks stayed in the game by outshooting their opponents, 51.1 percent to 45.1 percent. The Dallas team also hung tough while the Rockets held a 27-21 rebounding edge and a 13-6 margin in second-chance points at the midway mark.
Continuing his offensive assault while playing with a lacerated shooting hand, Mayo caught fire and lifted his team in front with back-to-back 3-pointers early in the third period after a 0-for-7 showing in the loss to Regal. With Mayo leading a 20-0 run with an array of jumpers, the Mavs pulled away from the Rockets in the period, taking a 17-point advantage before escaping into the final quarter with a 91-82 lead.
“I think Coach [Carlisle], he tested us before we came out (of the locker room at halftime),” Mayo explained. “He said we’ve got six minutes to give a hard push and show that we wanna win this ball game, and it was pretty much up on us. So, I thought we accepted the challenge and went out there and played well.”
“We just stepped it up and played at a higher level of physical capacity,” the coach added. “Our effort wasn’t where it needed to be in the first half and second half it was there. So, no tricky strategic things or anything like that. It was just like, you know, what they say in football, 'You put your hand in the ground and play.' And that’s what we did in the second half. We didn’t do it in the first half.”
The final 12 minutes would then belong to the Mavs’ trio of rookies, as Jared Cunningham, Bernard James and Jae Crowder also touched the home hardwood for the first time. And with Crowder swiftly assuming control of the scoring responsibilities as the lead reached 22, the final score was no longer in doubt the rest of the way.
“I played pretty free tonight,” a confident Crowder said after his debut in front of the Dallas fans. “I played within the system. I knew the game plan pretty well, so whenever I get so locked in on the offensive and defensive end, like I did tonight, it will be much better for me.”
Sharing team-high honors with 20 points each, Mayo and Crowder led six Mavericks in double figures on a combined 15-of-27 shooting.
Marion and Carter added 15 points and Brand and Wright both posted 10 points, helping the Mavericks outshoot the Rockets, 51.6 percent to 41.2 percent. Led by Crowder’s 4-of-7 behind the arc and Mayo’s 3-for-6, the Mavs also connected on 9-of-21 from 3-point range, while the Rockets hit 10-for-24 from deep at the other end.
“It’s getting better. It’s a new group of guys out there playing together, so our effort is always there and it’s about us jelling together,” Mayo explained after the Mavs overcame 16 turnovers with a 54-48 rebounding edge. “We looked good tonight. I thought we rebounded the ball better in the second half and got out and ran, and that’s pretty much gonna be the strength of our team.”
Martin led four Rockets in double figures with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, but he couldn’t prevent the Mavs from converting 18 Houston turnovers into 28 points at the other end.
The Mavericks will now return to practice court before Wednesday night’s exhibition showdown against the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center. The game will air on TXA 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets for the game are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS or by visiting Mavs.com.
