Preview: Mavericks (4-2) at Bobcats (1-3); Mavs go for 17-0 all-time versus Bobcats
Earl K. Sneed reports from Charlotte and previews the Dallas Mavericks' Saturday night showdown against the Bobcats, as the Mavs try to bounce back from their loss in New York and look to improve to 17-0 all-time against the Bobcats.
Preview: Mavericks (4-2) at Bobcats (1-3); Mavs go for 17-0 all-time versus Bobcats
CHARLOTTE — After having their three-game win streak snapped at the hands of the New York Knicks on Friday night, the Dallas Mavericks couldn’t wait to land in Charlotte to face the lowly Bobcats.
That’s because in 16 matchups all-time against the Bobcats, the Mavericks (4-2) have never lost, looking to improve to 17-0 against the young Charlotte franchise with a win Saturday night.
After committing 20 turnovers against the unbeaten Knicks before falling to a 104-94 defeat, the Mavs will look to rebound 24 hours later while still playing without 11-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki (right knee surgery) and four-time All-Star Shawn Marion (sprained left MCL). And with the Mavericks looking to put their less-than-stellar performance in New York behind them, the new-look Dallas team will also attempt to end its two-game road trip with a W before returning home for two games.
“You know, we’ve been staying away from high-turnover games since exhibition, but [Friday night] it got us,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said of the loss. “New York’s a veteran team, and if you give them more possessions than you and you give them possessions off catastrophic turnovers, they’re gonna convert them into points.”
"[The Knicks] are a good team but we're a good team as well,” center Chris Kaman added after his fourth straight double-figure scoring game. “We didn't show that [Friday night] – what we're capable of. The good thing about basketball is there's another game tomorrow night. And we've gotta go out and try to redeem ourselves and get a win [Saturday night]."
But, if the Mavericks are to get back in the win column, then their young backcourt says it will have to be on the duo of 25-year-old guards to do so.
Friday night, 2-guard O.J. Mayo continued to light the nets on fire from long-range, connecting on 7-of-16 from the field and 5-of-10 from behind the 3-point arc for his 23 points. It was his fourth straight game of at least 20 points, a streak that began with Mayo dropping 30 points and connecting on a career-best seven 3s against Charlotte one week ago en route to a 126-99 home win.
But, even after widening his NBA-leading 3-pointers count to 26 — 10 more than any other player — through the first six games, the sharpshooter admits that his foul trouble and eight turnovers were costly to his team in New York, adding that he must play a better all-around game for the Mavericks to be successful.
"It kind of throws you out your rhythm a little bit," Mayo said of the combination of fouls and turnovers in the loss to New York. "I got hot a little bit, but it was a very winnable game. Extremely too many turnovers, and in order for us to win ballgames, I can't turn the ball over like that."
Meanwhile, Collison will try to rebound from a 1-of-8 shooting night in New York, after his eight assists were overshadowed by four turnovers and a quiet four points.
"I felt like I let my team down [Friday night]," an unselfish and accountable Collison said. "Shooting is fine but not being aggressive is one thing, and I felt like I let my team down in that aspect. But, give a hand out to [the Knicks]. They played hard, they played well and we'll be looking forward to playing them again."
And against a Charlotte team that also enters the night on a back-to-back, following a 107-99 defeat in New Orleans, Collison confesses that he will have to be more aggressive in order to lead his squad to a victory.
Note: The Mavs will now conclude their two-game road trip by touching down in Charlotte to face the Bobcats on Saturday night. The game will air locally at 6:30 p.m. CT on Fox Sports Southwest and nationally on NBA TV. The Mavs defeated the Bobcats, 126-99, at home on Nov. 3.
