Lakers Gameday | 1/19/11 | Mavericks

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Kidd's season-high 21 points lift Mavs past Lakers

By JAIME ARON

DALLAS (AP) Jason Kidd broke out of an awful shooting slump to score a season-high 21 points, and Jason Terry and Shawn Marion provided solid scoring as reserves, helping the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109-100 on Wednesday night and end an ugly six-game losing streak.

Kidd made 8 of 12 shots after going 1 of 14 over his previous two games. Terry and Marion scored 22 each.

The club made a similar turnaround, going from five straight losses by at least 10 points each - their worst such stretch since their woeful days in the mid-1990s - to a convincing win over the two-time defending champions.

The Lakers led by 11 in the first half and were up by eight midway through the third quarter. Then the Mavericks got rolling on both ends of the court. They were up by nine going into the fourth quarter, and Kobe Bryant wasn't even able to force a tight finish.

Pau Gasol scored 23 points as the Lakers lost for only the second time in their last 10 games. Bryant had 21 points and 10 assists, and Lamar Odom had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Dallas was 2-9 over an extended period. The tailspin started with Dirk Nowitzki out with a knee injury, then got worse when Caron Butler was lost for the season. Nowitzki returned for the last two games of the skid, but center Tyson Chandler was dealing with an illness.

With Nowitzki and Chandler still not at full strength, the Mavericks needed more scoring options. And Kidd delivered.

He hadn't scored more than 16 in a game all year, but had 13 in the pivotal third quarter alone. He made all five shots he took, three of them behind the arc. He finished 5 of 8 on 3s, after having missed 12 of his last 13.

Kidd didn't score a point in the final period, so Marion and Terry surpassed him. That helped make up for Nowitzki scoring only 14.

Sasha Pavlovic scored 11 points in a surprise start. Not only was this the last day of a 10-day contract, he also was wearing a clear mask to protect a broken nose suffered in the previous game.

NOTES: Dallas made 55 percent of its shots for the game, a season best. ... Gasol went over 13,000 career points. ... Lakers coach Phil Jackson and Mavs owner Mark Cuban played nice, with neither doing much to raise the stakes in their verbal sparring. Cuban said he enjoys the back-and-forth. ... The Mavericks got off to a strange start. In the first quarter, they were 8 of 11 on 2-pointers and 2 of 10 on 3-pointers. They also had assists on nine of those 10 hoops.

Copyright 2010 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson
(What did you tell the team?)"We were very disappointed with the way we played. We thought we should have been up by 16 points in the first half. We let them stay in the ballgame and then they had that third quarter that was really a great finish to it. And they got us on our heels."
(Was this loss due to a lack of defense?)"Yeah, I'd say lack of defense. I think they had so many open shots. They just started making them and then the three point shooting won the game. I think we scored the same number of field goals, but they won it on the three point shooting."
(Is Dallas different because of their three point shooting?)"Most teams that are that successful are going to keep shooting. Kidd who didn't shoot well last week shot well today.
(On the impact of Dirk and Chandler being back tonight)"I don't think they made the difference. I thought Chandler's defense was good. In the second half he did some things, Kobe had to negotiate with him when he was trying to score. Dirk had some things that went for him, but he didn't shoot the ball well. He was five for 15. It was the other guys, Marion and Terry coming off the bench that was the difference."
(On why he called time out with only a few seconds in the third quarter)"I just wanted to talk to the guys. I thought they were coming apart at the seams. I just wanted them to get in character again and get the game back in order. They got a basket and we got a stop, caught our breath came back out and got a little bit back in the ballgame. Then they got another run. We wanted to get back in the ballgame and you've got to stop it when you've got to stop it sometimes."

Lakers Guard Kobe Bryant
(On the Mavs shooting 55% from the field…)- "We gave them some easy looks and shot such a high percentage from the field because of our lack of defense and defensive recognition. We just didn't do a good job of that"(What do you do next to correct that?)– "Just work on our execution defensively. We took a step back tonight. So, just got to go back to the drawing board tomorrow, look at some things and mistakes that we made tonight and try not to make them next game."(Was giving up your 10-point lead in the 3rd quarter due to them stepping up and making shots?)– "No, we were making mistakes all night. We just managed to keep the lead because offensively things were going well for us. It was one of those games that was fool's gold; playing well offensively, you've got a lead, but defensively you're making mistakes but they're just not making shots. They [Dallas] started making shots and took over game."

Lakers Center Andrew Bynum
(What happened to your team's defense in the 2nd half tonight?) –"We were just being lazy. I'm quite sure if you look at the tape everybody is kind of stagnant and just staying still. And we didn't cut off the baseline, and had guys rotating, we were just playing lazy [defense]."
(You guys haven't beaten a lot of good teams on the road; how do you correct that?) – "Be more focused and really just play basketball. Defensively we're just being flat footed."
(Is it especially disappointing because Dallas had been struggling?) –"It's more disappointing that we keep getting up by 10 and then we just say 'OK the offense is going good, we don't have to play [defense].' And then we turned the ball over a lot to start the 3rd quarter and they just made us pay"

Dallas Guard Jason Terry
(What was the difference tonight?) "I've been here seven years and had never been through a stretch where we lost six games in a row. I think the big thing was realizing and assessing the situation and then aggressively attacking from the beginning. Tonight we came into this game with all 12 guys suited up and ready to play. Guys got after it on both ends of the floor and played hard and it just happened to be against the World Champions. I thought our crowd came tonight and also gave us that extra bit of energy."
(On the bench's role…)"Well the challenge for us is can we do it consistently. We know what we are capable of doing night in and night out, but we have to bring it. Early on in the season we all bought into the system and all bought into our collective roles. Of late we've had some inconsistency and people going in and out of the lineup, but now we are going to be able to see what we have again once we are consistent with out lineup again."
(On Tyson Chandler…)"That was a big scare for us, because you are like here we go again another guy is going down. But, you know, we saw Tyson at halftime and he was feeling a little bit better and then the performance he had out there in the second half just lifted us up. Like I said, a healthy Dallas Mavericks team is a top team in the league. An injured Dallas Mavericks team is not so good."

Dallas Guard Sasha Pavlovic
(On playing in Dallas…)"I'm just happy to stay here. This is a good team to come back and beat and get out of the struggles that we have been going through. To keep playing this hard and together like this, we can beat anybody in the league. I just wanted to come out and play hard with these guys. I just prepare myself to do the best that I can on defense and I think my offense is going to come. If I play hard on defense, everything else is easy for me."
(On getting the start…)"Ya I was surprised a little bit, but I didn't really think too much about it right after that because it would be worse for me. I was just focused on the game so I could play as hard as I can."

LAKERS VS. MAVERICKS GAME PREVIEW

By JEFF BARTL, STATS Writer

The Dallas Mavericks found it difficult to win without Dirk Nowitzki for a nine-game stretch.

Since his return, they're finding it just as hard to post a victory.

Dallas looks to avoid its longest losing streak in nearly 12 years Wednesday night when it hosts the Los Angeles Lakers, winners in eight of their last nine.

While Nowitzki nursed a sprained knee, the Mavericks went 2-7, losing four times by double digits. However, Dallas hasn't fared much better since Nowitzki, who was averaging 24.1 points at the time of his injury, re-entered the lineup, losing back-to-back games by an average of 16.5 points.

Nowitzki was ejected in the third quarter after scoring seven points in less than 15 minutes on Saturday in an 89-70 loss to Memphis, but he responded with 32 points in Monday's 103-89 defeat to Detroit as Dallas ended a winless four-game trip. The only other Mav to score in double figures was Jason Terry, who had 18.

Dallas (26-14) has lost six straight and hasn't dropped seven consecutive games since Feb. 9-19, 1999.

"Our competitive level has to come up, it is as simple as that," coach Rick Carlisle said. "That just wasn't acceptable."

Jason Kidd tied his season high with 13 assists Monday but was held scoreless for the third time this season, going 0 for 7 from the field—all from 3-point range.

Dallas averaged 99.5 points before Nowitzki's injury but has scored an NBA-worst 89.4 per game over the last 11. The Mavericks are allowing 97.2 points per game during that stretch.

"We've got the talent to do this, but (Saturday) we didn't get a stop when we needed one, and we couldn't hit a shot when we needed one," Kidd said. "Defense was always our blueprint for winning, and it isn't there right now."

The Mavericks' opportunities to end their skid may only get more difficult with this game against the two-time defending champion Lakers and Thursday's matchup with Central Division-leading Chicago.

However, their chances may improve if they keep defending Kobe Bryantsimilarly to recent meetings.

Bryant is averaging 16.3 points and has scored 20 or less in the last four contests against Dallas, with the teams splitting those meetings.

Still, the Lakers (31-12) have won eight of 10 against Dallas and are in control of the Pacific Division. After having a seven-game winning streak snapped Sunday against the Clippers, the Lakers bounced back with a 101-94 win over Oklahoma City on Monday.

Bryant and Pau Gasol each scored 21 points, and Derek Fisher had a season-high 15.

Los Angeles will play its third game in four nights Wednesday.

"We've been playing better," coach Phil Jackson said. "We know that we've got a ways to improve, things to do, but our intensity was right on a back-to-back night."

Lamar Odom has stayed consistent over the last 12 games since he relinquished his starting role, averaging 15.0 points and shooting 55.4 percent during that stretch. He scored 16 against the Thunder, his ninth straight game in double figures.

The Lakers have won three of the last four meetings in Dallas.

Copyright 2010 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

GASOL 14 POINTS SHY OF 13,000 FOR HIS CAREER
With 21 points in the Lakers victory over Oklahoma City on January 17th, Pau Gasol (12,986) moved to within 14 points of 13,000 for his career. Among players who debuted since 1973-74 (first season of blocked shots), Gasol, who has now played in 692 regular season games, is in line to become the 6th fastest player in terms of games to record 13,000 points, 6,000 rebounds, 2,000 assists and 1,000 blocks. Only Chris Webber (587), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (605), Tim Duncan (640), Kevin Garnett (657) and David Robinson (672) will have reached those totals faster than Gasol. Shaquille O'Neal is currently the 6th fastest to do so, reaching those totals in 705 games.30 WINS AT THE MID-POINT
With a 100-88 victory over the New Jersey Nets on January 14th, the Lakers improved to 30-11 on the season, marking the third consecutive year that they have reached the mid-point of their season with 30 or more wins. Last season, the Lakers held a 32-9 record at the halfway point after starting the 2008-09 season with a 33-8 mark. Over the past 10 seasons, the Sacramento Kings from 2001-04 are the only other NBA team to hit the mid-point with at least 30 wins in three consecutive seasons. Since the NBA went to an 82-game schedule prior to the 1967-68 season, the Lakers have now posted at least 30 wins by the mid-point 14 times, having also put together one additional three season streak from 1985-88.*A FOURTH QUARTER FIRST
Trailing by six entering the fourth quarter of their January 12th contest with Golden State, the Lakers outscored the Warriors 46-35 en route to a 115-110 victory at ORACLE Arena. The 46-point total marked the first time in franchise history (shot clock era) that the Lakers have scored 46 or more points in the fourth quarter of a road game. The last time the Lakers scored 46 or more points in any quarter on the road was on November 26, 1966 at St. Louis (48 points, first quarter). Overall, it was the Lakers highest scoring quarter since posting 46 points in the fourth quarter of a 127-99 victory 11/29/07 vs. Denver.KOBE BRYANT LEADS ALL PLAYERS AFTER 4th ROUND OF ALL-STAR BALLOTING
On January 13th, the NBA announced its FOURTH and final returns update of 2011 NBA All-Star balloting before the official starting lineup announcement January 27th live at 7:00 pm EST on TNT. Kobe Bryant (1,757,216) continues to LEAD all players in All-Star voting, ahead of Dwight Howard (1,537,619) and LeBron James (1,518,807). Pau Gasol (851,456), who made his third All-Star team last season as a reserve, ranks 3rd among forwards in the West behind Kevin Durant (1,270,729) and Carmelo Anthony (945,720). Andrew Bynum (660,576) ranks 2nd among West centers behind Yao Ming (928,928), while Chris Paul (949,049) ranks 2nd among West guards behind Bryant. In the East, James and Amar'e Stoudemire (1,143,391) lead the forward voting, Dwyane Wade (1,499,768) and Derrick Rose (1,225,575) are the top two vote-getters at guard and Howard leads all East centers in balloting.
In each of the last three seasons, Bryant has led the Western Conference in all-star balloting. Last season, Bryant received 2,456,224 votes, finishing second overall to Cleveland's LeBron James (2,549,693). In 2008-09, he accumulated 2,805,397 votes, finishing third in overall balloting behind Dwight Howard (3,150,181) and James (2,940,823). In 2007-08, Bryant garnered 2,004,940 votes to finish fourth in overall voting behind Kevin Garnett (2,399,148), James (2,108,831) and Howard (2,066,991). In 2006-07, when he earned his second All-Star MVP, Bryant finished third overall in balloting behind James and Yao Ming. A three-time All-Star MVP (2002 Philadelphia, 2007 Las Vegas, 2009 Phoenix), Bryant is a 12-time All-Star and had started 11 consecutive All-Star games before missing last year's contest due to a sprained left ankle. Bryant, who was the youngest All-Star in NBA history in 1998, led all players in NBA All-Star balloting in 2003. Gasol has made three All-Star appearances (2006, 2009, 2010) and in 2009, became the 27th Laker in franchise history to be named to an All-Star team.BRYANT MOVES PAST OSCAR ROBERTSON FOR 9th ON THE NBA'S ALL-TIME SCORING LIST
With a running jumper at the 1:09 mark of the third quarter 1/7 vs. New Orleans, Kobe Bryant moved past Oscar Robertson (26,710) for 9th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Just days early, also at STAPLES Center 1/4 vs. Detroit, Bryant connected on a driving lay-up in the third quarter to move past Dominique Wilkins (26,668) for 10th. Should he continue to score anywhere near his current pace (25.2 ppg), Bryant (26,874) would move to 6th on the all-time list by season's end. Next on the all-time list ahead of Bryant are Hakeem Olajuwon (8th/26,946), Elvin Hayes (7th/27,313) and Moses Malone (6th/27,409). Among the top nine scorers in NBA history, more than half (5) have worn the Lakers uniform (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant).
Bryant has been steadily moving up the list over the past few years. Earlier this season, with 23 points at Chicago (12/10/10), he passed John Havlicek (26,395) for 11th. Last season, he passed Alex English (25,613), Reggie Miller (25,279), Jerry West (25,192), Patrick Ewing (24,815) and Allen Iverson (24,368). In passing West with a slam dunk at the 4:14 mark of the third quarter February 1, 2010 at Memphis, finishing the game with 44 points (West's retired number), Bryant became the leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. In 2008-09, Bryant passed Gary Payton (21,813) and Hall-of-Famers Charles Barkley (23,757), Robert Parish (23,334), Adrian Dantley (23,177), Elgin Baylor (23,149), Clyde Drexler (22,195) and Larry Bird (21,791).IRON MAN
Entering the Lakers game at Dallas, Derek Fisher has played in 456 consecutive regular season games dating back to April 15, 2005, the longest consecutive games streak among all active NBA players. Fisher moved into the top position after Portland's Andre Miller (632) missed the Blazers game against Phoenix (12/7/10) due to NBA suspension. Additionally, Fisher has started 334 consecutive regular season games dating back to January 15, 2007, tops among all active players by more than a season's worth of games (2nd – Luis Scola). Former Laker A.C. Green holds the NBA record for most consecutive games played with 1,192 dating from 11/19/86 – 4/18/01 while a member of the Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.WIRE-TO-WIRE
With their record setting 112-57 victory vs. Cleveland on January 11th, the Lakers recorded their league-leading SEVENTH wire-to-wire win of the season. Getting to seven wire-to-wire victories in just 39 games matches the Lakers regular season total from all of last season. This season, the Lakers lead the Celtics (6), Spurs (5), Hawks (4) and Bucks (4) in wire-to-wire victories through games played 1/17/11. The Lakers other wire-to-wire victories this season came against the Warriors (10/31 vs. GS, 11/21 vs. GS), Grizzlies (11/2 vs. MEM), Wizards (12/7 vs. WAS), Pacers (12/15 @ IND) and 76ers (12/31 vs. PHI). Last year, the Lakers claimed NINE wire-to-wire victories (games in which they never trailed); seven during the regular season and two during the 2010 Playoffs (4/18 & 4/27 vs. Oklahoma City). During their previous championship run in 2008-09, the Lakers claimed 11 wire-to-wire victories; nine during the regular season and two during the 2009 Playoffs (4/29 vs. Utah & 5/17 vs. Houston). Last season, the Lakers also lost twice in wire-to-wire fashion (98-107 1/8/10 @ POR and 75-91 3/26/10 @ OKC).