With the Mavericks and the Warriors going into the fourth quarter knotted at 81, the Mavs could either way. That could mean the path the not-so-good path the Mavs have been taking the last couple of games or the road to winning the Mavs have followed for the majority of the season.
Fortunately, the Mavs took control of the Warriors, who fought hard until the final quarter. Spearheaded by a Dirk Nowitzki pullup jump shot with seven minutes remaining, a 15-0 run by Dallas transformed a seven-point deficit into an eight-point lead. That’s what championship teams do.
Nowitzki, who finished the game with his third consecutive double-double, had eight points during the pivotal 3:50 run. The point guard tandem of Rodrique Beaubois and Jason Kidd assisted. Kidd provided a 3-pointer to tie the game at 96, and Beaubois completed the layup to put the Mavs in front 98-96 before Nowitzki scored the next six points himself on free throws and another jumper. The Mavs outscored Golden State 31-25 in the fourth. Beaubois’s impact was definitely felt after a season-best 18 points in 37 minutes, 15 more than his previous high against Portland on Tuesday.
Nowitzki finished the game with a mammoth 34 points and 13 rebounds, including a season-high six offensive boards.
After averaging about 22 points per game in the last three games as a starter, Shawn Marion returned to the bench, once again adding to the reserve depth that has scored as many as 72 points this season. Off the bench, Marion tallied 14 while his partner in crime, Jason Terry complied 19 points on seven of 12 shooting and a team-high 38:27 minutes. A third cohort J.J. Barea bucketed 10.
Notes
- Brendan Haywood missed his second game with lower back stiffness and is questionable for Friday against the Spurs.
- Dorell Wright hit four 3’s for Golden State
- The 26 points for Monta Ellis was a reasonable number, considering he scored 46 in a game against the Mavs last season.
No comments:
Post a Comment