MAVERICKS EARN COME-FROM-BEHIND CLUTCH OVERTIME VICTORY IN MILE-HIGH CITY
WOW-EE! The Mavs have their first back-to-back wins of the season, and in what a fashion! What began as a sleeper finished as a thriller! Very exciting developments for our young team!
GAME STORY
Players missing on the night included Denver’s Michael J. Porter and Dallas’ Trey Burke.
Before the game, both teams locked arms and knelt at the center of the court for the national anthem. The house lights were dimmed, and stage lighting was employed to create red and blue highlights on the floor and to feature the American flag. Whatever one may think about the sentiment, the visual effect was beautiful.
Rick continued with the new starting lineup of Doncic, Richardson, Finney-Smith, Maxi and Willie. They began the first quarter in drab fashion, with most of their possessions resulting in missed shots and/or turnovers. At the 6:53 mark, Dallas had only 2 points and trailed by 9. The Mavs ground their way back, but the Nuggets closed the quarter on an 8-0 run, and our men trailed 22-28 after one.
Both sides were dismal to start the second. Halfway through the period, Denver had scored 7 points, and Dallas 4. Yecch. Scoring picked up a little from both sides, but the Mavs couldn’t make any headway, and the deficit was 43-52 at halftime.
Things looked bleak at the interval. Dallas was 4-21 from deep, Luka was limping and clutching his ankle, and nothing about the way the boys were playing suggested a dramatic comeback.
The third quarter initially looked like more of the same. Denver gradually built their lead to a game-high 12, and it was still 10 at 3:08. With three minutes to go, the Mavs really picked it up, and ended the frame with a 12-4 scoring blitz. The scoreline read 76-78 after thirty-six minutes, so our team was within two.
The fourth was played very close, with 9 lead changes, and the score difference never exceeding 4. The clutch period was tense. The game was tied at 1:59. Jovic hit one of two free throws, putting Denver ahead by one at 0:59. Luka turned the ball over, and the Nuggets had a missed three, an offensive rebound, and a missed long two. By the time the Mavs regained possession, there were only 8 seconds left. After a Dallas timeout, the Nuggets double-teamed Luka, who flung a perfect pass to an open Maxi, and he came through with the three, putting the Mavs ahead by 2, and setting off soccer-style goal celebrations among the Mavs. Alas, there were 2 seconds left, and Jokic sent the game to overtime. 109-all.
The additional period was Luka Time. This was the clutch performance we have been waiting for. He had more points in the period (9) than the entire Denver team (8). Josh, who had struggled offensively throughout the game, came through with 5 points. The team went on a scoring spree of 15 points, while holding Denver to 8. Final score: 124-117. Hooray!
NOTABLE ITEMS
Numbers. Dallas found their shooting boots in the second half, hitting a blistering 10 of 14 three-point attempts. Over the game as a whole, they put up 10 fewer shots than the Nuggets, but shot a better percentage. They also had ten more free-throw attempts, and managed to survive missing seven of their 31 freebies. Defense was good to very good throughout the game, and Dallas earned a whopping 23 points off Denver turnovers. The Mavs’ high scorers were Luka with 38 points, DFS and Josh 14 each, Bobi 12 and Tim 11.
Doncic. It was an outstanding night for Luka. During the first half, I worried that the altitude might be getting to him, and that his ankle might be seriously hampering him. Somehow, he shook off whatever the problem was at halftime, and gave an MVP performance after that. He had season highs in points (38) and assists (13), to go along with 9 assists and 4 steals, and managed to survive missing five free throws and committing 8 turnovers.
What a passing and game-management performance!! In both clutch periods, he was fantastic, and said that he had learned from all the painful lessons of the last two seasons. In terms of individual highlight plays, I’ll select a possession where he split a double team and executed a reverse layup in a manner that appeared to violate the laws of physics. Questions about his conditioning were shaken off with a 41-minute stint a mile in the air. Ever the leader, he credited the whole team for the win in his post-game interview. What an exciting young player!
Richardson. Josh didn’t have an especially great shooting night (5-15), but he hit two huge shots in overtime, and played a critical defensive role, especially against Jamal Murray. Coach stuck with his starting units in the clutch segments, and Josh, along with the rest of the group, performed admirably.
DFS. Doe-Doe filled up the stat sheet with 14 points, 4-8 threes, 8 boards, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in 36 minutes. At one point, he showed off his hops, elevating practically to the ceiling to throw down a thunderous putback dunk. The young fellow was his usual dependable defensive self, and it was exciting to see him take a step forward on the other end of the floor, especially after his early struggles from long range.
Kleber. Maxi had 9 points, 8 boards, three assists, and 2 blocks, and earned a team-high +/- at 15. He came through late with 3 enormous threes.
WCS. Carlisle trusted Willie on the floor in the critical clutch periods, and Trill exceeded expectations against Jokic. He got into foul trouble, and Carlisle saved him for the fourth quarter and overtime, where he did not disappoint.
Bench. The second unit scored 44 points, and only two players were in negative territory. Tim had 11 points and 4 assists in 25 minutes. He was an important pillar of the Mavs’ catch-up effort, leading the team with 8 points in the third quarter. We were treated to 16 minutes of the Bobi Show, as Rick searched for size and length against Nikola. My man Bobi contributed 12 points on 5-7 shooting, and pulled down 3 boards. His deadpan standstill dunks had me laughing. Powell played only 10 minutes, but I thought he had some good moments, and elevated well on a couple of dunks. James Johnson sported a new look, having sheared off his blond thatch. Josh Green had an unusual cameo early.
Nuggets. Denver was a more than worthy opponent, and I was relieved to see them fade a bit as the game wore on. Jokic laid 38 points and 11 boards on our guys, and Murray added 21 points and 9 assists. Whoo-ee. Gary Harris got into the act with 15 points, and Monte Morris and JaMychael Green were deadly off the bench.
OBSERVATIONS
This was such an important game. Denver is a difficult place to play, with its talented team and thin air. The Mavs did an outstanding job of sticking it out through a rough start and being rewarded for their persistence when their shots started falling. Their defense was on a string throughout the last ten minutes, and we saw a demonstration of the visions dancing in Carlisle’s head, as his squad translated those into reality on the court. The second half and overtime were most impressive, and the indications of the team’s progress for the future are enticing.
As a side note, we received news during the game that former Mav Seth Curry tested positive for the virus, and apparently sat with his team during the entire first quarter. Not sure what happened with that, but we surely wish Seth the best.
And with this game, the Mavs reach .500 for the season. What a lovely experience!
Orlando is next up.
WOW-EE! The Mavs have their first back-to-back wins of the season, and in what a fashion! What began as a sleeper finished as a thriller! Very exciting developments for our young team!
GAME STORY
Players missing on the night included Denver’s Michael J. Porter and Dallas’ Trey Burke.
Before the game, both teams locked arms and knelt at the center of the court for the national anthem. The house lights were dimmed, and stage lighting was employed to create red and blue highlights on the floor and to feature the American flag. Whatever one may think about the sentiment, the visual effect was beautiful.
Rick continued with the new starting lineup of Doncic, Richardson, Finney-Smith, Maxi and Willie. They began the first quarter in drab fashion, with most of their possessions resulting in missed shots and/or turnovers. At the 6:53 mark, Dallas had only 2 points and trailed by 9. The Mavs ground their way back, but the Nuggets closed the quarter on an 8-0 run, and our men trailed 22-28 after one.
Both sides were dismal to start the second. Halfway through the period, Denver had scored 7 points, and Dallas 4. Yecch. Scoring picked up a little from both sides, but the Mavs couldn’t make any headway, and the deficit was 43-52 at halftime.
Things looked bleak at the interval. Dallas was 4-21 from deep, Luka was limping and clutching his ankle, and nothing about the way the boys were playing suggested a dramatic comeback.
The third quarter initially looked like more of the same. Denver gradually built their lead to a game-high 12, and it was still 10 at 3:08. With three minutes to go, the Mavs really picked it up, and ended the frame with a 12-4 scoring blitz. The scoreline read 76-78 after thirty-six minutes, so our team was within two.
The fourth was played very close, with 9 lead changes, and the score difference never exceeding 4. The clutch period was tense. The game was tied at 1:59. Jovic hit one of two free throws, putting Denver ahead by one at 0:59. Luka turned the ball over, and the Nuggets had a missed three, an offensive rebound, and a missed long two. By the time the Mavs regained possession, there were only 8 seconds left. After a Dallas timeout, the Nuggets double-teamed Luka, who flung a perfect pass to an open Maxi, and he came through with the three, putting the Mavs ahead by 2, and setting off soccer-style goal celebrations among the Mavs. Alas, there were 2 seconds left, and Jokic sent the game to overtime. 109-all.
The additional period was Luka Time. This was the clutch performance we have been waiting for. He had more points in the period (9) than the entire Denver team (8). Josh, who had struggled offensively throughout the game, came through with 5 points. The team went on a scoring spree of 15 points, while holding Denver to 8. Final score: 124-117. Hooray!
NOTABLE ITEMS
Numbers. Dallas found their shooting boots in the second half, hitting a blistering 10 of 14 three-point attempts. Over the game as a whole, they put up 10 fewer shots than the Nuggets, but shot a better percentage. They also had ten more free-throw attempts, and managed to survive missing seven of their 31 freebies. Defense was good to very good throughout the game, and Dallas earned a whopping 23 points off Denver turnovers. The Mavs’ high scorers were Luka with 38 points, DFS and Josh 14 each, Bobi 12 and Tim 11.
Doncic. It was an outstanding night for Luka. During the first half, I worried that the altitude might be getting to him, and that his ankle might be seriously hampering him. Somehow, he shook off whatever the problem was at halftime, and gave an MVP performance after that. He had season highs in points (38) and assists (13), to go along with 9 assists and 4 steals, and managed to survive missing five free throws and committing 8 turnovers.
What a passing and game-management performance!! In both clutch periods, he was fantastic, and said that he had learned from all the painful lessons of the last two seasons. In terms of individual highlight plays, I’ll select a possession where he split a double team and executed a reverse layup in a manner that appeared to violate the laws of physics. Questions about his conditioning were shaken off with a 41-minute stint a mile in the air. Ever the leader, he credited the whole team for the win in his post-game interview. What an exciting young player!
Richardson. Josh didn’t have an especially great shooting night (5-15), but he hit two huge shots in overtime, and played a critical defensive role, especially against Jamal Murray. Coach stuck with his starting units in the clutch segments, and Josh, along with the rest of the group, performed admirably.
DFS. Doe-Doe filled up the stat sheet with 14 points, 4-8 threes, 8 boards, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in 36 minutes. At one point, he showed off his hops, elevating practically to the ceiling to throw down a thunderous putback dunk. The young fellow was his usual dependable defensive self, and it was exciting to see him take a step forward on the other end of the floor, especially after his early struggles from long range.
Kleber. Maxi had 9 points, 8 boards, three assists, and 2 blocks, and earned a team-high +/- at 15. He came through late with 3 enormous threes.
WCS. Carlisle trusted Willie on the floor in the critical clutch periods, and Trill exceeded expectations against Jokic. He got into foul trouble, and Carlisle saved him for the fourth quarter and overtime, where he did not disappoint.
Bench. The second unit scored 44 points, and only two players were in negative territory. Tim had 11 points and 4 assists in 25 minutes. He was an important pillar of the Mavs’ catch-up effort, leading the team with 8 points in the third quarter. We were treated to 16 minutes of the Bobi Show, as Rick searched for size and length against Nikola. My man Bobi contributed 12 points on 5-7 shooting, and pulled down 3 boards. His deadpan standstill dunks had me laughing. Powell played only 10 minutes, but I thought he had some good moments, and elevated well on a couple of dunks. James Johnson sported a new look, having sheared off his blond thatch. Josh Green had an unusual cameo early.
Nuggets. Denver was a more than worthy opponent, and I was relieved to see them fade a bit as the game wore on. Jokic laid 38 points and 11 boards on our guys, and Murray added 21 points and 9 assists. Whoo-ee. Gary Harris got into the act with 15 points, and Monte Morris and JaMychael Green were deadly off the bench.
OBSERVATIONS
This was such an important game. Denver is a difficult place to play, with its talented team and thin air. The Mavs did an outstanding job of sticking it out through a rough start and being rewarded for their persistence when their shots started falling. Their defense was on a string throughout the last ten minutes, and we saw a demonstration of the visions dancing in Carlisle’s head, as his squad translated those into reality on the court. The second half and overtime were most impressive, and the indications of the team’s progress for the future are enticing.
As a side note, we received news during the game that former Mav Seth Curry tested positive for the virus, and apparently sat with his team during the entire first quarter. Not sure what happened with that, but we surely wish Seth the best.
And with this game, the Mavs reach .500 for the season. What a lovely experience!
Orlando is next up.