Mavs Blast Rockets Out of Orbit
Wow! Mavs blow out a contending rival on the road! They're for real!
Game Story
The Mavericks got off to a hot start with their starting lineup of Luka-THJ-DFS-KP-DP, taking advantage of the Rockets' turning the ball over on the first three possessions of the game. They quickly climbed to a 12-point lead, but the home team battled back to within two. The blue and silver responded with a 16-2 run to end the quarter 45-29. (!) The Rox went on a little run to get within 10 at the start of the second quarter, but Luka returned to lead another Mavs charge. By halftime, Dallas had amassed a stunning 78 points, and a 17-point lead. The battle of the benches stood at 20-2 Mavs.
James Harden was called for his fourth foul to begin the third, but a coach's challenge resulted in the foul being charged to Danuel House instead. The Rockets made a push in this period, began waltzing to the basket, and drew within ten to close the quarter 95-105. The game got interesting in the final frame, with Houston closing to within five several times. Carlisle brought Luka and KP back early at 9:27, and the Mavs eventually sealed the deal, allowing the starters to exit at 1:48.
Analytics. The game was very close in most metrics, with the exception of three-point shooting. Both teams took 44 shots from long range. The Mavs hit on 17 of those (39%), while the Rox saw only 10 tries go down, for a putrid 23%. Harden was a horrid 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. Luka and Tim each registered 5 triples. Porzingis, Finney-Smith, and Maxi each put 2 threes on the board, with Jackson adding a seventeenth. Dallas ended up -6 on twos, +21 on threes, and -1 on made free throws.
Individual Performances
Luka was his amazing self, recording 41 points. He also dished 10 dimes, and was a few rebounds short of a triple double, with 6. The box score, while robust, didn't do justice to Luka's skill, vision, and leadership on the court. I'm not saying he will win the MVP, but he was definitely playing at that level. He was lethal as a jump shooter, Euro-stepping to the basket, and finding the right guy when that was called for. He had a few instances of arguably going a step too far, such as being called for a third foul in the second quarter when he was trying to draw a fourth foul on Harden instead of playing straight up, but he was humble enough to show a chagrined smile and bring his game back to the fundamentals in those instances. On the subject of that third foul, committed at 2:40 in the second quarter, Rick uncharacteristically left him in the game for the rest of the period, and Luka justified the coach's trust. Some days, I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that this youngster is a Mav, and that, great as he is, his best is yet to come.
Kristaps outdid himself again, with his new best game as a Mav. He put 23 points and 13 rebounds on the scoresheet, and was phenomenal on the defensive end. Rick waxed enthusiastic about the big man's rim protection, rebounding, outlet passing, cutting, hitting open shots, crashing the offensive boards (3 ORB), and very good passing. The Luka-KP connection is coming along nicely, with the two linking up often. Porzingis did not automatically put the ball up when he got the ball, electing to pass or tip to teammates on a number of occasions and recording 3 assists. This promises to be one of the deadliest duos in the game.
Is Hardaway going to emerge as this team's third star? If so, that would be huge. The guard was the team's second leading scorer, with 31 points on 10-18 shooting, along with 6-7 free throws. At times, he operated as a second point guard, with 5 assists and only 1 turnover in a team-high 38 minutes. Carlisle praised THJ for a great floor game, great scoring punch and defense, and serving as a "connector." Hardaway had drawn a lot of fan ire for his poor shooting early on, and the coaches have been working with him on some glitches they saw in his footwork. It looks like a case of good teachers and a good learner!
The Luka-Tim pairing is also bearing fruit, with the two guards combining for 82 points, ten threes, 15 FTAs, 10 boards, 15 assists, and 4 steals. It's been a long time since the back court put up that kind of numbers.
Bench. The second unit out-dueled the Rockets' bench 28-11, with Maxi and Wright doing the heavy lifting in a combined 47 minutes. Rick admired Maxi's shot-making, including two key threes, and his effectiveness on the defensive end in 25 minutes.
Coaching. The Mavs' coaching staff deserve credit for designing a crushing game plan. The Mavericks were unusually aggressive on the defensive end of the court, forcing turnovers early, and double-teaming Harden as a standard matter. The other Rockets were unable to make the Mavs pay, and Dallas' daring approach was successful. A good indication that this team has the ability to adapt, both as a strategic matter, and tactically during the game (bringing Luka and KP back early in the fourth, for example).
Rockets. This match had the added intrigue of a rivalry game. Harden and Westbrook combined for 59 points, 20 free throw attempts, 14 rebounds, 17 assists, and 2 steals. However, they also had 10 turnovers and ten personal fouls between them, and Russ, despite his gaudy stats, still looks to be finding his place in the offense. Center Clint Capela burned Dallas with 21 points and 22 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards that gave his team crucial second chances and kept them in the game. The Rox looked a little gassed by the end of the contest, having played in California on Friday night. Former Mav Tyson Chandler played for only 3 minutes, and his only recorded stat was 1 personal foul.
Observations
Ceballos thought the defense led to the outstanding offense, and credited the defense for winning the game. He also complimented the team for being focused from the jump, going about their business in professional fashion, and never flagging.
Carlisle insisted that, although this was a big win, it is only one step in a day-to-day process. He thought fatigue was a factor for Houston, and noted that the Mavs were able to take advantage of that. He was proud of his team's effort, and especially appreciated the great start, opining that playing in front is the biggest key to winning in the NBA. While acknowledging the squad's mistakes, he was encouraged that the guys played through them.
Podcasts. Listened to Mavs Moneyball's Mavs After Dark, and the Locked on Mavericks pod, and they had a couple of interesting observations/reporting.
Mavs After Dark pondered the question of why Hardaway performs so much better in the starting unit. One theory is that the game is much easier for him playing with Luka, as he doesn't have to worry unduly about creating. A second hypothesis was that with Luka on the court, Tim doesn't feel so much pressure to score, and doesn't feel compelled to throw up bad shots. I would buy both of these reasons, and don't think they're mutually exclusive.
Locked on Mavs reported that Porzingis told Brad Townsend after the game that KP thinks that the Mavs are beginning to develop that killer instinct, saying that the team was determined that there was no way they were losing that game, in response to Houston's late run. Not to bring politics into this, but Nick (of the podcast) compared James Harden's notorious foul-drawing to Trump, on the theory that they both just throw a lot of stuff at the wall, not caring how it looks or if it's wrong, just playing the odds that it will mostly work for them. I think I will join Isaac (also of the pod) in leaving that one alone, lol.
My impressions. I thought this was the Mavs' biggest win of the season. As a group, they are visibly gelling, which is exciting. I had been a little worried that some of the previous blowouts had been supported by unsustainable three-point shooting, but the Mavs were able to put this one away with a good, but not outlandish, 39% from deep. I was probably most impressed with how well the defense is coming together, in addition to the coaches' playoff-like adjustments. The Mavericks approached the game in a very professional manner, and led for the whole 48 minutes. Truly a statement win, announcing that Dallas is a factor to be reckoned with in the West. Good job, guys!
Next. The Mavs face another tough test on Tuesday, when the Clippers come to town. Looking forward to it!
Wow! Mavs blow out a contending rival on the road! They're for real!
Game Story
The Mavericks got off to a hot start with their starting lineup of Luka-THJ-DFS-KP-DP, taking advantage of the Rockets' turning the ball over on the first three possessions of the game. They quickly climbed to a 12-point lead, but the home team battled back to within two. The blue and silver responded with a 16-2 run to end the quarter 45-29. (!) The Rox went on a little run to get within 10 at the start of the second quarter, but Luka returned to lead another Mavs charge. By halftime, Dallas had amassed a stunning 78 points, and a 17-point lead. The battle of the benches stood at 20-2 Mavs.
James Harden was called for his fourth foul to begin the third, but a coach's challenge resulted in the foul being charged to Danuel House instead. The Rockets made a push in this period, began waltzing to the basket, and drew within ten to close the quarter 95-105. The game got interesting in the final frame, with Houston closing to within five several times. Carlisle brought Luka and KP back early at 9:27, and the Mavs eventually sealed the deal, allowing the starters to exit at 1:48.
Analytics. The game was very close in most metrics, with the exception of three-point shooting. Both teams took 44 shots from long range. The Mavs hit on 17 of those (39%), while the Rox saw only 10 tries go down, for a putrid 23%. Harden was a horrid 2-of-15 from beyond the arc. Luka and Tim each registered 5 triples. Porzingis, Finney-Smith, and Maxi each put 2 threes on the board, with Jackson adding a seventeenth. Dallas ended up -6 on twos, +21 on threes, and -1 on made free throws.
Individual Performances
Luka was his amazing self, recording 41 points. He also dished 10 dimes, and was a few rebounds short of a triple double, with 6. The box score, while robust, didn't do justice to Luka's skill, vision, and leadership on the court. I'm not saying he will win the MVP, but he was definitely playing at that level. He was lethal as a jump shooter, Euro-stepping to the basket, and finding the right guy when that was called for. He had a few instances of arguably going a step too far, such as being called for a third foul in the second quarter when he was trying to draw a fourth foul on Harden instead of playing straight up, but he was humble enough to show a chagrined smile and bring his game back to the fundamentals in those instances. On the subject of that third foul, committed at 2:40 in the second quarter, Rick uncharacteristically left him in the game for the rest of the period, and Luka justified the coach's trust. Some days, I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that this youngster is a Mav, and that, great as he is, his best is yet to come.
Kristaps outdid himself again, with his new best game as a Mav. He put 23 points and 13 rebounds on the scoresheet, and was phenomenal on the defensive end. Rick waxed enthusiastic about the big man's rim protection, rebounding, outlet passing, cutting, hitting open shots, crashing the offensive boards (3 ORB), and very good passing. The Luka-KP connection is coming along nicely, with the two linking up often. Porzingis did not automatically put the ball up when he got the ball, electing to pass or tip to teammates on a number of occasions and recording 3 assists. This promises to be one of the deadliest duos in the game.
Is Hardaway going to emerge as this team's third star? If so, that would be huge. The guard was the team's second leading scorer, with 31 points on 10-18 shooting, along with 6-7 free throws. At times, he operated as a second point guard, with 5 assists and only 1 turnover in a team-high 38 minutes. Carlisle praised THJ for a great floor game, great scoring punch and defense, and serving as a "connector." Hardaway had drawn a lot of fan ire for his poor shooting early on, and the coaches have been working with him on some glitches they saw in his footwork. It looks like a case of good teachers and a good learner!
The Luka-Tim pairing is also bearing fruit, with the two guards combining for 82 points, ten threes, 15 FTAs, 10 boards, 15 assists, and 4 steals. It's been a long time since the back court put up that kind of numbers.
Bench. The second unit out-dueled the Rockets' bench 28-11, with Maxi and Wright doing the heavy lifting in a combined 47 minutes. Rick admired Maxi's shot-making, including two key threes, and his effectiveness on the defensive end in 25 minutes.
Coaching. The Mavs' coaching staff deserve credit for designing a crushing game plan. The Mavericks were unusually aggressive on the defensive end of the court, forcing turnovers early, and double-teaming Harden as a standard matter. The other Rockets were unable to make the Mavs pay, and Dallas' daring approach was successful. A good indication that this team has the ability to adapt, both as a strategic matter, and tactically during the game (bringing Luka and KP back early in the fourth, for example).
Rockets. This match had the added intrigue of a rivalry game. Harden and Westbrook combined for 59 points, 20 free throw attempts, 14 rebounds, 17 assists, and 2 steals. However, they also had 10 turnovers and ten personal fouls between them, and Russ, despite his gaudy stats, still looks to be finding his place in the offense. Center Clint Capela burned Dallas with 21 points and 22 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards that gave his team crucial second chances and kept them in the game. The Rox looked a little gassed by the end of the contest, having played in California on Friday night. Former Mav Tyson Chandler played for only 3 minutes, and his only recorded stat was 1 personal foul.
Observations
Ceballos thought the defense led to the outstanding offense, and credited the defense for winning the game. He also complimented the team for being focused from the jump, going about their business in professional fashion, and never flagging.
Carlisle insisted that, although this was a big win, it is only one step in a day-to-day process. He thought fatigue was a factor for Houston, and noted that the Mavs were able to take advantage of that. He was proud of his team's effort, and especially appreciated the great start, opining that playing in front is the biggest key to winning in the NBA. While acknowledging the squad's mistakes, he was encouraged that the guys played through them.
Podcasts. Listened to Mavs Moneyball's Mavs After Dark, and the Locked on Mavericks pod, and they had a couple of interesting observations/reporting.
Mavs After Dark pondered the question of why Hardaway performs so much better in the starting unit. One theory is that the game is much easier for him playing with Luka, as he doesn't have to worry unduly about creating. A second hypothesis was that with Luka on the court, Tim doesn't feel so much pressure to score, and doesn't feel compelled to throw up bad shots. I would buy both of these reasons, and don't think they're mutually exclusive.
Locked on Mavs reported that Porzingis told Brad Townsend after the game that KP thinks that the Mavs are beginning to develop that killer instinct, saying that the team was determined that there was no way they were losing that game, in response to Houston's late run. Not to bring politics into this, but Nick (of the podcast) compared James Harden's notorious foul-drawing to Trump, on the theory that they both just throw a lot of stuff at the wall, not caring how it looks or if it's wrong, just playing the odds that it will mostly work for them. I think I will join Isaac (also of the pod) in leaving that one alone, lol.
My impressions. I thought this was the Mavs' biggest win of the season. As a group, they are visibly gelling, which is exciting. I had been a little worried that some of the previous blowouts had been supported by unsustainable three-point shooting, but the Mavs were able to put this one away with a good, but not outlandish, 39% from deep. I was probably most impressed with how well the defense is coming together, in addition to the coaches' playoff-like adjustments. The Mavericks approached the game in a very professional manner, and led for the whole 48 minutes. Truly a statement win, announcing that Dallas is a factor to be reckoned with in the West. Good job, guys!
Next. The Mavs face another tough test on Tuesday, when the Clippers come to town. Looking forward to it!
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