Mavs Give League-Leading Lakers a Soaking
The Mavericks handed the Lakers their third loss of the season in a blowout at Staples Center. A statement win warning the rest of the league they had best sit up and take notice of this team.
Game Story
Dallas got off to a weak start, looking unprepared for the Lakers' level of force. They were down by 10 points twice in the first quarter. The bench got the blue-and-silver back into it, and the Mavs trailed 25-30 after one. The game was close in the second quarter, and the Mavericks went in the locker room with a 59-62 deficit. The good guys came out like gangbusters in the third quarter, played stellar defense, and pounded the home team 35-17 for the period. The Mavs led by 20 at one point in the frame, and took a 15-point edge into the fourth quarter. Dallas solidified its lead in the final frame, and the Lakers trailed by at least sixteen until the last two free throws of the game.
Analytics
The Mavericks put up 10 more shots than the Lakers, thanks to 16 offensive rebounds, only 13 turnovers, and taking 20 points off Lakers turnovers, accumulating 23 second chance points. The Lakers led the Mavs 58-46 in PIP, and 28-19 in fast break points. However, the Mavs had 49 3PTAs and 17 makes (35%), compared to 27 attempts and 7 completions (26%) for the Lakers. The Mavs had point differentials of -16 in points from twos, +30 in points from threes. and zero in made free throws.
Players
Luka had 16 points, 4 rebounds, 5 dimes and 2 steals. In the THIRD QUARTER. For the whole game, he was 27-9-10 with 3 steals in 33 minutes. Skin pointed out a key Luka learning moment toward the end of the first quarter. Rick took him out early, when he didn't get back on defense, allowing his teammates to go 4 on 5 with the Lakers while he was hanging back complaining to the ref. He sat and watched the bench attack with aggression and precision, and employ defense to generate offense, and he was fast enough to figure out that was what the starters needed to do, as well. Luka himself described his first half as "awful," but thought he did better in the second. Rick tactfully explained that "the team" had gotten a little distracted by the refs, and needed reminding to focus on what they could control. Doncic gave us a scare early in the second when he fell over a cameraman, and was down for a bit, but he ultimately popped up and carried on.
Luka highlights included drawing a charge on LeBron, a transition splashdown three, a huge third quarter in every way, a stop and pop three, and a step back three over LeBron. Rick complimented him on making good adjustments in the second quarter, moving the ball quickly, becoming more unpredictable, making good play calls, taking advantage of matchups, and making some "hellacious" shots that only a few players in the world can make, citing his 30-foot step back over LeBron as an example. Very good game experience for the young superstar.
Powell has been struggling of late, and it was great to see him break out with an excellent game against the purple-and-gold. He had 15 points and 9 rebounds in 32 minutes, and played surprisingly good defense against the Lakers' massive bigs. He served as an example for Luka on the bench late in the first quarter, as he went hard at the rim, slithered around the defenders, and put in a reverse for an and-one. Ceballos praised Powell and Kleber for doing so much dirty work and really "digging in."
Porzingis was in foul trouble for a while, and played only 28 minutes, earning 15 points and grabbing 6 boards in that time. Although he didn't fill up the box score, he was excellent defensively, and was a key part of the victory. He had a Dirk-style trailing three in the third quarter, along with a spectacular contest of an AD jump shot.
Wright had a wonderful night off the bench, recording a team-second 17 points, three triples, 9 assists, 5 boards, and a team-high 4 steals in 28 minutes. He had a pretty up-and-under against Dwight Howard in the second quarter, and took charge of the second unit, both distributing and scoring. Skin commented that Wright has a very controlled style, is never in a hurry, has great court vision, and played a great all-around game. Dana thought he gave the Mavs a massive boost. Rick observed that Delon is getting more comfortable with his teammates, and is one of the team's best perimeter defenders, with deflections, steals, transition D, and generally causing problems for the opposition.
DFS had a seventh-most 21 minutes, and didn't have much of a line in the box score, but made important contributions. He crashed the glass, and had 4 offensive rebounds. He downed a corner three in the third quarter, and had an impressive chase down block on LeBron. Rick called the block a "game-defining play," and commended the small forward for keeping the Lakers out of transition in the second half.
Jackson was also impressive off the bench, scoring 15 points, including three threes in 15 minutes. Coming into the game, he was shooting 45% from beyond the arc, and improved on that with 3 of 5 in this match. Ceballos remarked that Justin can score from anywhere and added to the Mavs' unpredictability, as the Lakers had no idea where his offense would come from. That theory was certainly supported when they left him open for a couple of triples. Carlisle said that he was great all night, and specifically cited his timely shotmaking.
Boban was sighted for 4 minutes. Howard lob-dunked over him in the second quarter, but he retorted with a three on the other end of the court.
Random Observations
The Mavs succeeded in getting under the Lakers' skin, provoking two technical fouls. One by Frank Vogel for allegedly yelling too loud, lol. Then another on Caldwell-Pope for jawing at the ref.
Dirk attended the contest, along with a fan who won an auction on behalf of Dirk's foundation allowing him to sit with Dirk during the game. The Lakers gave him a tribute video, and he received a standing O. Rick talked about how much it meant to the players to have him sitting courtside. Dirk said that he misses basketball, but is otherwise having a great time in retirement.
Remarks
Harper noted the team's elite offense, and ventured that if they can combine it with the quality of their second-half defense, they will be a championship caliber team.
Cedric Ceballos thought the key to the victory was the bench, showing the starters how it's done. He observed that the ball moves better with Luka off the floor, and thinks watching that gave Luka some ideas. He called attention to the second-half strategy of keeping the Lakers out of the paint, which was successful when the Lakers failed to make them pay from the perimeter.
Skin said that the Lakers' streaky shooting caught up with them, and noted that the Lakers are lacking creators outside of LeBron, and secondarily, AD. He believes that the Mavs' chemistry is coming together, and admired the defense for limiting AD at the rim.
Wright said that the team objective was to make the game ugly, and he thought they succeeded in that effort. He is from Los Angeles. His parents and high school coach were in the audience, and he was proud of the team's performance in front of his family and friends.
Luka thought that the tough defense in the third quarter was responsible for the comeback.
Carlisle thought the effort was great, very intense, and that the team made good adjustments on the floor, moving the ball and finding both space and each other. He deemed the second half one of the best defensive halves of the season, and thought the team did a good job sticking together. He played eleven guys, and said each of them made meaningful contributions. When asked what the W meant, he said they had a good day, and it was an important win, but they need to stay humble, especially as the increased attention on them means that opponents are throwing their "A" games at them every night. He thought that the squad responded well to the Lakers' physical play, flopping, and power in the paint on both ends, also noting that the Lakers missed a few shots they would probably normally make. However, he opined that the Mavs deserved the win, getting stops and attacking in transition against a great team.
My impressions. I thought the Mavs would play a competitive game, but did not expect a blowout. I thought the team chemistry was some of the best we have seen this season. I commend the team for responding well to going down early, and think they learned a valuable lesson from the Clippers loss, in terms of an opponent coming in with greater-than-expected intensity. I was also impressed with how intelligently the team managed the game and the clock when they were playing with a sizable lead in the fourth quarter. Quite a difference from the Monta-led days when the team would squander leads by rushing shots when the clock should have been their friend. I also thought this was the best team defense I have seen this group play. They were really clicking as a group. These boys are legit!
Next. A TNT game against the Pels in New Orleans. Go Mavs!!
The Mavericks handed the Lakers their third loss of the season in a blowout at Staples Center. A statement win warning the rest of the league they had best sit up and take notice of this team.
Game Story
Dallas got off to a weak start, looking unprepared for the Lakers' level of force. They were down by 10 points twice in the first quarter. The bench got the blue-and-silver back into it, and the Mavs trailed 25-30 after one. The game was close in the second quarter, and the Mavericks went in the locker room with a 59-62 deficit. The good guys came out like gangbusters in the third quarter, played stellar defense, and pounded the home team 35-17 for the period. The Mavs led by 20 at one point in the frame, and took a 15-point edge into the fourth quarter. Dallas solidified its lead in the final frame, and the Lakers trailed by at least sixteen until the last two free throws of the game.
Analytics
The Mavericks put up 10 more shots than the Lakers, thanks to 16 offensive rebounds, only 13 turnovers, and taking 20 points off Lakers turnovers, accumulating 23 second chance points. The Lakers led the Mavs 58-46 in PIP, and 28-19 in fast break points. However, the Mavs had 49 3PTAs and 17 makes (35%), compared to 27 attempts and 7 completions (26%) for the Lakers. The Mavs had point differentials of -16 in points from twos, +30 in points from threes. and zero in made free throws.
Players
Luka had 16 points, 4 rebounds, 5 dimes and 2 steals. In the THIRD QUARTER. For the whole game, he was 27-9-10 with 3 steals in 33 minutes. Skin pointed out a key Luka learning moment toward the end of the first quarter. Rick took him out early, when he didn't get back on defense, allowing his teammates to go 4 on 5 with the Lakers while he was hanging back complaining to the ref. He sat and watched the bench attack with aggression and precision, and employ defense to generate offense, and he was fast enough to figure out that was what the starters needed to do, as well. Luka himself described his first half as "awful," but thought he did better in the second. Rick tactfully explained that "the team" had gotten a little distracted by the refs, and needed reminding to focus on what they could control. Doncic gave us a scare early in the second when he fell over a cameraman, and was down for a bit, but he ultimately popped up and carried on.
Luka highlights included drawing a charge on LeBron, a transition splashdown three, a huge third quarter in every way, a stop and pop three, and a step back three over LeBron. Rick complimented him on making good adjustments in the second quarter, moving the ball quickly, becoming more unpredictable, making good play calls, taking advantage of matchups, and making some "hellacious" shots that only a few players in the world can make, citing his 30-foot step back over LeBron as an example. Very good game experience for the young superstar.
Powell has been struggling of late, and it was great to see him break out with an excellent game against the purple-and-gold. He had 15 points and 9 rebounds in 32 minutes, and played surprisingly good defense against the Lakers' massive bigs. He served as an example for Luka on the bench late in the first quarter, as he went hard at the rim, slithered around the defenders, and put in a reverse for an and-one. Ceballos praised Powell and Kleber for doing so much dirty work and really "digging in."
Porzingis was in foul trouble for a while, and played only 28 minutes, earning 15 points and grabbing 6 boards in that time. Although he didn't fill up the box score, he was excellent defensively, and was a key part of the victory. He had a Dirk-style trailing three in the third quarter, along with a spectacular contest of an AD jump shot.
Wright had a wonderful night off the bench, recording a team-second 17 points, three triples, 9 assists, 5 boards, and a team-high 4 steals in 28 minutes. He had a pretty up-and-under against Dwight Howard in the second quarter, and took charge of the second unit, both distributing and scoring. Skin commented that Wright has a very controlled style, is never in a hurry, has great court vision, and played a great all-around game. Dana thought he gave the Mavs a massive boost. Rick observed that Delon is getting more comfortable with his teammates, and is one of the team's best perimeter defenders, with deflections, steals, transition D, and generally causing problems for the opposition.
DFS had a seventh-most 21 minutes, and didn't have much of a line in the box score, but made important contributions. He crashed the glass, and had 4 offensive rebounds. He downed a corner three in the third quarter, and had an impressive chase down block on LeBron. Rick called the block a "game-defining play," and commended the small forward for keeping the Lakers out of transition in the second half.
Jackson was also impressive off the bench, scoring 15 points, including three threes in 15 minutes. Coming into the game, he was shooting 45% from beyond the arc, and improved on that with 3 of 5 in this match. Ceballos remarked that Justin can score from anywhere and added to the Mavs' unpredictability, as the Lakers had no idea where his offense would come from. That theory was certainly supported when they left him open for a couple of triples. Carlisle said that he was great all night, and specifically cited his timely shotmaking.
Boban was sighted for 4 minutes. Howard lob-dunked over him in the second quarter, but he retorted with a three on the other end of the court.
Random Observations
The Mavs succeeded in getting under the Lakers' skin, provoking two technical fouls. One by Frank Vogel for allegedly yelling too loud, lol. Then another on Caldwell-Pope for jawing at the ref.
Dirk attended the contest, along with a fan who won an auction on behalf of Dirk's foundation allowing him to sit with Dirk during the game. The Lakers gave him a tribute video, and he received a standing O. Rick talked about how much it meant to the players to have him sitting courtside. Dirk said that he misses basketball, but is otherwise having a great time in retirement.
Remarks
Harper noted the team's elite offense, and ventured that if they can combine it with the quality of their second-half defense, they will be a championship caliber team.
Cedric Ceballos thought the key to the victory was the bench, showing the starters how it's done. He observed that the ball moves better with Luka off the floor, and thinks watching that gave Luka some ideas. He called attention to the second-half strategy of keeping the Lakers out of the paint, which was successful when the Lakers failed to make them pay from the perimeter.
Skin said that the Lakers' streaky shooting caught up with them, and noted that the Lakers are lacking creators outside of LeBron, and secondarily, AD. He believes that the Mavs' chemistry is coming together, and admired the defense for limiting AD at the rim.
Wright said that the team objective was to make the game ugly, and he thought they succeeded in that effort. He is from Los Angeles. His parents and high school coach were in the audience, and he was proud of the team's performance in front of his family and friends.
Luka thought that the tough defense in the third quarter was responsible for the comeback.
Carlisle thought the effort was great, very intense, and that the team made good adjustments on the floor, moving the ball and finding both space and each other. He deemed the second half one of the best defensive halves of the season, and thought the team did a good job sticking together. He played eleven guys, and said each of them made meaningful contributions. When asked what the W meant, he said they had a good day, and it was an important win, but they need to stay humble, especially as the increased attention on them means that opponents are throwing their "A" games at them every night. He thought that the squad responded well to the Lakers' physical play, flopping, and power in the paint on both ends, also noting that the Lakers missed a few shots they would probably normally make. However, he opined that the Mavs deserved the win, getting stops and attacking in transition against a great team.
My impressions. I thought the Mavs would play a competitive game, but did not expect a blowout. I thought the team chemistry was some of the best we have seen this season. I commend the team for responding well to going down early, and think they learned a valuable lesson from the Clippers loss, in terms of an opponent coming in with greater-than-expected intensity. I was also impressed with how intelligently the team managed the game and the clock when they were playing with a sizable lead in the fourth quarter. Quite a difference from the Monta-led days when the team would squander leads by rushing shots when the clock should have been their friend. I also thought this was the best team defense I have seen this group play. They were really clicking as a group. These boys are legit!
Next. A TNT game against the Pels in New Orleans. Go Mavs!!
