Whatever funk the Dallas Mavericks were in on New Year’s Day in Miami lingered on Saturday night, as the Mavericks (19-15) fell to the New Orleans Pelicans 105-98. Dallas managed to shoot 43.4 percent from the floor for the game, but missed several key shots down the stretch.
To make matters worse, the Mavericks lost guard Deron Williams in the third quarter due to hamstring tightness. Dallas was already without guard Devin Harris, who suffered a back strain against the Heat.
Both teams started the game slowly and seemed unable to find a groove offensively. The Mavericks shot just 28,6 percent from the field through the first six minutes of play, but fought through the tough start. Six Dallas players ended the game in double figures, led by forward Dirk Nowitzki, who poured in 24 points on 8 of 21 shooting.
“That’s the NBA for you,” Nowitzki said. “Every time you get on a streak, it can go the other way too. You win a few and then in 24 hours, it feels like you hit rock bottom. That’s just the way it is in this league. We weren’t very good last night. I thought tonight we were good in stretches, but not good enough to steal one. They had a great third quarter.”
The Pelicans (11-22) outscored the Mavericks 26-19 in the third quarter, which ultimately decided the game. The two teams were separated in scoring by a mere two points in the other three quarters combined. New Orleans forward Anthony Davis had a monster night for the Pelicans, shredding the Mavericks all game. He ended with a double-double on 31 points and 14 rebounds.
But Davis alone did not do the Mavericks in. Dallas made a late rally in the fourth quarter to pull the to within three on the back of a few crucial shots from guard Wesley Matthews, who finished with 18 points. The deciding moment in this contest came late in the fourth quarter when center Zaza Pachulia was whistled for a foul on Pelican’s forward Ryan Anderson. A bang-bang play, many at the American Airlines Center disagreed with the call as well as head coach Rick Carlisle, who voiced his displeasure after the game.
“I’m not going to give away 35 grand right now, if it’s all the same to you,” Carlisle said when asked about the call on Pachulia.
After winning four consecutive games, including a victory over the Golden State Warriors, Dallas has now dropped two straight and is in the midst of a month where it will play 18 games in 31 days. Matthews said he is not sure what has caused the Maverick’s inconsistency, but said the team has figured it out before and will have to do it again.
“We have to pick it up, we have to leave it all on the court every single night,” Matthews said. “I’m trying to do whatever it is to help this team win. That’s how I approach every game.”
Next Up: Dallas will host Rajon Rondo and the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday Jan. 6. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CST.
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