Game Night: Mavs Face Former Teammate, Now Head Coach

The Mavs finish a mini two-game road trip tonight as they look to walk in Barclays Center to get a win against the Brooklyn Nets.

The Game At Hand

Wednesday night, the Mavs suffered an embarrassing defeat to the Raptors. The Mavs blew a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter thanks to an 40-point outstanding performance from Raptors’ guard DeMar DeRozan. Dallas looks to rebound with a win tonight against Coach Jason Kidd and the Nets.

The Nets led by former Mavs floor general Jason Kidd has been on a tear in mid-January. Brooklyn is currently on a 4-game winning streak, including an overtime win against the Miami Heat.

Keys To The Game

1. Advantage in the Transition Game

Brooklyn is one of the oldest teams in the league this season. The Mavs should take advantage in the transition game and run fastbreaks when granted the opportunity. The Nets are ranked 28^th in transition defense this season.

2. Maintain The Momentum

Part of the reason for the Mavs losing games is losing momentum after a huge run. Just like the blown 21-point lead against the Raptors, the team made too many careless turnovers and not executing the offense. Dallas has to be more careful on offense and avoid taking contested shots.

Matchup of the Night: Kevin Garnett vs. Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk and KG are two of the greatest NBA power forwards of this era. These two big men may be past their prime, but can still get it done with their phenomenal mid-range game. It’ll be fun to see these two guys matchup against each other in the post. Dirk also returns tonight from a 1-game rest, so it’s good to know that he has fresh legs.

Quotes:

“You know, we’ve been watching [Kidd] all year and he’s doing a great job. They’ve been the best team in the league since Jan. 1, so everyone has their hands full with them right now.” – Rick Carlisle

 

“Hopefully my legs feel a little fresher tonight and I’ll be able to help the guys. It was tough watching that game. They started off so well, Toronto was sharing the ball, and then unfortunately we fell a little short down the stretch. That was definitely a tough one to watch.” – Dirk Nowitzki

When and Where:

The game starts at 6:30 CST and airs on Fox Sports Southwest.

GO MAVS!