Here we are again. The Dallas Mavericks face the Charlotte Bobcats for the second and final meeting this season. It comes at the right time. The Mavs have lost twice early on and both times the Bobcats have been the next in line. 17-0 will be the Mavs goal when they leave the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte tonight. Send those Bobcats home waiting until 2013-2014 for another crack at our Mavs.
So last night…hmmm…do we want to really remember that game? I’ll be brief. The Knicks came away with a home win 104-94. Carmelo Anthony took his 20-plus shots and scored 31 points. Dallas went to the foul line 23 times, converting 20. Only the Knicks went to the stripe 38 times and were called for seven less fouls. After going 7-for-15 from 3-point land in the first half, the Mavs shot just 1-for-13 from deep after the intermission. And finally, 20 turnovers shot us in the foot. Do the math and it’s clear the performance didn’t equalize a winning formula.
The Mavericks young backcourt of Darren “DC” Collison and O.J. “Juice” Mayo shouldered the blame for their team’s loss last night.
“I’m really, really disappointed in my performance tonight,” said Collison, who had as many turnovers as points (four) and was 1-of-8 from the floor. “I promise you that I’ll be in full-mode attack next game. I felt like I let my team down tonight.”
“I think it’s on me, too.” Mayo said backing up his backcourt mate.
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Mavs Game Night is in Charlotte and ready for a fresh start to a new streak. However, the last thing Dallas should do is take the Bobcats easy. Yes it would seem the history of matchup trumps the possibility of a ‘trap game’, but it DOES NOT. Anyone can beat anyone any night in the NBA. Was that too many “Anys”?
In the previous meeting between these teams, Dallas cruised to a 126-99 home win. In the first preview for the Bobcats game I mentioned three keys and each played its part in the Mavericks W. Tonight the Mavs need to replicate that effort to continue the league’s longest opponent winning percentage.
My three successful keys from Mavs’ 126-99 win on November 3rd
- Darren Collison – DC, our Mavs engine had himself a night to forget against New York, but tonight provides him a solid bounce-back opportunity. I believe he’ll be in double-double territory.
- Rebound – Against the ‘Cats in Game 3 of the season, Dallas actually out-rebounded an opponent (43-38 edge). The Mavs will once again be without leading rebounder Shawn Marion, so they will need guys like Chris Kaman and Troy Murphy to crash the glass even more. Kaman goes for his first double digit rebounding effort in this one.
- O.J. Mayo Shooting – Mayo had his coming out party against Charlotte. He took advantage of a soft perimeter defense scorching the twine for a career-high seven 3-point baskets. Mayo’s November shooting numbers are sexy:
Time for a quick look at the Mavs injury front. Roddy Beaubois (ankle) returned to action last night and played 14 minutes. Vince Carter seemed to injure his hip area on a contact jump shot in the lane. According to VC he will be a go tonight in Charlotte.
“I’m planning on playing,” Carter said. “I don’t care what they say. We’re already down some bodies. Gotta go.”
The Bobcats’ starting center Brendan Haywood is questionable due to a family issue. Haywood missed their game in New Orleans on Friday night. Expect Byron Mullens to slide over to center and Bismack Biyombo to start at power forward if Haywood can’t go.
The Mavericks conclude the back-to-back two-game road trip and head home for a homestand duo against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards next week.
Tonight’s game will tip at 6:30 p.m. CT and locally airs on Fox Sports Southwest. NBATV will carry the broadcast nationally. Go Mavs!
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