Memphis Grizzlies @ Dallas Mavericks: Game Day Thread

Dallas is coming in after a convincing beat down of the Loved by everyone Miami Wade's. Josh Howard and Marquis "Griffin" showed that they were two of the many diamonds to come out of that draft. Tonights game against Memphis will be a test, back to back is usually a tough night for us as we lost our first back to back in Utah.

Matchup That Matters:
Whoever is gaurding Dirk Nowitzki.

Dirk usually torches Memphis winning the last 6 games against this team, Posey usually did the best job against him, but Memphis will be Poseyless. Pau's to slow, Jones is to short, Dirk's to good.

Despite the lack of rest Mavs win in a good game.

Predicted stats:
J-Ho: 23pts, 9reb.
Quis': 15pts, 6ast.
JET: 25pts
Damp: 10reb, 4blks
Dirk: 31pts, 4/5 3pts, 12reb, 3blk
VanHorn: 3/5 3pts.

Mavs-105
Cubs-93

 

For a team with one less loss than your Mavericks, you're sure taking the Grizz lightly. As for guarding Dirk Nowtizki, we'll probably put Shane Battier on him, and Battier is statistically the #1 defensive small forward in the NBA. Those lines you predicted are also unrealtic. That'd be 113+ points for Dallas. What, is this going to be a double overtime game?

Prediction -

Memphis - 99
Dallas - 96

 

<font size="+2">Memphis at Mavericks preview

</font> <font size="+1">7:30 p.m., Saturday, American Airlines Center, FSNSW; ESPN-FM (103.3), KFLC-AM (1270 Spanish)</font>
<font size="-1">09:23 PM CST on Friday, November 25, 2005

</font>
<font size="-1">By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News</font>
Series: Mavericks won all four meetings last season, lead, 33-6, all time

KEY MATCHUP
Pau Gasol vs. Dirk Nowitzki: The two best European players in the league (sorry, Peja Stojakovic lovers) get together, and Nowitzki is hoping to do better than last season, when he shot just 40.9 percent in four games against the Grizzlies, averaging 22.3 points. He did average almost 12 rebounds. Gasol averaged just 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds against Nowitzki. Still, these are two players who can dominate any night. When either of them is on his game, his team usually is very tough to beat.

INSIDE THE GRIZZLIES

When in doubt: Put Memphis on the free throw line. The Grizzlies are fizzly from the stripe, hitting a league-low 66.6 percent. Gasol is a prime culprit, shooting under 60 percent before Friday's game. But if center Lorenzen Wright is on the court, the Mavericks would do well to foul him. He's at 36 percent.

Briefly: Former Baylor Bear Lawrence Roberts is on the Memphis roster, averaging just under 10 minutes per game. ... Here's perspective for you. Mike Fratello already is the second-winningest coach in Grizzlies history with 47 victories. He needs 37 more this season to pass Hubie Brown for the franchise lead.

INSIDE THE MAVERICKS

Rebounding just fine: The Mavericks came into Friday's game fifth in the league in rebounding at 52 percent. Last season, they stood at 49 percent, ranking 20th in the league. The improvement has come mostly on the offensive end, where they have jumped from 17th to sixth in offensive rebounding proficiency.

Briefly: Since moving into the starting lineup, Marquis Daniels is averaging 12 points, 4.7 assists and three rebounds. He has a streak of five consecutive double-figure scoring games. ... Josh Howard is averaging 22 points and 7.7 rebounds in the last three games before Friday.

 

This is what its all about! WooT! I am really pulling for the Mavs not just cause I want the WIN but because Avery Johnson would have a record of home victory 30 game start! OMG! CMON MAVS! DO IT FOR THE LIL GEN!

 

I've heard so many different accounts, someone said he's at 25-4...what is Avery's coaching record?

He's around 28-2 or something isnt he? And the record is 30-4? God I'm confused

A win here would be good
a) Beating two good teams in consecutive nights
Lowering the change of Memphis catching up to us

 

I know he will win the award because most regular season home wins for a new coach if they win tonight.

 

Its great to establish a good start at home. The Mavericks have started off great to this game and forced Memphis to take a early time out.

 

Jason Terry misses Dallas first shot of the game, 6-7. 14-8 Dallas are leading

 

12-2 Dallas run and looking unstopable. Dampier has made a great block a few other good plays. We need to stop Gasol somehow and stop letting him get the easy dunks blowing by everyone.

 

Awesome shot by dirk after a daniels miss to make a 4pt play

yummy

 

Wow, check this out

6:45 DAL - D. Nowitzki makes a 15-foot jumper along the left baseline
6:47 DAL - D. Nowitzki offensive rebound
6:48 DAL - M. Daniels misses a free throw
6:48 DAL - D. Diop enters game for E. Dampier
6:48 MEM - Shooting foul on S. Battier
6:48 DAL - M. Daniels makes shot. Assist: D. Nowitzki 6:54 DAL - E. Dampier defensive rebound
6:56 MEM - P. Gasol misses a 17-foot jumper along the right baseline

It's all been Dallas, and I love Dirk getting an offensive rebound and scoring. Forced Memphis to use two timeouts in the opening 7 minutes.

The only negative is Dallas already has 4 fouls

 

Egh, who's guarding Pau Gasol? He has 12 out of Memphis' 16 points (with a FT to come).

Dirk comes off and Dallas struggles, we need Pau doubled! Leave Lorenzen open, he can only dunk it.

 

Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels all have 2 fouls each. Take them off for the rest of the quarter, the only one I'd possibly leave on is Marquis Daniels. Get Devin and Powell in there, early.

 

Gasol keeps on dominating. The MAvs should play zone with 2 in the paint, Diop and Keith

 

Accually they should put DJ in there to guard Gasol because he dosnt have to worry about getting fouls....

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting miles:</div><div class="quote_post">Gasol keeps on dominating. The MAvs should play zone with 2 in the paint, Diop and Keith</div>

If we do, we need to be careful of Stoudemire, Jones and Miller (if he's playing) because they all have good 3 balls

Pau Gasol has 15 points and 0 fouls. Dallas has 23 points and 9 fouls

DJ would be good though, for someone to go in and foul..maybe even get a block

 

Apparently a bs call on Dampier who clean blocked Jake's shot, but Big Jake made both free throws

Bobby Jackson steals the ball of Devin Harris and goes for a layup

Dallas 25 - Memphis 27

First time down

 

Mavericks are losing composure and alot of our players are getting at least 2 fouls which make them play not as physical. We need to give it low to Damp and get easy layups because we cant get anything going offensivly. Jackson is really becoming a force for them and giving them a lift. After the first quarter Gasol has 16 points. I think we need to slow down the speed of the game because Memphis is going hurry up and getting very easy layups uncontested while the mavs are still coming down the court.

 

They are doing hurry up down the court and getting easy layups, we need to start scoring and slowing down the pace of the game if we want to have a chance in this game.

 

5 Dallas turnovers already, after leading by 10 in the first 5 minutes, they let it slip away and now we are losing by 10. The Grizzlies have totally changed the pace of the game because they are much more atheltic than the Mavs are. Lets get Devin, Marquis, Powell, Dirk and Diop on the floor to stop the Grizzles running down the floor and scoring. This is the kind of situation that would be great to have Stack to be the spark plug to our offense when we are in a ditch and also play aggresive defense.