<div align="center"><div align="center"> vs </div> <font color="blue">Dallas Mavericks (15-6) v</font><font color="purple">s Phoenix Suns (13-7)</font> Date: Wednesday December 14, 2005 Time: 8:00 (Local) Place: American Airlines Center <font size="5">Project Starting Lineups</font> THE LOWDOWN: Dallas needs to defend this match if they want a chance of winning, Phoenix has been playing amazingly this season despite not having Amare Stoudemire. Phoenix?s main offensive tactic is to just pass, as shown by the +10 apg ratio - if Dallas wants to win they need to put Devin Harris on Steve Nash and Josh Howard on Boris Diaw, they will make them tired and less pinpoint passing. Dirk Nowitzki needs to not be troubled by Shawn Marion, like he usually is. Marion has a combination of length and agility (much like Dirk), combine that with outstanding defense and you?ll normally get Dirk Nowitzki on a bad day. MAIN MATCHUP vs Last Matchup 111-108 Dallas won at Phoenix in 2OT, Season Opener. VARIABLES - Jerry Stackhouse is out - Keith Van Horn is out</div>
do you have to html to get the pictures and stuff? thats neat. i think dallas will control this game...after the stingy loss at home, the general will have dallas ready to go and focused. they didnt look real focused to start the game all the way through the first half against the lakers. avery takes that stuff personnal. the only concern is that nash always seem to keep dallas close when they play each other. he is amazing and can take controll of a game, not necessarilly scoring, just take the game in his control overall with his leadership and passing.
Yeh, my gamethreads are normally like this..I was just real busy lately so I didn't have the chance to make them all the time. But if you see one missing, I recommend you making one
I love the way Phoenix is playing so this will be close all the way. Unless Josh can play the whole game, which I doubt. Although I like our chances, I dont see us coming out of this game with a win, we are to beat up.
Sorry to beat a dead horse, but, I would love to hear everybodies thoughts regarding a play I saw at the Lakers game. I posted it in your commentary for that game but hope that my comment might get your avid minds to look at something I found very peculiar. I am re-posting this from the Lakers/Mavs game comments because I registered for this site today--2 days after the last game. Here's what I'd like to hear your opinion about: Am I the only fan who thinks that Walton showing up right before Bean's free throw and standing the corner while Bean bounces his second shot off the rim right to him was too amazing to be "luck"? Walton was brought in during the time out only for the free throw, recieved the tipped ball and shot 2 free throws to put the Lakers out of reach by 4. If Bean had made they shot, the Mavs had four strong shooters on the floor and might have tied up the game, putting it into overtime. As soon as Walton hit his free throws, he went back to the bench. Just smells like the Zen Master to me. Am I crazy?
It certainly looks like Zen Master, thats a good point chebard Welcome to the forum, are you a Mavs fan?
Series: Mavs won first meeting; Suns lead all-time, 64-44. Key matchup Steve Nash vs. Devin Harris: As the Mavericks' second-year point guard continues to grow, fans can see a little of the future and lament a big part of the Mavericks' past. Nash remains an extraordinary deliverer of the ball, as his 16 assists Monday against New Orleans attest. He can still shoot it, too. But Harris has had a nice three-game run, averaging 16 points and suffering only one turnover in a little more than 90 minutes. He's also shot 27 free throws in the last two games. Inside the Suns No glass Diaw: He was on the scrapheap in Atlanta, but Boris Diaw's career has been resurrected in Phoenix. He's averaged 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 6.9 assists over the last 10 games. How come of all the French players that have come to the NBA, the Mavericks got the two bad ones (Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Antoine Rigaudeau)? Briefly: The Suns remain without Amare Stoudemire, sidelined at least through the All-Star break after knee surgery. ... Without him, they're a weak rebounding team, particularly offensively. They grab 24 percent of their misses, the lowest average in the NBA. Inside the Mavericks No long distance: When Devin Harris made a 3-pointer with 8.5 seconds left against the Lakers, it was his first shot from beyond the arc this month and only his ninth of the season. "I wouldn't say we're scaling back," coach Avery Johnson said. "We just want him to be efficient. We need him to get to the basket, make plays and get assists. But he's still capable of making 3s." Briefly: The Mavs overcame a 17-point deficit in the season opener at Phoenix for a double-overtime win. ... The road team has won the last four regular-season meetings and the Suns won two of three at AAC in the playoff series last spring.
Dallas Mavericks are leading 58-52 with 7:30 left in the third quarter Dirk has 16 points and 10 rebounds Josh Howard has 12 and 10 in only 15 minutes, extremely impressive Dampier has 8 rebounds Although Marion already has 15 rebounds!
Daniels has really stepped up and played great tonight already with 15 point, Dirk has also played great with 21 points. The Mavericks have done a great job so far staying with the fast pace suns. Lets see if they can hold the lead through the stretch.
Diaw is a future allstar, hes alot better than i expected of him....Hes a key player for the suns and will be for years to come....
Josh Howard, i'm really impressed with this kid, does anyone think he's a future Shawn Marion? I mean the dude has 18 rebounds in only 30 minutes..2nd game back from a bad ankle injury Looks like Dallas will win this, although I wouldn't be surprised if they came back Egh but as I type this, Dallas has missed four straight FT's (JoHo 2 and Diop 2) Lead back down to 3 with 2 minutes left
Devin Harris with a layup! Dallas up 5 with 1:30 left Adrian Griffin with the foul, Nash hits both FT's Marion fouls with one minute left, Dallas up by 3..Dirk hits both 5 point game with 20 seconds left but Phoenix have the ball and the timeout
