Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Clippers

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>For the struggling Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Clippers are a sight for sore eyes.

After their 11th straight defeat against a winning team and their fifth loss in six games overall, the Mavericks hope to take advantage of a favorable matchup as they visit the Clippers on Monday.

Dallas (45-28) hasn't fared well during a stretch of games against some of the league's top teams. The Mavericks have dropped five of six, with the losses coming at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston, San Antonio, Denver and Golden State. The lone win was a 103-90 home victory over the Clippers (22-51) on Tuesday.

Since that game, Dallas has dropped the first two games of a three-game trip, including a 114-104 loss at Golden State on Sunday. The Mavericks have lost their last 11 games against teams with winning records, 10 of those since they acquired point guard Jason Kidd from New Jersey in a blockbuster deal during the All-Star break.

Sunday's defeat dropped Dallas into a three-way tie for seventh place in the West with Golden State and Denver. Nine games remain for each team, but the upcoming schedule for Dallas appears imposing. After this game, the Mavericks host Golden State before a two-game road trip to play Pacific Division powers the Lakers and Phoenix.

"I'm not excited for us," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. "We'd like to be third or fourth. We don't want to be part of this three team, seventh seed or eighth seed or whatever."

The upcoming stretch will be particularly challenging for the Mavs with Dirk Nowitzki expected to remain sidelined due to knee and ankle injuries he suffered in a loss to San Antonio last Sunday. Dallas has dropped two of three since then, and is 1-3 overall when playing without their leading scorer and rebounder.

"With Dirk or without Dirk, it's going to be tough," Kidd said. "With the West, there are no nights off, you've got to play your best game each night and everybody's fighting not just for the playoffs but for seeding. One game can move you up or down so this is what basketball is all about. You want to be in a competitive situation and I'm right in the middle of it."</div>
Rest of Preview

I'll probably only watch half of the game. It starts late, and I need some sleep.

 

Kidd with 27 pts and 1 ast. Go figure.

 

Damnit, I need the Mavs to lose.

 

Thank god, a loss would have killed me.

 

24 pts., 3 reb., 4 asst., 4 stl., 9-15 fg, 2-3 3pt fg, and 7-8 ft. Now there's a statline I wouldn't mind seeing from Kidd every night.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (insider @ Apr 1 2008, 04:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>24 pts., 3 reb., 4 asst., 4 stl., 9-15 fg, 2-3 3pt fg, and 7-8 ft. Now there's a statline I wouldn't mind seeing from Kidd every night.</div>


It was actually 27 points.

 

Is that a season high for him?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MyNetsForLife @ Apr 1 2008, 02:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Is that a season high for him?</div>

Yup, it is.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Joker @ Apr 1 2008, 01:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (insider @ Apr 1 2008, 04:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>24 pts., 3 reb., 4 asst., 4 stl., 9-15 fg, 2-3 3pt fg, and 7-8 ft. Now there's a statline I wouldn't mind seeing from Kidd every night.</div>


It was actually 27 points.
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Oops! Typo, thnx Joker. Hopefully JKidd can keep this up.