GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: MINNESOTA (2-10) at DALLAS (9-5)

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 97
DALLAS 102 2:50 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 100
DALLAS 106 0:45 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">NBA MINNESOTA 103
DALLAS 109 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
MINNESOTA 22 23 32 26 103
DALLAS 30 28 25 26 109 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: MIN - AL JEFFERSON 31, RASHAD MCCANTS 21,
CRAIG SMITH 17
DAL - DIRK NOWITZKI 27, DEVIN HARRIS 22,
BRANDON BASS 15</div>

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA (103) AT DALLAS (109)

MINNESOTA

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

M JARIC G 40:26 5-9 1-2 2 5 7 7 5 2 6 12
R MCCANTS G 35:52 7-17 7-7 0 1 1 1 3 1 2 21
A JEFFERSON F 34:52 11-19 9-14 6 8 14 0 3 0 1 31
R GOMES F 16:36 1-3 1-1 0 2 2 1 3 0 0 3
M MADSEN C 14:03 0-1 0-0 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 0
A WALKER 27:04 6-14 1-1 3 1 4 1 4 1 0 13
S TELFAIR 26:36 3-4 0-0 0 1 1 2 3 2 0 6
C SMITH 20:01 8-9 1-3 3 4 7 0 5 0 3 17
G BUCKNER 15:23 0-2 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 0 1 0
C BREWER 9:07 0-5 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0

TOTALS 240:00 41-83 20-28 15 25 40 14 29 8 14 103
(.494) (.714) TEAM REBS: 2 TOTAL TO: 15 (0 PTS)

DALLAS

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

D HARRIS G 36:52 9-10 4-6 0 2 2 6 3 1 3 22
J TERRY G 36:04 5-11 1-2 0 2 2 4 2 2 3 12
D NOWITZKI F 34:39 7-13 13-13 1 10 11 4 1 0 1 27
J HOWARD F 39:55 5-17 2-4 0 3 3 2 3 2 0 12
E DAMPIER C 29:23 3-3 2-4 5 5 10 1 6 1 0 8
B BASS 22:16 5-6 5-5 2 1 3 0 0 1 0 15
J STACKHOUSE 20:01 3-12 4-4 3 5 8 1 2 0 1 10
J BAREA 11:08 1-4 1-1 0 1 1 3 1 0 1 3
D DIOP 9:42 0-0 0-0 1 3 4 0 4 0 3 0

TOTALS 240:00 38-76 32-39 12 32 44 21 22 7 12 109
(.500) (.821) TEAM REBS: 9 TOTAL TO: 12 (0 PTS)

MINNESOTA 22 23 32 26 - 103
DALLAS 30 28 25 26 - 109

BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - A WALKER, G BUCKNER, M JARIC, A JEFFERSON.
DALLAS - D NOWITZKI, B BASS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 1-8 (.125), M JARIC 1-1, R MCCANTS 0-
1, A WALKER 0-5, G BUCKNER 0-1. DALLAS 1-10 (.100), J TERRY 1-4, D NOWITZKI 0-
1, J HOWARD 0-4, J STACKHOUSE 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, MONTY MCCUTCHEN, TONY BROWN.
A - 20,054. T - 2:17.</div>

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA (103)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
M Jaric 40:26 5-9 1-2 2-7 7 5 12
R McCants 35:52 7-17 7-7 0-1 1 3 21
A Jefferson 34:52 11-19 9-14 6-14 0 3 31
R Gomes 16:36 1-3 1-1 0-2 1 3 3
M Madsen 14:03 0-1 0-0 1-2 2 1 0
A Walker 27:04 6-14 1-1 3-4 1 4 13
S Telfair 26:36 3-4 0-0 0-1 2 3 6
C Smith 20:01 8-9 1-3 3-7 0 5 17
G Buckner 15:23 0-2 0-0 0-2 0 2 0
C Brewer 9:07 0-5 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 41-83 20-28 15-40 14 29 103
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.494, FT-.714. 3-Point Goals:
1-8, .125 (M Jaric 1-1, R McCants 0-1, A
Walker 0-5, G Buckner 0-1). Team Rebounds: 2.
Blocked Shots:4 (A Walker, G Buckner, M
Jaric, A Jefferson). Turnovers:14 (M Jaric 6,
C Smith 3, R McCants 2, G Buckner, M Madsen,
A Jefferson). Steals: 8 (M Jaric 2, S Telfair
2, C Brewer 2, A Walker, R McCants).


DALLAS (109)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
D Harris 36:52 9-10 4-6 0-2 6 3 22
J Terry 36:04 5-11 1-2 0-2 4 2 12
D Nowitzki 34:39 7-13 13-13 1-11 4 1 27
J Howard 39:55 5-17 2-4 0-3 2 3 12
E Dampier 29:23 3-3 2-4 5-10 1 6 8
B Bass 22:16 5-6 5-5 2-3 0 0 15
J Stackhouse 20:01 3-12 4-4 3-8 1 2 10
J Barea 11:08 1-4 1-1 0-1 3 1 3
D Diop 9:42 0-0 0-0 1-4 0 4 0

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 38-76 32-39 12-44 21 22 109
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.500, FT-.821. 3-Point Goals:
1-10, .100 (J Terry 1-4, D Nowitzki 0-1, J
Howard 0-4, J Stackhouse 0-1). Team Rebounds:
9. Blocked Shots:2 (D Nowitzki, B Bass).
Turnovers:12 (J Terry 3, D Diop 3, D Harris
3, J Stackhouse, J Barea, D Nowitzki).
Steals: 7 (J Terry 2, J Howard 2, E Dampier,
B Bass, D Harris).

--------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA 22 23 32 26 - 103
DALLAS 30 28 25 26 - 109
--------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 20,054. T: 2:17.
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Monty McCutchen,
Tony Brown.</div>

 

DALLAS (Ticker) -- Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson waslooking for better play out of his point guards. Devin Harrisdelivered on Wednesday night.


Harris was efficient with the ball and Dirk Nowitzki had 27points and 11 rebounds as the Mavericks snapped a three-gamelosing streak with a 109-103 victory over the MinnesotaTimberwolves.


Harris scored 22 points and Brandon Bass added 15 off the benchfor Dallas, which lost the last two games of a three-game roadtrip before enduring a 110-98 setback to the Washington Wizardson Monday - its first home loss.


The Mavericks went 36-5 at home last season and are now 7-1 atAmerican Airlines Center this campaign.


After Monday's contest, Johnson blasted his team's point guardplay as Harris and Jason Terry combined to shoot 5-of-19 fromthe field, including 1-of-8 from the arc. The Mavericks' floorgenerals played much sharper on Wednesday.


Harris was 9-of-10 from the field and was joined in the startingbackcourt by Terry, who had been coming off the bench thisseason. Terry's shot a mediocre 5-of-11 in his stint at theoff-guard spot.


Dallas ran off seven straight points to take its largest lead ofthe night on Nowitzki's 15-foot jumper to make it 72-52 with6:23 left.


Minnesota answered with a 23-9 run to get its deficit down to81-75 with 40.9 seconds left in the third on Marko Jaric'srunning shot. Al Jefferson and Antoine Walker each had sevenpoints and Craig Smith had five in the run.


It was a wonder the Timberwolves were in the game against theMavericks, who took control early in the first quarter andseemed primed to run away with the game.


Harris made a driving layup at the 9:48 mark in the firstquarter to give Dallas a 7-5 lead en route to a 30-22 advantageat the end of the first quarter. The Mavericks never trailedafter that early burst.


Harris scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the openingquarter for Dallas, which shot 57 percent (12-of-21) in thefirst 12 minutes.


Nowitzki scored eight points in the second for the Mavericks,who ran out to a 58-45 lead at halftime before fending off theTimberwolves in the second half.


Jefferson scored 31 points for Minnesota.

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA (103) AT DALLAS (109)

MINNESOTA

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

M JARIC G 40:26 5-9 1-2 2 5 7 7 5 2 6 12
R MCCANTS G 35:52 7-17 7-7 0 1 1 1 3 1 2 21
A JEFFERSON F 34:52 11-19 9-14 6 8 14 0 3 0 1 31
R GOMES F 16:36 1-3 1-1 0 2 2 1 3 0 0 3
M MADSEN C 14:03 0-1 0-0 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 0
A WALKER 27:04 6-14 1-1 3 1 4 1 4 1 0 13
S TELFAIR 26:36 3-4 0-0 0 1 1 2 3 2 0 6
C SMITH 20:01 8-9 1-3 3 4 7 0 5 0 3 17
G BUCKNER 15:23 0-2 0-0 0 2 2 0 2 0 1 0
C BREWER 9:07 0-5 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
M DOLEAC DNP - COACH'S DECISION
G GREEN DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 41-83 20-28 15 25 40 14 29 8 14 103
(.494) (.714) TEAM REBS: 2 TOTAL TO: 15 (16 PTS)

DALLAS

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

D HARRIS G 36:52 9-10 4-6 0 2 2 6 3 1 3 22
J TERRY G 36:04 5-11 1-2 0 2 2 4 2 2 3 12
D NOWITZKI F 34:39 7-13 13-13 1 10 11 4 1 0 1 27
J HOWARD F 39:55 5-17 2-4 0 3 3 2 3 2 0 12
E DAMPIER C 29:23 3-3 2-4 5 5 10 1 6 1 0 8
B BASS 22:16 5-6 5-5 2 1 3 0 0 1 0 15
J STACKHOUSE 20:01 3-12 4-4 3 5 8 1 2 0 1 10
J BAREA 11:08 1-4 1-1 0 1 1 3 1 0 1 3
D DIOP 9:42 0-0 0-0 1 3 4 0 4 0 3 0
J HOWARD DNP - COACH'S DECISION
T HASSELL DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M AGER DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 38-76 32-39 12 32 44 21 22 7 12 109
(.500) (.821) TEAM REBS: 9 TOTAL TO: 12 (17 PTS)

MINNESOTA 22 23 32 26 - 103
DALLAS 30 28 25 26 - 109

BLOCKED SHOTS: MINNESOTA - A WALKER, G BUCKNER, M JARIC, A JEFFERSON.
DALLAS - D NOWITZKI, B BASS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MINNESOTA 1-8 (.125), M JARIC 1-1, R MCCANTS 0-
1, A WALKER 0-5, G BUCKNER 0-1. DALLAS 1-10 (.100), J TERRY 1-4, D NOWITZKI 0-
1, J HOWARD 0-4, J STACKHOUSE 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, MONTY MCCUTCHEN, TONY BROWN.
A - 20,054. T - 2:18.</div>

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">MINNESOTA (103)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
M Jaric 40:26 5-9 1-2 2-7 7 5 12
R McCants 35:52 7-17 7-7 0-1 1 3 21
A Jefferson 34:52 11-19 9-14 6-14 0 3 31
R Gomes 16:36 1-3 1-1 0-2 1 3 3
M Madsen 14:03 0-1 0-0 1-2 2 1 0
A Walker 27:04 6-14 1-1 3-4 1 4 13
S Telfair 26:36 3-4 0-0 0-1 2 3 6
C Smith 20:01 8-9 1-3 3-7 0 5 17
G Buckner 15:23 0-2 0-0 0-2 0 2 0
C Brewer 9:07 0-5 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
M Doleac DNP - COACH'S DECISION
G Green DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 41-83 20-28 15-40 14 29 103
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.494, FT-.714. 3-Point Goals:
1-8, .125 (M Jaric 1-1, R McCants 0-1, A
Walker 0-5, G Buckner 0-1). Team Rebounds: 2.
Blocked Shots:4 (A Walker, G Buckner, M
Jaric, A Jefferson). Turnovers:14 (M Jaric 6,
C Smith 3, R McCants 2, G Buckner, M Madsen,
A Jefferson). Steals: 8 (M Jaric 2, S Telfair
2, C Brewer 2, A Walker, R McCants).


DALLAS (109)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
D Harris 36:52 9-10 4-6 0-2 6 3 22
J Terry 36:04 5-11 1-2 0-2 4 2 12
D Nowitzki 34:39 7-13 13-13 1-11 4 1 27
J Howard 39:55 5-17 2-4 0-3 2 3 12
E Dampier 29:23 3-3 2-4 5-10 1 6 8
B Bass 22:16 5-6 5-5 2-3 0 0 15
J Stackhouse 20:01 3-12 4-4 3-8 1 2 10
J Barea 11:08 1-4 1-1 0-1 3 1 3
D Diop 9:42 0-0 0-0 1-4 0 4 0
J Howard DNP - COACH'S DECISION
T Hassell DNP - COACH'S DECISION
M Ager DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 38-76 32-39 12-44 21 22 109
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.500, FT-.821. 3-Point Goals:
1-10, .100 (J Terry 1-4, D Nowitzki 0-1, J
Howard 0-4, J Stackhouse 0-1). Team Rebounds:
9. Blocked Shots:2 (D Nowitzki, B Bass).
Turnovers:12 (J Terry 3, D Diop 3, D Harris
3, J Stackhouse, J Barea, D Nowitzki).
Steals: 7 (J Terry 2, J Howard 2, E Dampier,
B Bass, D Harris).

--------------------------------------------
MINNESOTA 22 23 32 26 - 103
DALLAS 30 28 25 26 - 109
--------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: None.
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 20,054. T: 2:18.
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Monty McCutchen,
Tony Brown.</div>

 

NBA: MINNESOTA at DALLAS

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
MINNESOTA 103
DALLAS 109 FINAL</div>

 

DALLAS (Ticker) -- Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson waslooking for better play out of his point guards. Devin Harrisdelivered on Wednesday night.


Harris was efficient with the ball and Dirk Nowitzki had 27points and 11 rebounds as the Mavericks snapped a three-gamelosing streak with a 109-103 victory over the MinnesotaTimberwolves.


Harris scored 22 points and Brandon Bass added 15 off the benchfor Dallas, which lost the last two games of a three-game roadtrip before enduring a 110-98 setback to the Washington Wizardson Monday - its first home loss.


"We didn't have a good last couple of games," Harris said. "Wedefinitely had to get back to the normal, obviously. We didthat, got back to guys that have been here and got off to a goodstart doing the things that we do well."


Both Harris and Johnson admitted that Terry was the catalyst inthis contest.


"Jason knows what we do well better than anybody," Harris said."We've got to get back to what's normal, slinging the ball,pick-and-rolls and everything that we do well. Jet can showthose guys better than anybody. I know where Jet's going to be.I know where (Jerry Stackhouse) is going to be. When you playwith guys you are used to, those things come into play."

"That first half it kind of looked like old times a little bit,"Johnson said. "Jet (Terry) and Devin were pushing the ball.Jet was spacing the floor for Devin to drive, and we thoughtBass and (Stackhouse) came in in the first half and gave us abig lift."


The Mavericks went 36-5 at home last season and are now 7-1 atAmerican Airlines Center this campaign.


After Monday's contest, Johnson blasted his team's point guardplay as Harris and Terry combined to shoot 5-of-19 from thefield, including 1-of-8 from the arc. The Mavericks' floorgenerals played much sharper on Wednesday.


Harris was 9-of-10 from the field and was joined in the startingbackcourt by Terry, who had been coming off the bench thisseason. Terry's shot a mediocre 5-of-11 in his stint at theoff-guard spot.


"We are going to hopefully get it back there (Terry coming offthe bench), but in the short term there are other solutions wetry and work," Johnson said. "So we had to go back to ournormal five. We still think to win a championship you have tobe bigger at the two spot, especially against some of the teamswe need to beat."


Dallas ran off seven straight points to take its largest lead ofthe night on Nowitzki's 15-foot jumper to make it 72-52 with6:23 left.


Minnesota answered with a 23-9 run to get its deficit down to81-75 with 40.9 seconds left in the third on Marko Jaric'srunning shot. Al Jefferson and Antoine Walker each had sevenpoints and Craig Smith had five in the run.


"(Al) was a monster down there and our guys played off of him,"Minnesota coach Randy Wittman said. "Al passed it when theydoubled him and got other people involved. But he was a monsterdown there, getting to the line 14 times is growth for him.That's what he's capable of doing is putting pressure on guysand getting to the line."


"We just weren't concentrating on defense and then stoppedmaking shots," Mavericks forward Josh Howard said. "That'sfixable mistakes."


It was a wonder the Timberwolves were in the game against theMavericks, who took control early in the first quarter andseemed primed to run away with the game.


Harris made a driving layup at the 9:48 mark in the firstquarter to give Dallas a 7-5 lead en route to a 30-22 advantageat the end of the first quarter. The Mavericks never trailedafter that early burst.


Harris scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the openingquarter for Dallas , which shot 57 percent (12-of-21) in thefirst 12 minutes.


Nowitzki scored eight points in the second for the Mavericks,who ran out to a 58-45 lead at halftime before fending off theTimberwolves in the second half.


"I thought we did a better job in the second half," Wittmansaid. "But crawling out of a hole of 13 at the half and then20, our guys kept fighting and that's all you can ask."

Jefferson scored 31 points for Minnesota.