Hornets 104, Mavericks 113

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[Dirk] Nowitzki contributed 28 points and 11 rebounds and Finley added 22 points as the Mavericks beat the Hornets for a ninth straight meeting, 113-104. </div>

Jamaal Magloire really seems to have been boosted by his All Star selection, recording his second straight 20-10 game. Still, even his performance, combined with Darrell Armstrong's 20-10 in assists wasn't enough to beat the surging Mavs. The team's need for Baron was really exposed by their lack of depth against the infamously deep Dallas squad.

http://www.nba.com/games/20040204/DALNOH/recap.html

 

Monster Mash had 19 points, but on a terrible shooting night, too. Dirk actually made some great defensive plays down the stretch, to include 2 steals and a block in the fourth quarter that all led to Maverick baskets. I watched this game back and forth with the Lakers/Cavs.

Good game, but I doubted the Hornets ever had a chance without Davis and Wesley.

 

Is it just me or just it seem like the Hornets are always slumping when the play the Mavs? My brother is a huge Mavs fan and although I like their style of play as well, it continues to bother me that the Hornets never seem to be on the top of their game or not at full strength(having no Bdiddy or Wesley) when they play the Mavs.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting wolfman50:</div><div class="quote_post">Is it just me or just it seem like the Hornets are always slumping when the play the Mavs? My brother is a huge Mavs fan and although I like their style of play as well, it continues to bother me that the Hornets never seem to be on the top of their game or not at full strength(having no Bdiddy or Wesley) when they play the Mavs.</div>

I agree with you. The guys who seem to do well are the bangers, who have no resistance in the middle.

But whatever the reason, its a bad indicator, since the Hornets will see plenty of the Mavs next year. Is it just me, or is that gonna be the toughest division in the league by far? I think its the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Hornets, and Memphis Grizzlies. Very rough, and the Hornets could quite easily end up at the bottom if they don't look out.