<font size="-1">By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News</font> SEATTLE - The Mavericks put a suitable-for-framing finish on the best trip in franchise history Thursday night. Down by 17 points in the first quarter, the Mavericks roared away from Seattle for a 104-97 victory at the Key Center. The Mavericks emphatically completed a 5-0 tour of the Western Conference, with four wins against teams that have losing records, for the club's most successful trip ever by any measure. Each win was by at least six points. In each of the last two games, the Mavericks rallied from a double-digit deficit. This was their third victory of the season when trailing by 17 or more points. No opponent scored more than 97 points during the streak. Seattle, the highest-scoring team in the NBA, produced five points fewer than its season average. SuperSonics guard Ray Allen, facing a variety of defenders, made his first four shots and only five of his last 17 tries. "To go 5-0 is pretty special," said Dirk Nowitzki, who found ways to score a team-high 29 points despite erratic shooting. "We got lucky on a couple of occasions, but we played well together and played well defensively." The Mavericks also became the first NBA team this season to go undefeated on a trip of five or more games. Before the Mavericks set out to retrace the path of Lewis & Clark, there had been 18 NBA teams go on trips of five games or longer a total of 22 times this season. The results speak of how long trips usually do not equal success in the league. The overall record for the long trips was 50-72. A team had a winning trip only six times: the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston at 5-1, Phoenix at 4-1, Miami at 4-3, and Indiana along with San Antonio at 3-2. Only one team has won as many as four consecutive games during a single trip this season: Miami, during its seven-game odyssey. "I'm awfully proud of these guys," said coach Avery Johnson, briefly dropping his hard-boiled approach to show a sentimental side. "I probably don't say that enough. I'm proud of them for their intensity and their concentration." The Mavericks had every reason to lose this game. They were in a back-to-back situation. They had been on the road for nine days. They snoozed through the first quarter, falling behind, 34-17, in its final minute. The Mavericks again used their bench to get back into the game. In a burst that began late in the first quarter, the Mavericks overwhelmed Seattle with an 18-0 run. Four reserves - Darrell Armstrong, Erick Dampier, Jerry Stackhouse and Keith Van Horn - were on the floor for much of the powerful stretch. Stackhouse had seven points and an assist during the surge. As the ailing right knee that delayed the start of his season gets stronger, Stackhouse becomes more and more of a force on this team. He had 21 points in this game and 73 points in the final three games of the trip. "Our bench brought us back," guard Jason Terry said. "We played off their energy." The Mavericks also made significant adjustments after the first quarter. They rebounded and recognized a mismatch that favored Nowitzki. The Mavericks inexplicably ignored Nowitzki when he was matched against journeyman Mikki Moore. Nowitzki had only three shots, two points and no free-throw chances in the first quarter. That changed. In the final three quarters, Nowitzki wore out Moore and various other defenders. He made only 8-of-22 shots but got to the line 11 times. "Dirk came out and made a statement," Stackhouse said. So did his team.
<font size="+2">Road show: Mavs' 5-0 trip quite a feat </font><font size="-1">09:35 PM CST on Friday, January 27, 2006 </font> <font size="-1">By GERRY FRALEY / The Dallas Morning News </font> The best trip in Mavericks history brought out the kind side in closet softy Avery Johnson. "I'm awfully proud of our guys," Johnson said in Seattle before the Mavericks returned home Friday morning. "I don't tell them how proud I am enough probably." The Mavericks will settle for a momentarily pleased Johnson and a 5-0 trip. It fittingly ended Thursday night when they found enough energy to rally from a 17-point deficit and beat the Seattle SuperSonics, 104-97, at KeyArena. For the first time in 34 chances, the Mavericks won five games on a trip. They became the only NBA team this season to be perfect on a trip of at least five games. The Mavericks were set up for a good trip in that four of the opponents have losing records. Winning five consecutive road games spread out over nine days, no matter the competition, is an unqualified success in the NBA. "This was pretty special," forward Dirk Nowitzki said. A breakdown of a boffo road show: <u> The Theme </u> Seattle is the association's highest-scoring team, at 102.2 points per game. In their previous three games, the Sonics scored 113, 152 (double overtime) and 113. With a 34-point first quarter, Seattle was headed to another pinball score. Rather than running with the Sonics, the Mavericks shut them down. Seattle managed only 63 points and 35.7 percent shooting in the last three quarters. The Mavericks did not allow a 100-point game on the trip. Only the Portland Trail Blazers, with 89 points in an overtime loss, exceeded their average. <u> The Player</u> This was the Jerry Stackhouse Tour. His ailing right knee slowly healing, Stackhouse came off the bench and averaged 20.6 points. That included more than 20 in each of the last three games. With a healthy Stackhouse, the Mavericks have the deepest bench in the league. The reserves scored more than 40 points in every game and did other things. Revived center Erick Dampier averaged 7.8 rebounds and had 12 blocked shots. When the Mavericks caught the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday with a 13-0 run, it was with reserves in the game. When the Mavericks scored 18 consecutive first-half points against Seattle, reserves triggered the surge. "We've got guys coming off the bench who have been starters for a long time," forward Keith Van Horn said. "We try to create havoc. Sometimes we need that." <u> The Highlight </u> Coming back from double-digit deficits in each of the last two games was impressive. The Mavericks showed mettle against the Blazers by regrouping in overtime after wasting a lead. For Johnson, the best moment came at a practice at the Golden State facility on Tuesday. Warriors coach Mike Montgomery told Johnson how impressed he was with the Mavericks' work. Johnson was flattered. That Montgomery seemingly violated NBA etiquette by watching the Mavericks practice was overlooked for the moment. "We've got other people in the league taking notice," Johnson said. "If they look at what we're doing open-mindedly." A 5-0 trip tends to open NBA eyes. verages from the games during the Mavericks' 5-0 trip: Statistic Mavs Opp. Points 100.8 87.2 Rebounds 44.2 40.4 FG% 44.8 42.1 FTs Attempted 28.6 24.4 Assists 20.2 17.4 Turnovers 9.2 12.2 Blocks 6.2 4.6 Steals 7.4 5.4
Though Seattle is a great offensive team they were without a very important player in Luke Ridnour. He is a poor mans version of Nash but better defensively. Stackhouse has been playing at an extreme high level of late. Hopefully Howard's ankle gets better as I saw him hobbling around in the Seattle game.
Stack has really emerged from his injury. If this he keeps playing like he is now, and Dallas keeps winning, he should be on the 6th man ballet.
