Memphis at Dallas (November 6) Dallas came out with lax defense and Memphis took advantage by making well over half of their shots in the 1st quarter. 6 straight points by Memphis gave the Grizzlies an 11-6 lead with 8:30 left and Memphis held a single-digit lead over the next 7 minutes. Memphis led 26-21 with 2:20 to go and used a 9-1 run to go up by double-digits at 35-22 with 30 seconds remaining. Memphis led 35-24 after 1. Memphis shot 56% FG and Dallas shot 45% FG and had 5 turnovers. Memphis led 42-30 with 9 minutes to go and Dallas kicked up the defense, Memphis started missing some shots, and the Mavs started cutting into Memphis' lead. Erick Dampier got 2 buckets inside and Michael Finley drained a 3-pointer to pull Dallas within 37-42 with 6:40 left. Dallas used a 10-2 run to go up 53-50 with 2:20 remaining and the Mavs held a small lead the rest of the quarter. Dallas led 57-53 at the half. Dirk Nowitzki had 10 points and Finley had 8 points in the 2nd quarter. Memphis only shot 5-21 FG in the 2nd quarter. Memphis' shooting woes continued in the 3rd quarter and Dallas continued to play well. Pau Gasol opened the quarter with a jump hook and Dallas then went on a 12-1 run to go up 69-56 with 7:20 remaining. Dallas still led by 13 with 6:20 to go and Memphis made a mass sub with 5 new players coming in at once. The new lineup did not help as neither team scored for the next minute and then Dallas connected on consecutive 3-pointers to go up 77-58 with 4:30 left. Memphis did score the next 6 points, but then Dallas scored the next 6 points. Dallas led 85-68 after 3. Dallas out-scored Memphis 28-15 in the 3rd quarter (and out-scored them 61-33 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters combined). Jason Terry opened the 4th quarter with a 3-pointer to give Dallas their first 20 point lead. And the Mavs never let up or gave the Grizzlies an opening to get back in the game during the 4th quarter as Memphis never got closer than 17 points (and Dallas scored on the very next possession the 3 times Memphis pulled within 17 points). Dallas won 112-88. After an ugly, no-defense performance by the Mavs in the 1st quarter, the team turned it up for the rest of the game and put the Grizzlies away early - and never let them back in the game. After allowing 35 points in the 1st quarter, Memphis only scored 53 points the rest of the game. Memphis shot 56% FG in the 1st quarter and only 30% FG in the last 3 quarters. In addition, after being out-rebounded 11-9 in the 1st quarter, Dallas out-rebounded Memphis 44-25 in the last 3 quarters. The Mavs did not settle for outside shots and continuely took the ball inside, which resulted in a high number of free throws - Dallas shot 32-43 FT (Memphis shot 21-26 FT). The only thing Dallas did not have going for them was a number of sloppy turnovers throughout the game and they finished with 20 turnovers. The win was Don Nelson's 300th as coach of the Mavericks. As has been the case in each of the 3 games, Dallas had strong performances from a number of different players. Michael Finley was the high man with 23 points and 6 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki and Erick Dampier both had double-doubles. Nowitzki had 22 points and 13 rebounds. Dampier had 13 points including 5-7 FG and 18 rebounds including 6 offensive. Josh Howard's offense was not flowing, but he did play good defense. Howard had 4 points including 1-6 FG, 5 rebounds including 4 offensive, and 4 assists. Devin Harris didn't have that great of a game. He did have 14 points and 4 steals, but only had 3 assists and committed 5 turnovers in 25 minutes. Jason Terry split the point guard time with Harris almost evenly and Terry had 15 points including 6-9 FG, 3 assists, 2 steals, and no turnovers in 24 minutes. Jerry Stackhouse did draw a number of fouls in driving to the basket, but had a poor outing with his butterfingers and poor shooting. He had 10 points on 1-6 FG and 8-11 FT and 4 turnovers (some of them were really careless). Alan Henderson had 2 points and 3 rebounds in 17 minutes and Marquis Daniels had 2 points and 2 rebounds in 14 minutes. Shawn Bradley and DJ Mbenga came in for the end of garbage time. Pau Gasol really needs to be on the court longer - I know that Hubie Brown loves to play a deep rotation, but Gasol is clearly their best player and Brown is just making things harder for his team by limiting Gasol's playing time. Gasol had 18 points, including a number of shots despite good defense, 4 rebounds, and 4 turnovers in 26 minutes. No Grizzly player played more than 29 minutes (they did play the night before, though). Stromile Swift had a double-double off the bench (and a quiet double-double as I hardly noticed him during the game) with 16 points and 11 rebounds. He also had 3 blocks in his 23 minutes. Earl Watson had 14 points, 7 rebounds including 4 offensive (the Mavs should be ashamed for letting someone Watson's height get 4 offensive rebounds, much less 7 total rebounds), and 6 assists in 29 minutes. Mike Miller was the only other Grizzly in double-digits with 10 points. Bonzi Wells had 5 points including 2-9 FG and 6 assists. James Posey had 5 points including 2-5 FG and 1 rebound in 24 minutes. Jason Williams compounded his poor outing by yelling at assistant coach (and play caller) Brendan Brown midway through the 3rd quarter - and he then sat the rest of the game. Williams had 2 points including 0-3 FG and 2 assists in 19 minutes. Quotes Don Nelson: "This was our best game. I really thought they made us play. After the 1st quarter, we had 3 really good quarters of basketball. It was a very physical game and I liked the way we responded. I thought our rookie bounced back after a mediocre game. Although I thought he turned the ball over too much, he made some sensational plays with it. I think you finally saw the real Dampier. He and Nowitzki at the 4 and 5 rebounded, scored, and did all the things you would expect them to do in a big, physical game. The 18 rebounds that Dampier had were big time NBA rebounds, in a crowd against a very physical team. I thought he really played well - it was his best game and everybody else chipped in and did their thing." Nelson on the improved defense: "It helps to be bigger and we are a bigger team with Dampier. Bradley's role as a shot blocker and backup is a nice piece. I thought he really worked hard this summer to be a factor in games. Henderson's a good defender. We only had 2 good defenders last year and they were rookies. We've concentrated on it and its coming together nicely. That's the one thing you can rely on is your defense." Nelson on the strong start to the season: "I'm a little surprised. But now I think the consistency is there to continue on. Not that we'll go undefeated. But we're going to be hard to beat." Nelson on his 300th win as Dallas' coach: "Who would have thought? There was a time I didn't think I would make 100. I am kind of surprised I do have the 300, but its all turned out well for me and the franchise. I've always appreciated that they stayed with me when I thought I would be replaced or thought it was the thing to do. When I took the team over, I didn't expect to enjoy the winning years. I thought I would build the team and then turn it over to someone else. I think Mark and Ross both stuck with me when they could have replaced me and now I get a chance to have some fun." Dirk Nowitzki on Dampier: "He's playing big for us, even though he's not satisfied with the way he's playing right now. He frees me up on the perimeter more because teams have to worry about him." Michael Finley on the 1st quarter: "We came out lethargic and they took advantage of it. We weren't playing the same ball we did the first 2 games and coach let us know about it." Erick Dampier: "It was kind of slow for me at first during the 1st quarter. Actually, it was slow for all of us. But we were determined to get it going in the 2nd quarter, and I think we definitely got it going. We just have to come out every night with that intensity and just play hard and play good defense. Our defense is going to lead to easy offensive baskets for us. As long as we come out focused and play hard on defense, every thing else is going to take care of itself." Dampier: "I can rebound, but I consider myself to be more than a rebounder. I can score on the blocks, and block shots. I just look to do whatever I can to help this team win." Dampier: "There's going to be a different person that comes up big every other night. I'm just contributing any way that I can. We're just going out and having fun." Jerry Stackhouse on Dampier: "He took all my rebounds. I couldn't get one in edgewise. He definitely played a great game. Offensively, he took it to them, and he took advantage of his size. Defensively, he controlled the boards. It was a huge game for him and hopefully he'll continue to have games like that." Stackhouse on what he tries to do when he comes in: "Come in and try to extend. Most of the time I come in we might have a little lead and our objective is to try to extend it." Stackhouse: "Looking across the league, this is one of the best teams that I've seen in a while because you have a lot of guys that are capable of getting huge numbers on any night. Who are you going help off of? Who are you going to cheat off of? On just about any team you have guys, even in the starting lineup, that you know you are going to cheat off of. On our team, fortunately for us, we have guys that will make you pay; not only in the first 5, but the next 3 or 4 guys coming off the bench." Stackhouse: "I definitely think we've got a good team that hopefully by Christmas will be a really good team and by the [All-Star] break will be a great team." Jason Terry: "We turned our defensive intensity up a notch and wore them down." Hubie Brown: "We've done the same thing in the 3rd quarter the previous 2 games. Up 12 in the middle of the 2nd, our second group gets out-scored 27-11 to close the half. Our first group starts the 3rd and gets out-scored 14-5. That's what happened last night, that's what happened in the first game. It's a problem. For whatever reason, we're not getting any execution over the 48 minutes." Brown: "Absolutely, I'm concerned. We were one of the best shooting teams in the league last year, and have the same guys here. We're just struggling to find our touch." Brown: "Our defensive rebounding has been our Achilles heel in all 3 games this year. We're struggling a little bit because we've got some key guys who are way behind, way behind in their conditioning and, unfortunately for us, have nagging injuries. We're not functioning well." Brown: "Dallas shot the ball, they came in shooting over 50% and they shot 50 tonight. They came in shooting the 3 well and they hit 6 of those tonight. The way they're playing, it stretches the defense and they got to the line 43 times. They did a great job and their people took people off the dribble. They did a good job on the offensive glass and got a lot of 2nd chance points. In the 1st half, we got all good shots and we were pleased with how we played against them. That was our best half so far. We're struggling a little bit right now." Brown on Williams' tirade: "He's entitled to an opinion. Everything is whether or not something is valid. It's been addressed." Brown: "Dampier gives them a major presence. He's a real problem. It was an excellent acquisition." Pau Gasol: "There are some issues we have to get through. We have to find ourselves again. Otherwise, it's going to be harder for us to win games. This game is about team. It's about chemistry. It's about playing together. It's about being on the same page. Hopefully, we'll show that in the next game." Bonzi Wells: "It's tough. Any time you start 0-3, its always going to be tough. We know we're a good team though in this locker room. We know we're good enough to get out of this funk and get back to playing good basketball. We're not the leagues best kept secret anymore. Everyone knows about us, everyone knows our offense and what we like to do. We just need to go back to the drawing board and find a way to attack defenses." Wells: "It's just tough right now. We didn't have maybe the best training camp. Some guys are hurt a little bit. I don't think our chemistry is there, where it needs to be." Shane Battier: "The margin is very, very slim when were playing good teams like this. You can't give up 20 offensive boards against Dallas. They didn't miss very much, but when they did, we gave them 2nd chances. We haven't had a good fast break and were struggling. It's only 3 games, it's too early to start pressing. We want to play well but its a long season. You have your ups and downs and, unfortunately, we're down right now. It's going to take all the guys in this room to play as a team to get better." Lorenzen Wright on Williams' tirade: "It's just a lot of guys wanting to win. When things aren't going your way, a competitor is going to have things to say." Dallas Mavericks 112, Memphis Grizzlies 88 at Dallas (November 6) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th - Final 2FG 3FG FG% FT% Dallas 24 33 28 27 - 112 .534 .375 .500 .744 Memphis 35 18 15 20 - 88 .377 .375 .376 .808 Halftime: Dallas 57-53 3rd Q: Dallas 85-68 Technicals: Memphis defensive 3 seconds 10:59 2nd, Dirk Nowitzki 1:46 2nd, Dallas defensive 3 seconds 7:59 3rd, Shawn Bradley 0:44 4th Flagrant fouls: Bonzi Wells 10:45 3rd Refs: Scott Foster, Rodney Mott, Zach Zarba Attendance: 19,796 (sellout) Dallas Mavericks REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Michael Finley 35 10-19 2-4 1-1 23 3-6 3 1 1 0 1 Devin Harris 25 4-8 2-4 4-4 14 0-0 3 5 1 4 2 Josh Howard 32 1-6 0-0 4-4 6 4-5 4 0 4 2 2 Dirk Nowitzki 31 8-15 0-2 6-9 22 1-13 0 3 3 1 1 Erick Dampier 30 5-7 0-0 3-6 13 6-18 1 3 5 1 0 Jerry Stackhouse 26 1-6 0-3 8-11 10 0-0 1 4 2 0 1 Jason Terry 24 6-9 2-3 1-2 15 0-1 3 0 2 2 0 Alan Henderson 17 1-1 0-0 0-0 2 0-3 1 0 3 0 1 Marquis Daniels 14 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 0-2 0 2 1 1 0 Shawn Bradley 4 0-1 0-0 4-4 4 1-3 0 1 0 0 1 DJ Mbenga 2 0-0 0-0 1-2 1 1-2 0 1 0 0 0 Totals 48 37-74 6-16 32-43 112 16-53 16 20 22 11 9 Memphis Grizzlies REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Bonzi Wells 22 2-9 1-1 0-0 5 0-3 6 1 5 0 0 Jason Williams 19 0-3 0-2 2-2 2 0-0 2 1 1 2 0 Pau Gasol 26 7-14 0-0 4-6 18 1-4 0 4 2 0 0 James Posey 24 2-5 0-1 1-2 5 0-1 0 2 1 0 0 Lorenzen Wright 24 2-7 0-0 0-0 4 2-3 2 0 3 1 1 Earl Watson 29 6-12 1-1 1-1 14 4-7 6 2 1 0 0 Mike Miller 26 4-10 1-1 1-1 10 0-0 3 3 2 1 0 Shane Battier 24 1-2 0-1 4-4 6 2-4 0 2 4 3 1 Stromile Swift 23 6-15 0-0 4-6 16 4-11 1 2 4 0 3 Brian Cardinal 19 1-5 0-0 4-4 6 1-2 1 0 5 3 1 Dahntay Jones 4 1-3 0-1 0-0 2 0-1 0 0 2 0 0 Totals 48 32-85 3-8 21-26 88 14-36 21 17 30 10 6 patricia