Video Quoteboard: Mavericks fall to Timberwolves

Rick Carlisle

On the funk the team has been in

We're going to learn about our team right now. Lose four out of five, have a tough loss like last night and then another tough loss like tonight -- it's going to test the togetherness and the collective will. We're going to take a day off tomorrow. We've got to have some kind of a quality practice on Monday and then Tuesday, we've got to get back at it; get whatever healthy bodies we have out there and get everybody playing at their best.

On the point guard play, missing Jose Calderon

It's challenging with our young guys. I thought both guys did some good things, but experience is so valuable and so important down the stretch. I put Monta at the point to finish. I would by no means say that the loss is on the point guards. We win and lose together, but our lack of experience there tonight was a factor.

On issues with the offense in the fourth quarter

It's a lot of things: it's the high frequency of games, it's virtually no practice time. Our shootarounds are turning into shooting sessions for our younger guys and resting our older guys. We've had back-to-backs every weekend. There is challenging stuff going on, but you've just got to rise above it. That's the bottom line.

Shawn Marion

On losing four of five

"We just have to stay with it. We have to keep helping each other. It's going to be some ups and downs throughout the season. We just have to make sure that we stay together and keep helping each other to get through it. It won't happen overnight but at the same time, it can. We just have to get rested up and get everybody healthy and go out there and take it one game at a time."

On the defense

At times, I have seen some good things, and at times, I have seen some bad things. It seems like sometimes we can't put together a good four or five stops in a row, and that's what we need. We need some chain stops instead of just one good one. We just got to stay with it and help each other.

On the inability to score down the stretch

We have been getting good looks, but the ball just hasn't been going in sometimes. I think we just have to stay at it. If you get good looks, you have to take them.

Shane Larkin

On playing important minutes almost immediately

It's been good. It's my sixth game back from ankle surgery without playing for seven months, so I'm just trying to ease my way back into it. Try to go out there and play my game and pick my spots, and just try to get back in my rhythm.

On NBA vs. college

The speed of the game...your reads have to be a lot sharper than they were in college. The gaps close up a lot quicker than they did in college. The overall intensity, how intelligent players are, defensive schemes are better...all that is a lot better than it was in college.

On Tuesday's game to hopefully break the losing streak

It's a really big game, it's a must-win game for us. 10-8, lost four of our last five, so we need to get back to doing what we did when we were on our winning streak and moving the ball, playing freely, and not playing stiff.

Dirk Nowitzki

On the frustration the team has

Coach talked about it, we've got to stick together as best we can. When you lose, you can always start pointing figures, 'we're not doing this, we're not doing that,' but it's early, it's going to be a long, long season and we'd love to get healthy. Hopefully Calderon can play Tuesday, not sure about Devin or B-Wright, we'd love to see them at some point this season. If we get healthy, I think we have a pretty deep team.

On the rookie point guards

They tried their best. Obviously, Minnesota did a good job clogging the paint, not really honoring their shot, so it was kind of tough out there. They tried to run a good game and control the game, so they were decent.

On what has to happen for offense to start clicking again

Teams are doing a lot of switching. We have to find ways to attack it a little better. Sometimes I have to go to the post or the high post and iso, sometimes Monta has to take it, sometimes Vince has to get the ball and make some things happen, but it's when teams are switching, it obviously eliminates all the rotations and stuff, so we got to be better and just attack it.

On back-to-backs

I was never a big fan of back-to-backs; I wish we could eliminate them totally; I think it would be better for our game. But that would obviously bring the total number of games down and it's all about making money, so that's not going to happen anytime soon. But those back-to-backs, those four games in five nights, I'm not a big fan of.

On cutting his nose on a Rubio elbow

I don't think it's broke, but since it wasn't [called] a foul, I might get another flopping call from my boy Rod Thorn on Monday. It's almost a miracle, my nose is so big, that I don't hit it more often. I try to dodge every night I'm out there. it's a miracle I don't hit it.

A few more videos:

Mekel talks about how he stays ready

Larkin talks about his learning curve

Dirk's got jokes

Dirk says some other stuff!