Mavs Moneyball - MMB Gameday Stream 4/8: Dallas Mavericks at Utah JazzRick Carlisle approved.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50869/mmb-fav.png2014-04-08T22:28:24-05:00http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/rss/stream/53575272014-04-08T22:28:24-05:002014-04-08T22:28:24-05:00Hot start propels Dallas to win over Utah, 95-83
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<p>Dirk Nowitzki passed the Big O for 10th on the all-time NBA scoring list.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> rode a franchise-best 94% shooting first quarter to a victory, scoring 39 points in the first frame and though they managed just 56 the rest of the way they pulled out the win.</p>
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<p>Interestingly enough that historic hot start was not the major headline against Utah, as <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> scored 21 points and passed Oscar Robertson to become the 10th highest scorer in NBA history.</p>
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<p>Dallas made 17 of their first 18 shots(!), and Dirk finished with another hyper-efficient scoring line of 21 points on 9-11 shooting, and 0 turnovers. All five Maverick starters scored in double-figures, and though the team came down from that ludicrous shooting first quarter, they still managed to shoot 55% overall.</p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jazz</a> tried to climb back in, and to their credit got within 10 points in the final few minutes. They collected a stunning 23 offensive rebounds, and even though they didn't shoot nearly as well as Dallas, those second chances allowed them to take 15 more shots. Utah outscored Dallas 58-56 after that opening period.</p>
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<p>In a game a playoff team should probably expect to win, Dallas notches their 48th win of the season and fourth straight since that heartbreaking <span>Stephen Curry</span> buzzer beater against Golden State a week ago. They're now a full game ahead of Phoenix and two full games up on Memphis for 7th place in the West. Memphis faces Miami tomorrow and the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> take on the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pelicans</a>.</p>
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<p>I don't know what's more amazing: that Dallas could start so incredibly hot(<a href="https://twitter.com/Emanueltefera/status/453714545530654721">here's</a> the best look I could find for there shot chart in the first quarter), or that for most of the game's 48 minutes this one wasn't quite a blowout.</p>
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<p>After a timeout following a 13-6 lead for Utah, Dirk came out looking to take over, and his teammates fed off him as that sensational shooting stretch extended all the way into the early portion of the second period. Early on the Jazz were also shooting fairly well, so the Mavs simply kept firing. The shooting display becomes all the more impressive when you consider that most of it was jumpshots, and not simply easy layups and dunks.</p>
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<p>Dallas led by 15 at halftime, and got the margin up to 20 in the third quarter, at which point you would have been forgiven if you expected things to get ugly soon. However, the Mavericks were starting to return to Earth with their shooting, and while Utah wasn't hitting much, either, they were mauling Dallas on the offensive glass(<span>Enes Kanter</span> especially). Utah crawled to within 11 halfway through the final period, before a pair of Dallas threes put some distance between the two teams again.</p>
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<p>Utah kept coming, slowly but surely, and a <span>Derrick Favors</span> and-one cut the lead to single digits at 92-83 with two minutes left. Unfortunately for the home team(or fortunately, I suppose, if the Jazz fans are on board with "the tank"), they wouldn't score again.</p>
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<p>Some observations:</p>
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<li><span>I mentioned it already a few times, but I really think it's worth repeating how strange this game was, with Dallas looking unstoppable in the first quarter and mustering barely 50+ points the rest of the game. I wonder how many games have seen a team shoot 55%, record just 9 turnovers, but put up a fairly mediocre 95 points.</span></li>
<li><span>The two main culprits in that discrepancy would appear to be the rebounding(Dallas was out-boarded 47-36, despite shooting nearly 30% better from the field), and the whopping six free throws made. The latter a downside to all that jump-shooting.</span></li>
<li><span>Dirk's assault on the All-Time scoring list this season has been pretty spectacular to watch, and if there's at least one more healthy season in him he's going to pass even more pantheon-dwellers. It isn't as if Dirk looks like he's close to breaking down. Games like this he looks just sublimely good on offense. You can't say it enough: enjoy this man while he's still on TV.</span></li>
<li><span>Five guys not named Dirk also scored in double-digits tonight, and <span>Devin Harris</span> just missed being the sixth with nine points. <span>Samuel Dalembert</span> went 5-6 from the field and was the plus/minus leader for the Dallas starters at +10. <span>Brandan Wright</span>, meanwhile, had a slight blip on the radar, going 0-3 from the field and being by far the worst Mav in terms of plus/minus at -7. There were a few good looking chances at hookups between the usually terrific duo of Harris and Wright that didn't materialize.</span></li>
<li><span><span>Marvin Williams</span> started despite being ruled as questionable with a knee problem. He then left after just eight minutes as the knee was apparently bothering him. With Marvin out, Utah started playing guys like <span>Richard Jefferson</span> and <span>Jeremy Evans</span> on Dirk, and that...just wasn't going to work out very well.</span></li>
<li><span>Enes Kanter was the latest guy to put up an eye-popping rebounding total on Dallas, going for 15 points and 19 boards(nearly half the offensive variety). Derrick Favors led all Jazz players with 19 points. I don't know why exactly Utah doesn't play Kanter and Favors together, at least against a team like Dallas. Those two went 14-25(56%); the rest of the Jazz crew went 22-62(35%).</span></li>
<li><span>Coincidentally, <span>Steve Nash</span> also had a milestone game, passing <span>Mark Jackson</span> for 3rd on the All-Time assist list. Pretty cool stuff. Just remember that <span>Don Nelson</span> and the Mavs acquired both Nash and Dirk on the same night nearly 16 years ago.</span></li>
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<div>Dallas has tomorrow off with the dreaded <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a> coming to Dallas Thursday. They'll then host Phoenix Saturday, before having a three-day break before the season finale in Memphis on Wednesday.</div>
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<div>Phoenix plays New Orleans tomorrow, then gets San Antonio(sadly on the second night of a back-to-back following their game against Dallas), and then the Mavs all on the road. They host Memphis before finishing up in Sacremento.</div>
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<div>Memphis hosts Miami and the uber-tanking <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">76ers</a>, goes to L.A. to face the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a>, then to Phoenix, and finally closes out their regular season against Dallas. Dallas has already clinched a tiebreaker with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Grizzlies</a>.</div>
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<div><a href="http://www.slcdunk.com/">SLC Dunk</a></div>
<div><span>Mavericks vs Jazz coverage</span></div>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/4/8/5596170/final-score-historic-hot-start-propels-mavs-over-jazz-95-83Ian_Miller2014-04-08T19:00:03-05:002014-04-08T19:00:03-05:00GAME THREAD: Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz
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<figcaption>Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A should win, must win to stay ahead game.</p> <p><strong>WHO:</strong> <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> at <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Utah Jazz</a><span> </span></p>
<p><strong>WHAT:</strong> A winnable gam......lol this is the Mavs.</p>
<p><strong>WHERE:</strong> EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah</p>
<p><strong>WHEN:</strong> 8:00 p.m. CDT</p>
<p><strong>HOW:</strong> TXA21</p>
<p><strong>THE STORY: </strong>As of this writing, the Mavs are in sole possession of seventh place in the West. None of the other teams in the chase are in action tonight, so they can pick up a little ground if they can beat the Jazz, and scoreboard watch on Wednesday night. Obviously the Jazz are chasing a good lottery pick, so that's certainly helpful, but we all know the Mavs have a frustrating tendency to play down to their competition. This can be a win, should be a win, needs to be a win, would not surprise me if it wasn't. Such is life as a Mavs fan in 2013-14.</p>
<p>Check out the game previews and the music video below, and goooooooooooooo Mavs!</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hqjgpzmpKQg" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/4/8/5592458/game-thread-dallas-mavericks-at-utah-jazzRebecca Lawson2014-04-08T14:28:40-05:002014-04-08T14:28:40-05:00Q&A with AllThatAmar of SLC Dunk
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<figcaption>Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>SLC Dunk's Amar, aka @AllThatAmar, was kind enough to answer a few questions about tonight's Mavs-Jazz meeting. The questions get a little weird -- in a good way.</p> <p><b>1) The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a> need every win they can get in this final games to hold off the unrelenting Memphis and Phoenix squads. Any chance Jazz can make this a trap game?</b></p>
<p>I am sad to say that there is a chance. It's a slim chance, but I'd rather there be no chance. There are no goals, immediate or long-term, that are served by the Utah Jazz winning games right now. It's just foolishness and pride. As we all know those two traits can make someone unpredictable and dangerous. And that's precisely where the Utah Jazz are right now as a team. Their head coach <span>Tyrone Corbin</span> has run out of fuchs to give. He knows he is auditioning for a job with another team right now, and he wants to win as many games as possible. This is the last game of a road trip for Dallas, with three more important games on the schedule after this one. This is, indeed, a trap game. Which is hilarious because the Jazz should be starting <span>Rudy Gobert</span> at this time of the season instead of trying to ruin the days of playoff teams.</p>
<p><b>2) What's something cool about this 2014 Jazz squad that I probably haven't heard this year (and won't unless you tell me right now since the season's nearing an end)?</b></p>
<p>This team has been the most passive Utah Jazz team in over a generation - they have recorded the fewest technical fouls / flagrant fouls in franchise history. This is a far cry from the Karl Malone Jazz that would bloody people up and knock their teeth out. Similarly, the toughness has extended to our W/L record. We're softer than baby wipes. And the team had a chance to finish the season with the fewest wins in franchise history. So, uh, I guess that's pretty cool.</p>
<p><b>3) You are a mad scientists who discovers the powers to fuse two players together, combining their basketball abilities as well as their names. Which two Jazz players get the honor?</b></p>
<p>The answer to this question depends on who our head coach is. If it's Tyrone Corbin, a guy who has an obvious and consistent bias towards veterans (which makes complete sense when your most talented players are all under the age of 24), then you want to mix <span>Alec Burks</span> with Richard Jefferson. Burks is a bench player under Corbin, but is our most natural and gifted scorer. Jefferson has started every game this season, mainly because a) he is a veteran, and b) he can occasionally make an open three pointer. Mixing these two guys together gives you an actual NBA starter with actual NBA starter scoring talent. The main benefit, beyond three point shooting ability for Burks, is that he gets older. Which is appears to be the primary pre-requisite for playing time under journeyman Corbin.</p>
<p>If the coach isn't Tyrone then you do the most obvious thing ever and mix <span>Jeremy Evans</span> and Rudy Gobert. A super skinny, super tall player with out of this world athleticism - who can't dribble or shoot, or pass - giving you rookie year Tyson Chandler. And the Jazz' new center of the future.</p>
<p><b>4) Briefly describe what your dream scenario is for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Jazz's</a> summer and next season.</b></p>
<p>Well, a frame of reference is needed here. To find out our dream scenario you have to first know what a nightmare is. The last four seasons have been just that, so I think I'm equipped to handle this question. The dream scenario is not complicated. Hire a new head coach - effectively anyone but Corbin or Lionel Hollins. Have a dedicated and unified goal this year (not "win and develop at the same time part four"), leading to increased morale leading up to the rest of the off season. The Jazz go best player available in the draft, and hopefully it's a Top 5 pick. Then come to terms with <span>Gordon Hayward</span> and then extend the contracts for Alec Burks and <span>Enes Kanter</span> (so they don't become RFAs next season). Re-sign Marvin Williams for super cheap. Re-sign Diante Garrett for 2 years for peanuts. And then buy out <span>Raul Neto</span> 's contract in Spain and bring him over. Then just focus on development. I don't care about wins. The Jazz shouldn't either.</p>
<p>Thanks Tim. you're the man. And Go Mavs!</p>
<p>Thank YOU, Amar! It was fun. Mavs-Jazz tonight...you ready?</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/4/8/5594768/dallas-mavericks-utah-jazz-q-and-a-slc-dunkTim Cato2014-04-08T09:00:27-05:002014-04-08T09:00:27-05:00Four Pointer: Previewing the Jazz
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<figcaption>awwwwwwwwwwwww like prom all over again | Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Four games left. This one is the easiest. Also, with the Spurs coming up next, a must win.</p> <h4>What stat, player or fact might surprise you about Utah?</h4>
<p>Utah has six players who average double figures, more than the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a>' five. They just don't have a <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> or <span>Monta Ellis</span>, who both average more than Gordon Hayward's 16 a game.</p>
<h4>What do the Mavs need to do to be successful against Utah?</h4>
<p>Well, it starts with an inspiring <span>Rick Carlisle</span> speech that goes something like this:</p>
<p>Rick; "Hey dudes." Everyone: "Hey coach." Rick: "I told you to call me dudebro." Marion: "Man, you KNOW we said we ain't doing that." Rick: *wipes away single tear* Rick: "Okay, Utah is tonight. You've beat them three times." Jae: "So....?" Rick: "Just beat them, okay?" Monta: "Yeah. But let's make it close in the fourth quarter. Just for fun." Vince: "Ok, and it's your turn to miss two huge free throws down the stretch." Monta: "That won't even be a problem."</p>
<h4>What are Utah's biggest strength and weakness?</h4>
<p>They've got a young team that isn't really playing for anything. And on the other end, the Mavericks are desperately playing for the playoffs. So..........</p>
<h4>The Mavs will win?</h4>
<p>I don't know. Yeah, probably.</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/4/8/5593210/four-pointer-previewing-the-utah-jazzTim Cato