Mavs Moneyball - Gameday: Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah JazzRick Carlisle approved.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50869/mmb-fav.png2015-11-20T23:41:27-06:00http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/rss/stream/95319992015-11-20T23:41:27-06:002015-11-20T23:41:27-06:00Mavs beat Jazz by 'playing together'
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<figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Mavericks secured their ninth win of the season thanks to their team friendly playing style. </p> <h3><span><span>Rick Carlisle</span></span></h3>
<h4>On everything coming together for <span>Deron Williams</span>
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<p>"Yeah it's all going in the right direction for sure. He's working extremely hard. It's been an unusual situation because of training camp and nagging injuries, but he's doing the work and it's showing. We got the kind of team where everybody has got to keep their edge to be where they want to be and he's setting a really strong example."</p>
<h4>On the key to their defensive success</h4>
<p>"The key was that we buckled down in the second quarter. In the first quarter they got us for 13 points in the last six seconds of the clock. We knew the possessions were going to be long, but we did a poor job concentrating throughout the clock in the first quarter. In the first quarter we were down five. The second quarter they only hit us with two points in the last six seconds so we did a better job. It's just one of these games where they're going to keep coming at you. I thought the play of the game was in the second quarter when Pachulia went up and got two offensive rebounds in a crowd and we ended up scoring. That energized the building and it energized our team. And from there, we played on a different level."</p>
<h4>On what <span>Zaza Pachulia</span> means to this team</h4>
<p>"I'll tell you what: right now it's hard to get him out of the game. He's that solid on both ends of the floor. And truthfully he played too many minutes tonight, but with their kind of size and Favors in the game, we had no choice but to play him a lot of minutes. He's playing basketball and he's one of the most respected guys on our team. I think that says enough."</p>
<h3>Deron Williams</h3>
<h4>On basketball being fun again</h4>
<p>"I'm having right now being a part of this team. We talk about it a lot, it's a great group of guys in this locker room. It sounds cliche, but it's the truth. We all enjoy each other; we all like each other; we all play for each other."</p>
<h4>On his fourth quarter play</h4>
<p>"I'm a threat not only to get my own shot off, but to find other people. I think that holds the defense accountable."</p>
<h4>On playing against Utah</h4>
<p>"A win is a win. We just came from playing on the road and the tendency is to have a let down and relax when you get home. We didn't do that. This is a tough team we played against tonight. A young team that plays hard and they just come at you and they don't quit. I thought we did a great job of battling them all night and doing a great job defensively and offensively, we made plays when we needed to."</p>
<h3>Zaza Pachulia</h3>
<h4>On what makes him so effective</h4>
<p>"Just follow the gameplan. Obviously I mentioned this before and I'll mention it again: it's so much fun to play with these guys. The guys we have in this locker room really know how to play unselfishly. I really enjoy it. It's like a chess game. You get open and find your spot. We help each other defensively and find the best basketball situation."</p>
<h4>On his effort in the second quarter</h4>
<p>"We obviously had a great road trip and coming home is always tough. Coach is doing a great job. Being around seeing all the different situations of the other games. Coach gave us a heads up. We were right there in a very tough game, but we needed some energy. It was a perfect time to get fired up, especially playing at home in front of a crowd. It was a good opportunity that favored us and we made a run after that. They came back and they're a blue collar team. In Utah they have a good couple young players that go hard for 48 minutes. Even when they were down by 20 they fought back and almost tied it. But we did a good job offensively and finished the game."</p>
<h4>On Deron Williams performance</h4>
<p>"He was huge getting on the line, making great plays, getting shots for himself and getting teammates involved. He doesn't need the ball in his hand, he's pretty good off ball to come off picks and stuff. That's what we ran on a couple plays in a row. Two bigs set a screen and you have two options coming off the screen. It is great to have that kind of leader and that kind of player. He did a great job in the fourth quarter. Not only today's game, but the whole season."</p>
<h4>On the keys to the six game win streak</h4>
<p>"We're playing together. We're keeping turnovers low. Reading; reading is huge I think. Making the right calls defensively and helping each other. Even today we held them to under 93 points and that's pretty good. Coach is doing a good job of giving us stats on what we need to do to concentrate before each game. Forcing turnovers, some teams offensive rebounds, some teams fast break points. Those things have a huge impact."</p>
<h3><span>Dirk Nowitzki</span></h3>
<h4>On Deron Williams</h4>
<p>"He looks comfortable running the plays. When he had a playmaking opportunity he came off a screen and hit a three a couple times and made good decisions. In Boston we posted him up with smaller guys on him. He's smart, he's been around and he takes what the defense gives him. He plays an all around game. His defense is actually a lot better than I thought."</p>
<h4>On Zaza Pachulia</h4>
<p>"I think he's undersized most of the nights, but he makes up for it by playing hard and playing smart. He's a really fights guys on defense. He can front some, reach some, he's doing a great job for us protecting the paint. He's probably never blocked a shot in his career, but he's still always back there anchoring our defense."</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2015/11/20/9773906/articleAustin Ngaruiya2015-11-20T22:06:18-06:002015-11-20T22:06:18-06:00Dallas Defeats Utah, 103-92
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<p>The Dallas Mavericks are on a roll</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> are on a roll, winning their sixth straight game, this time over the <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Utah Jazz</a> 102-93. <span>Deron Williams</span> played perhaps his best game of the season, scoring 23, dishing 8 helpers, grabbing 6 rebounds, and notching three steals. <span>Gordon Hayward</span> led Utah in defeat with 22 points and 7 rebounds.</p>
<p>The Mavericks got off to a slow start before building a 20 point lead in the third quarter. Utah ground down the margin before Dallas finally closed the door late in the fourth quarter.</p>
<h4><b>Zaza is the most important Maverick right now</b></h4>
<p>It's hard to know where to start with <span>Zaza Pachulia</span>. He's the rock of Dallas right now, anchoring a surprising defense (8<sup>th</sup> in the NBA in defensive rating!) while serving as a strong option on the pick and roll for the offense. Against the Jazz he was in the heads of both <span>Rudy Gobert</span> and <span>Derrick Favors</span> early, crashing the boards on both ends with a fervor and getting up quality looks on the offensive end. He nearly posted a double-double in the first half, scoring 10 points and grabbing 9 boards.</p>
<p>One thing Zaza Pachulia is just absurdly good at is keeping his balance and his pivot foot down after a pump fake on a post move. So many big men get "happy feet" (sliding the pivot foot or jumping just so) and get called for the travel. Refs look for it. Not Zaza. He has such patience and strength that all of the jostling during post play doesn't bother him. It's just a lot of fun to watch.</p>
<p>I knew he'd be a solid option at center, but I had no idea he would be this good. He just fits and he's helping the Mavericks thrive during what could have been a very challenging month.</p>
<h4><b>The Mavericks' offensive patience is impressive</b></h4>
<p>For what feels like the millionth season, the Mavericks are incorporating a host of new players into <span>Rick Carlisle's</span> system. On offense, you wouldn't think that to be the case as of late. Watching these high IQ players read and react to the defense is fun.</p>
<p>The Jazz are in the upper echelon of NBA defensive teams, tied for fifth best defensive rating in the NBA coming into this game. Deron Williams scored the first points of the game getting all the way to the rim as Utah overplayed Dirk's screen. <span>Chandler Parsons</span> posted up on the wing, took one hard dribble baseline drawing Rudy Gobert, and flipped a quick pass to Zaza for a lay in. <span>Raymond Felton</span> gunned a pass from the top of the key to the post to <span>Dwight Powell</span> for an and-one. I could keep going.</p>
<p>These were by no means "easy" looks, but they were smart, effective plays all of which came within the flow of the offense. It's a lot of fun to watch.</p>
<h4>The "Three Guard Lineup" is a horrifying necessity</h4>
<p>If you're anything like me, you spent part of the third and much of the fourth cursing coach Rick Carlisle for sticking with <span>J.J. Barea</span> when the Maverick offense went cold and Utah went on a run. Sometimes it feels like Barea must have something on Carlisle for him to keep getting minutes despite his wildly uneven play. The truth of the matter is Barea has played better these last four games.</p>
<p>The other truth is that Carlisle really doesn't have a choice. With Chandler Parsons on minutes restrictions, Carlisle doesn't have that many options. He could (and in my opinion, he should) play rookie <span>Justin Anderson</span> more. Perhaps that will come more as the season progresses. Yet for now, Carlisle is stuck in his ways, insisting on Barea. It would have been nice to see a bit more Raymond Felton, but it's been proven over the long run that Carlisle knows exactly what he's doing.</p>
<p>Eventually, Parsons minutes will increase, but expect this to continue for the remainder of the calendar year.</p>
<h4><b>Dallas will not continue to shoot the three this badly</b></h4>
<p>Coming into the game the Mavericks were 25<sup>th</sup> in the NBA in terms of three point percentage, hitting 31% of attempts. They shot just 8 of 28 (29%) from beyond the arc against Utah.</p>
<p>Deron Williams is a career 36% three point shooter. <span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> hits at a 38% clip. <span>Wesley Matthews</span> is an excellent career three point shooter at 39%. Handsome Chandler Parsons is pretty good at 37%. <span>Charlie Villanueva</span>, a key player last year, has hit 35% of his threes during his time in the NBA. Even <span>Devin Harris</span> shoots above the team's percentage, hitting 32% for his career.</p>
<p>Something has to give at some point and it will. Devin Harris, Deron Williams, and Charlie Villanueva are the main culprits at the moment, though J.J. Barea and Raymond Felton are tossing up their fair share of bricks. Williams showed some life beyond the arc against Utah, hitting three of seven attempts. The team percentage will improve eventually.</p>
<h4><b>Green means GO</b></h4>
<p>Unlike the blah skyline uniforms, the green throwbacks this evening were just fantastic. More of those please.</p>
<h4>Dirk daggers are a rewarding experience and I would like them to continue to happen for all time.</h4>
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https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2015/11/20/9773744/Mavericks-Jazz-Final-Score-102-93Kirk Henderson2015-11-20T14:31:57-06:002015-11-20T14:31:57-06:00MAVS WEARING THROWBACK GREEN JERSEYS YESSSSSSSSSS
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<p>YES</p> <p>YES GREEN JERSEYS YES YES YES</p>
<p>no short shorts but alas we'll have to live</p>
<p>BUT GREEN JERSEYS AYYYY WHAT UP</p>
<p>Here's the six times the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a> will wear them this year, <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/nba/dallas-mavericks/full-court-press-blog/article45608664.html#storylink=cpy">courtesy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram</a></p>
<p><b>Tonight: Mavs vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Jazz</a></b></p>
<p><b>Dec. 4: Mavs vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Rockets</a></b></p>
<p><b>Dec. 28: Mavs vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.brewhoop.com/">Bucks</a></b></p>
<p><b>Jan. 20: Mavs vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Timberwolves</a></b></p>
<p><b>Feb. 21: Mavs vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">76ers</a> </b></p>
<p><b>March 3: Mavs vs. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a></b></p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2015/11/20/9772092/mavericks-will-wear-throwback-green-jerseys-friday-against-jazzTim Cato2015-11-20T00:00:02-06:002015-11-20T00:00:02-06:00Mavericks host young, talented Utah Jazz
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<p>Dallas looks to extend their winning streak to six against Rudy Gobert and Company. </p> <p>The <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dallas Mavericks</a> extended their winning streak to five games with a come-from-behind victory over the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Boston Celtics</a> on Wednesday night. On Friday, they'll look to move that streak to six in less terrifying fashion.</p>
<p>The Mavs will host the <a href="https://www.slcdunk.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Utah Jazz</a> at American Airlines Center on Friday, a lone home game wedged between two three-game road trips. Dallas was 3-1 against the Jazz a season ago, but this season they face a young, hungry Jazz team that's off to a decent start.</p>
<p>Currently Utah sits at 6-5 on the season, good for 6th in the West. They've won their last two contests (over Atlanta and Toronto), and look like legit contenders for one of the last few playoff spots in the conference. Of course, there's far too much of the season left to start making predictions like that, but early on they look good.</p>
<h4>What did Utah do in the offseason?</h4>
<p>Utah took Kentucky PF Trey Lyles with the 12th overall pick in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">2015 NBA Draft</a>, a solid addition for a team that already has decent depth in the front court. They also exercised their team options on <span>Trey Burke</span>, <span>Rudy Gobert</span>, <span>Dante Exum</span>, and Rodney Hood. Of course, Exum, Utah's first round pick in 2014, was lost for the season in early August, when he tore his ACL playing for his native Australia in a meaningless, international exhibition matchup against Slovenia.</p>
<p>Burke and Gobert have been critical pieces for the Jazz early on this season, and they'll continue to improve as they grow into the NBA.</p>
<h4>Where does Utah find success?</h4>
<p>Utah's a tough matchup for a lot of teams because of their depth in the front court. <span>Derrick Favors</span> and Rudy Gobert are a tall (literally) task for opposing teams to match up against. Together they're averaging 24.6 points and 20.3 rebounds per contest. The two also combine for almost five blocks per game. Behind them, a depth chart led by <span>Trevor Booker</span> means there's no rest for the weary. Dallas' front court will be hard pressed to compete physically with the Favors-Gobert-Booker trip. Of course if anyone is up to the challenge, it's Zaza.</p>
<p>This isn't to take anything away from the <span>Gordon Hayward</span> and <span>Alec Burks</span>, though, who have both had decent starts to the season. They're both averaging over 15 points per game, but they've taken a lot of shots to get those averages. Burks is shooting just over 43 percent to start the season, while Hayward is shooting a not-so-great 39.5% from the floor.</p>
<p>Of course, Utah's real recipe for success is being incredibly tough on the defensive side of things. They're third best in the NBA in points allowed, giving up just 91.5 points per contest. They've held as many teams in the 70s (3) as they've allowed in the 100s this year. This offsets the fact that they're 29th offensively, scoring just 95.3 points per game.</p>
<h4>What can Dallas do to get win No. 9?</h4>
<p>Push the pace and hit their open shots. Dallas has to turn this game into a high-octane, up-and-down the court kind of game. If they let Utah get set defensively things will become infinitely more difficult. That's a rather obvious point, I know, because once Gobert gets settled down in the lane, he's hard to get around (unless you're <span>DeMar DeRozan</span>, of course). When Utah gets into their defensive sets, any open shot Dallas gets they'll need to make. Utah is holding teams to a 5th-best 42.4 percent from the floor (Dallas is 6th at 42.5 percent), but they're allowing opposing teams to shoot almost 35 percent from 3-point range.</p>
<p>If Wes Matthews and <span>Chandler Parsons</span> can knock down some open threes, this game could swing Dallas' way pretty quickly.</p>
<h5>How to watch</h5>
<p>You'll find this game on Fox Sports Southwest Friday night, with a start time of 7:30 CT. Outside of DFW. catch it on NBA League Pass</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2015/11/20/9767812/mavericks-host-young-talented-utah-jazzJamie Plunkett