Going into a pivotal matchup tonight against the team with the best record in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks can boast about currently being the
hottest team in the league.
The Mavs enter tonight’s game against the Boston Celtics currently owning the NBA’s longest winning streak at seven games in a row. It’s the Mavs’ longest winning streak since they won eight consecutive games from Feb. 12-March 4, 2011 in the season they won their lone championship.
The Mavs, in fact, posted two other longer winning streaks during the 2010-11 season. They won 12 straight games from Nov. 20-Dec. 11, 2010, and also strung together 10 consecutive victories from Jan. 22-Feb. 9, 2011.
As the Mavs prepare to host the Celtics tonight at American Airlines Center in a game televised nationally on TNT, coach Jason Kidd pointed out the critical aspects that have aided his team during their seven-game winning streak.
“I think we’re connected,” he said. “When you talk about offense, we’re scoring the ball at a high rate. And then defensively, late in the games (we’re) coming up with blocks or key stops or steals or rebounds, but also just with the injuries and the next man up mentality.
“Everybody is participating and everybody is helping us win.”
In the seven-game winning streak, Luka Doncic has been the main man with the plan. The fifth-year point guard averaged 41.7 ppg, 11 rpg, 9.9 apg and 2.3 spg, while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3-point range during the winning streak.
Doncic produced 50 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists against the Houston Rockets on Dec. 23 in the second game of this streak. Two games later he punished the New York Knicks for 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists. It marked the first time in NBA history that a player had registered a triple-double that included him scoring at least 60 points and grabbing at least 20 rebounds.
And to cap off his own personal streak, Doncic tallied 51 points last Saturday during a win over San Antonio at a time when Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said his team’s goal was to try and hold him to under 50 points.
“I’ve played with some great players (and) I’ve had the opportunity to coach some great players,” Kidd said. “Luka is in a different atmosphere right now. Even with the slow start against Houston (this past Monday when he scored only 10 points in the first half), he still ended up with 39. He does things at a high level at his speed.
“He understands what the team needs, and for him to get to the (free throw) line in that Houston game with us down (18 points and convert 18 of 22 free throws), being able to stop the clock and score (helped).”
The Mavs know they’ll need everything from Doncic and more against the vaunted Celtics. However, Doncic doesn’t view this as a measuring stick for the Mavs.
“It’s just another game,” he said. “Obviously, it’s one of the best teams in the NBA.
“But we’ve got to approach every game the same, especially in the regular season. And (we) just got to try to win every game.”
Tonight’s game takes on an added flavor because Doncic and Boston’s Jayson Tatum are two of the leading candidates to capture this season’s Most Valuable Player award, while Celtics forward Jaylen Brown also is one of the league’s best players.
“I think it’s more extra energy when you go against those kind of guys,” Doncic said. “You just have more energy, especially being at home.
The building is going to be with us.
“But I always say, it’s special to play against those players (and) you can always learn when you’re playing against them. The more that you play, the more than you can learn how to play them and how to stop them. It’s fun learning to play against those guys.”
The Celtics come to town after getting absolutely embarrassed at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, losing 150-117. It was a game where the Thunder had five players score at least 21 points – a stat that’s only occurred 18 times in NBA history, including the playoffs.
“They gave up 150 points, so we expect their best no matter if they did that (Tuesday) night or not,” Kidd said. “They’re one of the better teams in this league, so we know that they’re going to be ready to play (tonight).”
*Center Christian Wood has been on a tear lately, especially on the defensive end of the court. Over the past 10 games, Wood has averaged 20.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 2.7 bpg, and shot 54.3 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from beyond the three-point arc. In Monday’s win over the Rockets, Wood collected 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, five blocks and three made three-pointers. The only other players in the Mavs’ history who have recorded this incredible stat line are Kristaps Porzingis (three times) and Dirk Nowitzki.
*Boston has two players among the Top 10 players in the league in scoring. Jayson Tatum is fifth with 30.8 ppg, and Jaylen Brown is 10th at 27.2 ppg. Tatum also is averaging 8.1 rpg and shooting 47.4 percent from the field, while Brown is averaging 7.1 rpg and shooting 49.8 percent from the floor. Also for the Celtics, Malcolm is Brodgon is averaging 13.1 ppg, while Flower Mound Marcus High School product, Marcus Smart, is averagi
ng 11.1 ppg and 7.4 apg. Smart was ejected from Tuesday’s game against Oklahoma City with 2:46 remaining in the third quarter and Boston was trailing, 111-83.
*Luka Doncic has been very astute at getting to the free throw line. He got to the charity stripe 22 times in Monday’s game against Houston. That’s the sixth straight game Doncic has attempted at least 10 free throws in a game, tying the franchise record he already co-held with Dirk Nowitzki.
*The Celtics probably will not be in a particularly good mood after getting totally wiped out on Tuesday, 150-117, by an Oklahoma City Thunder team that was playing without their best player – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Celtics were down, 74-54, at the half. That’s the first time they’ve allowed at least 70 points in the first half of a game this season. They also were down, 122-91, after the third quarter. And those 150 points the Thunder scored? That’s the most they’ve scored since they moved to OKC from Seattle before the 2008-’09 season.
*Back on Nov. 23, the Celtics broke out to a 70-49 lead at the half en route to defeating the Mavs in Boston, 125-112. Jayson Tatum finished with 37 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in that game for Boston, and Jaylen Brown added 31 points. In that contest for the Mavs, Luka Doncic collected 42 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, and Christian Wood added 26 points and 12 rebounds.
*After tonight’s game, the Mavs will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday before starting a five-game road trip Sunday in Oklahoma City. The road trip will includes a pair of games in Los Angeles — Tuesday against the Clippers and Jan. 12 against the Lakers. It’ll also include a pair of games in Portland on Jan. 14 and Jan. 15 before the Mavs return home to host the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 18.
BOSTON CELTICS (26-12) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (22-16)
When: 6:30 p.m., Thursday
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: TNT
Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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