Mavs wrap up 2013-14 season with focus on future

The general message from each player at Monday’s exit interviews was simple: The Mavs had a two-part goal this season. They accomplished Part One, which was simply getting back into the playoffs after missing out last year for the first time since 2000. Part Two was making some noise once they got there. Although Dallas […]



Monta Ellis masterful in final minutes of Game 6

As Rick Carlisle, Dirk Nowitzki, and every other Maverick said heading into Game 6, it all starts with defense. Dallas was able to get the win last night for many reasons, and most of them had to do with what the Mavs were able to accomplish without the ball. Despite giving up 111 points in […]



Mavs’ defense keyed Dirk Nowitzki’s fourth-quarter outburst in Game 5

It might have been Vince Carter who ruled the first three quarters for the Mavs in Game 5, but Dirk Nowitzki took over in the fourth and shot Dallas right back into the game. His entire offensive arsenal was on display as the Big German hit 7-of-10 from the field in the final frame Wednesday […]



Sam Dalembert, Brandan Wright have shoes to fill in Game 5

After news broke that Mavs center DeJuan Blair would be suspended for tonight’s Game 5 in San Antonio, the gears in head coach Rick Carlisle’s head surely started turning quickly. Blair might have been the best player on the floor during Game 4, and he plays with the type of energy and fearlessness that coaches […]



DeJuan Blair’s energy, second-half defense spur Mavs’ 20-point comeback

At the end of a game in which they trailed by as many as 20 points and shot below 39 percent as a team, the Mavericks were still in position to tie the game with three seconds left on the clock. There’s no such thing as a moral victory in the playoffs, but the Mavs […]



Mavs’ supporting cast making significant impact against Spurs

It’s safe to say the Mavericks have surprised lots of people by taking a 2-1 lead against the No. 1 seeded Spurs. What’s even more shocking, though, is that Dallas has taken two of three without a scoring outburst from Dirk Nowitzki. But make no mistake: The notion that the Mavs have jumped ahead in […]



Monta Ellis’ relentlessness fuels Mavs’ Game 3 win

Before the Mavs made up a five-point deficit in two minutes, and before Vince Carter hit the game-winning shot heard ’round the world, we saw a true battle of wits in Game 3. Dallas and San Antonio both played their best offensive game of the series, forcing each team’s defense to dig deep in search […]



The Art of the Switch

The Mavericks have been known for their offense all season, and rightfully so. Dallas ranked third in the league in offensive efficiency behind monster seasons from Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. But until now, these Mavs haven’t been known for their defensive prowess. It’s come as a surprise to some, then, that the Dallas defense […]



Three simple steps to Rick Carlisle’s winning strategy against Spurs

NBA coaching strategies are far more complex than we give them credit for, but the Mavericks’ gameplan Wednesday night was actually pretty simple: defend the drive, defend the pass, and run. There are many layers to that scheme, but at the basis of head coach Rick Carlisle’s winning strategy in Game 2 was the team’s […]



W2W4: Mavs aim to even score with Spurs in Game 2

The Mavericks very nearly pulled off the upset in Game 1, relying on quality team defense and a healthy dose of bench scoring. The four Mavs reserves who played more than 10 minutes each finished with a positive plus-minus, as has been the case for most of the season. It was the Dallas second unit […]