Here are my 5 takeaways from the Dallas Mavericks’ 105-103 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night at American Airlines Center:
1. SMITH’S REDEMPTION: Dennis Smith Jr. not only redeemed himself after he failed to get off a shot before the final buzzer sounded last Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans, he took it a step farther. This time, Smith didn’t just produce the game-winning basket against Oklahoma City. He also produced the defensive play of the night. After making a terrific spin move and flying inside for the game-deciding hoop with 24.8 seconds left, Smith suddenly found himself staring eye-to-eye with the man – Paul George – who was running around AAC with an extremely hot hand. George was absolutely on fire after having scored 13 straight points for OKC. But it’s still at 13, because Smith’s chest-to-chest defense forced George to miss a 19-foot jumper with four seconds remaining in the game.
2. BATTLE OF THE BOARDS: The Mavs were prompted by coach Rick Carlisle about the need to get on the boards against a Thunder team that eats rebounds like their pure existence depends on it. Thankfully for the Mavs, they heeded Carlisle’s plea. With a lot of folks crashing the boards, the Mavs won the rebound battle, 49-39. That includes a nine to seven advantage on the offensive boards. This a very significant considering that when the Mavs defeated OKC, 111-96, back on Nov. 10, the Thunder won that board battle, 53-38. That includes a massive 26-4 advantage on the offensive boards. But with DeAndre Jordan getting 17 rebounds, Maxi Kleber grabbing seven, Harrison Barnes six, and Dennis Smith Jr. and Dorian Finney-Smith collecting four each, the Mavs were the chairmen of the bards on Sunday.
3. HOME DOMINANCE CONTINUES: There’s just something distinctly magical about the Mavs when they play their home games. It’s almost as if they can’t lose for winning. Behind Paul George, the Thunder rolled to a 101-95 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game. But the Mavs flipped a switch, the wizard came from behind the curtain and granted the Mavs a wish, and the whole game changed on a dime. With the game on the line, Luka Doncic converted a pair of charity tosses, Harrison Barnes had two key steals and two free throws, Dennis Smith Jr. made the game-winning basket and game-saving defensive play, and the Mavs were able to increase their record at home to 15-3. It’s the third-best record home in the NBA behind the Milwaukee Bucks (16-3) and Philadelphia 76ers (16-3).
4. TURNOVERS MUST BE LOWER: I don’t recommend turning the ball over at a high rate as a recipe for winning, but the Mavs got away with it on Sunday. With the Thunder doing what they do best – clogging up the passing lanes and using their exceptional speed and long arms to pick up 15 steals – the Mavs turned the ball over a whopping 24 times. That was one shy of the season-high 25 turnovers the Mavs committed during a 117-102 loss at Utah on Nov. 7. I can’t sit here and say turning the ball over at a high rate and somehow emerging with a win is an anomaly. That’s because the Mavs are actually 3-5 this season when they commit 19 or more turnovers. They turned it over 19 times and beat Chicago on the road, 103-98, on Nov. 12. And they committed 20 turnovers and walloped Utah in Dallas, 118-68, on Nov. 14.
5. BARNES QUIETLY GETS IT DONE: You know that guy that comes to work, doesn’t bother anybody, barely says anything to anyone, and you look up and he winds up doing a better job than just about anybody in the organization? That’s Harrison Barnes. When coach Rick Carlisle asked his players to give DeAndre Jordan some help on the boards, Barnes answered the call Sunday night and collected six rebounds. It’s just the second time in the last 14 games that Barnes has grabbed as many as six rebounds in a game. Also, when Sunday’s game appeared to be slipping away, Barnes stepped up and manufactured two steals, scored two points and assisted on a basket – all during a picturesque 47-second span — that enabled the Mavs to emerge with a victory for the second time in the last three games.
Share and comment