Here are my 5 takeaways from the Dallas Mavericks’ 122-102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena:
1. WESTBROOK GETS TRIPLE-DOUBLE: OK, just about everyone knew Russell Westbrook was totally angry about the way he played against the Mavs in Dallas on Sunday. The Thunder point guard finished that game with nine points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and was just 4-of-22 from the field. It’s the first time Westbrook scored less than 10 points in a game when attempting at least 20 field goals. So how did he make amends? Westbrook finished Monday’s game with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
2. BARNES RED-HOT: In the third quarter Monday, Harrison Barnes stepped into one of those zones that every NBA player would love to occupy. While playing the entire quarter, Barnes scored 14 points and was 5-for-5 from the field, including 4-for-4 from 3-point territory. Barnes opened the fourth quarter with two more treys in the first 61 seconds. For the night, Barnes tallied 25 points and was 8-of-11 from the field, including 7-of-9 from downtown. His seven threes ties for the most he’s ever made in an NBA game.
3. THOSE PESKY TURNOVERS: One night after beating the Thunder in Dallas despite committing 24 turnovers, the Mavs couldn’t get away with being so friendly with the basketball two nights in a row. The Mavs threw the ball all over the place – again – on Monday when they turned the ball over a whopping 29 times. That’s three shy of the franchise record for turnovers in a game. Monday’s miscues led to 36 points for the Thunder. Ironically, OKC attempted exactly 29 more field goals than the Mavs on Monday.
4. THE BOARD BEAT GOES ON: If you’re searching for a bright spot that came out of the year-ending 20-point loss to the Thunder, you’re in luck. For a team that’s had its struggles hanging with folks on the boards this season, the Mavs won the rebounding battle against Oklahoma City on Monday, 49-46. And that comes one night after they also won the rebounding battle against the very physical Thunder in Sunday’s contest in Dallas, 49-39. The Mavs had five players grab at least five rebounds on Monday.
5. JORDAN SHOWING GRIT: Everyone should take a moment or two and watch how center DeAndre Jordan maneuvers himself around the basket to collect rebounds. It’s an impressive show of style, grit and determination. Jordan corralled another 10 boards on Monday. That’s the 32nd time he’s collected 10 or more rebounds in a game this season, and the Mavs have only played 36 games. To put that in perspective, all the Mavs players who got in a game last season COMBINED to only produce 43 games with 10 or more rebounds.
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