The Mavs scored 35 points in the first quarter tonight, two days after scoring 36 in New Orleans. It was the fourth time this season they’ve cracked 35 in the first, which is more times than last season (twice) and the year before that one, too (three times).
After scoring a whopping 30 fast break points against the Pelicans two days ago, the Mavericks didn’t score a single point on the break tonight, which is a crazy turnaround. Rick Carlisle admitted that the game in New Orleans didn’t necessarily go the way the Mavs wanted it to, even though they got the win. Much of that had to do with the sometimes breakneck pace of things. Dallas played a much more controlled game tonight and still managed to score pretty efficiently.
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He’d add three free throws to help ice it. Smith scored 19 points and added six assists and five rebounds. Those are the kinds of plays that could give him heaps of confidence moving forward, especially late in games once the pressure heats up. Smith was previously just 5 of 19 from the field in clutch situations (final five minutes and the score within five points) heading into this game, per NBA Stats. He doesn’t lack for confidence, obviously, but those are the shots that will only keep him that way.
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He ended the game with 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including knocking down four 3-pointers, the most he’s made in a game since Oct. 28.
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If this were a playground game, the players would have had to get resourceful to find a way to get it down. But this the NBA, land of giants. So J.J. Barea decided to use one of those tall humans to his advantage.
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The only problem is it didn’t work. BUT it gave us a funny gif. Happy New Year.
The Mavs (13-25) will play the Golden State Warriors (29-8) on Wednesday at American Airlines Center at 7:30 p.m. Central.
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