Mavericks-Suns Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Jan 30 2012 12:43AM

Just when they got Dirk Nowitzki back in the lineup, the Dallas Mavericks learned one of their other veteran starters will likely miss the next few games.

Steve Nash, meanwhile, is hoping he's healthy enough to help the Phoenix Suns snap a seven-game skid to the visiting Mavericks and break the franchise's assist record Monday night.

Nowitzki started Sunday's home game against San Antonio following a planned four-game absence to rest his sore right knee and work on his conditioning. Dallas (13-8), which went 3-1 without the reigning NBA finals MVP, prevailed 101-100 in overtime Sunday.

Jason Terry had a season-high 34 points - including four in the last 42 seconds of the extra session - to lead the Mavericks to their fifth win in six games. Vince Carter added 21 points as Dallas took over first place in the Southwest Division.

"It's just the will to win when the game is on the line," Terry said. "When my team needs me the most, I'm going to come through regardless of what's going on the entire night. Fourth quarter is winning time."

Nowitzki finished with 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting but had a season-high 13 rebounds during his 38 minutes. Jason Kidd, meanwhile, missed the game after straining his right calf in the opening minutes of Friday's 116-101 victory over Utah.

Coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday that his point guard would be sidelined at least a week and possibly longer. His absence comes at an inopportune time for Dallas, which is in the middle of a stretch of five games in seven days.

"I felt like I got kicked in the calf," said Kidd, who was told by a team trainer that nobody had actually hit him. "I'm happy it was just a strain."

The Kidd-less Mavericks will try to earn another win by taking advantage of the Suns' recent shooting struggles. Phoenix (7-12) has shot worse than 37.5 percent in three of its last four games but snapped a three-game skid with an 86-84 home win over Memphis on Saturday.

"We've got to do what we can to try and win at home," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "We'll continue to work and continue to try and get better. That's the only thing you can do."

Jared Dudley made two free throws with 3.3 seconds remaining to win Saturday's game for Phoenix, and finished with a season-high 20 points. Nash scored a team-high 21, but limped off the court with a bruised left thigh after colliding with the Grizzlies' Marc Gasol in the final seconds.

The point guard, who spent six seasons with Dallas from 1999-2004, is now seven assists shy of topping Kevin Johnson's Phoenix franchise record of 6,518.

"It's just frustrating," Nash said. "Hopefully it will settle down by Monday. I'm optimistic I can play on Monday, but you never know."

Nash's absence would deal a blow to Phoenix's attempt to earn its first win over Dallas since Jan. 28, 2010.

Nowitzki scored a team-high 20 points during a 98-89 home victory over the Suns on Jan. 4 but sat out the rematch last Monday, a 93-87 Mavericks win in Phoenix. Shawn Marion had a season-high 29 points in that game for Dallas.

Carter, West lead Dallas rout of Nash-less Suns

By BOB BAUM
Posted Jan 31 2012 12:40AM

PHOENIX (AP) The Dallas Mavericks, with their offense rolling in high gear, gave Phoenix fans a glimpse of how ugly life could be without Steve Nash.

With the Suns' 37-year-old star point guard sidelined with a bruised left thigh, the Mavericks routed Phoenix 122-99 on Monday night, the third victory in a row and sixth in seven games for the reigning NBA champions.

"We caught a break with Nash not playing," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "I don't think you can overlook that as a big factor in the game. We played and I thought our effort was even and consistent. We were able to keep fresh guys on the floor. We moved the ball well and made shots and our defense was good enough to win."

Nash is certainly no defensive stopper, though, so his absence could not explain the Mavericks' onslaught in Dallas' eighth straight victory over Phoenix.

"They've always been tough for us," the Suns' Jared Dudley said. "It's just a tough team to guard and once they start hitting shots, the flood gates really opened."

A strained right calf sidelined Dallas point guard Jason Kidd for the second night in a row, but the Mavericks were just fine without him, amassing a season-high in points for a half (66) and for a game.

Delonte West scored a season-high 25 for Dallas on 9 of 12 shooting, including 5 of 6 3-pointers. Vince Carter, still being paid by Phoenix after the Suns waived him before the season began, scored 21 for the second night in a row.

"We have so many playmakers, so many guys who can put the ball in the hole," West said. "We just have to trust each other and that was on display tonight. We didn't have our leader, Jason Kidd out in the mix. He can knock down 3-pointers. We hope we can build on this and get him back as soon as possible and get him back in the flow of things."

The Mavericks were 13-5 in January, wrapping the month up with wins on consecutive nights over San Antonio and Phoenix.

Carter was waived by Phoenix when the lockout ended, but his contract still guaranteed him $4 million. He would have made $18 million had he stayed with Phoenix. He had missed five games with a sprained left foot before returning two games ago. He has matched his season high with 21 points in each of his last two appearances.

"Just getting into the flow," he said. "With the injury, I had some time to get my body right and focus on getting healthy. I was trying to do all the things I could to just to get back and step back in and continue to play."

The 122 points surpassed Dallas' 116 against Utah two games ago. It also was the highest score for a Phoenix opponent this season, topping the Bulls' 118-97 victory at Chicago on Jan. 17.

Longtime Sun Shawn Marion scored 20 for the Mavericks, winners of three straight and six of seven.

Dirk Nowitzki had 10 points in his second game back after missing four games to rest his sore right knee.

Marcin Gortat had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix. Dudley added 15 points, Sebastian Telfair 13 and Grant Hill 12.

Dallas shot 55 percent, including 14 of 27 on 3-pointers.

Phoenix had cut Dallas' lead to 55-47 on Gortat's 9-footer with 1:56 left in the half, then the Mavericks finished the half with an 11-1 run, taking a 66-48 lead on West's layup at the buzzer. Officials reviewed the play and called it good. West had a pair of 3-pointers to start the run.

The Suns got no closer than 16 early in the second half, with Dallas leading by as many as 28.

Notes: Nash needs seven assists to pass Kevin Johnson as the Suns' career assists leader. ... Dallas had never beaten Phoenix eight times in a row until Monday night. ... Phoenix last beat Dallas on Jan. 28, 2010. ... The Mavericks have scored 116, 101 and 122 in their last three games after reaching the century mark four times in their first 19 games.

Notebook: Mavericks 122, Suns 99

By Mike Tulumello, for NBA.com
Posted Tuesday January 31, 2012 12:31AM

THE FACTS: Dirk Nowitzki is trying to work his way back into top form, as are his Dallas Mavericks. So the Phoenix Suns are just the sort of tune-up fodder that can be useful for the reigning NBA champs.

The Suns, playing without the injured Steve Nash, made it a game for the first 10 minutes or so, but the Mavericks had way too much firepower for them in breezing to a 122-99 win Monday night in Arizona.

Delonte West came off the bench and pumped in a game-high 25 points for the Mavericks, who shot 55 percent (52 percent on 3-pointers). Vince Carter and Shawn Marion added 21 and 20 points, respectively.

The Suns got 17 points and 10 boards from Marcin Gortat.

The Mavericks (14-8) raced to a 66-48 halftime lead and never looked back. They have gone 13-4 after a 1-4 start. They have won six of their past seven.

The Suns dropped to 7-13.

QUOTABLE: "When the ball moves...touches a lot of hands, more tough shots tend to go in."
-- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle.

THE STAT: Through the first three quarters, the Mavericks hit 13-for-21 on 3-pointers to blow the game open.

TURNING POINT: When Suns coach Alvin Gentry announced before the game that Steve Nash would sit out with a thigh bruise. Carlisle said, "We caught a break with Nash not playing."

QUOTABLE II: "My legs are getting stronger...I lost swelling in my knee. It's getting there."
-- Nowitzki, who had 10 points and four rebounds in 28 minutes, one night after playing 38 minutes in his return after a 4-game absence.

HOT: West shot 9-for-12, including 5-for-6 on 3-pointers. "Delonte was due to have a high-impact game," Carlisle said.

NOT: Channing Frye's poor season continued. The Suns' forward, who came into the game shooting just 35 percent (30 percent on 3-pointers), shot 1-for-5 for 7 points in 20 minutes.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: If you have Robin Lopez on your team, you might think about dumping him. After Lopez served a 1-game NBA suspension Friday, Gentry didn't play the inconsistent 7-footer Saturday, then inserted him only for garbage time on Monday vs. the Mavs.

NOTABLE: The Mavericks have won eight straight over the Suns over the past two years. That's the Suns' longest active losing skid against another team. ... Carlisle said Nowitzki went through the equivalent of an 8-and-a-half day "training camp" to improve his conditioning, then took one day off before his long stint Sunday night. Nowitzki said he has no limits on his minutes.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Wednesday vs. Thunder, Friday vs. Pacers and Saturday @ Cleveland. For the Suns, Wednesday @ New Orleans, Friday @ Houston and Saturday vs. Bobcats.

• Mavericks: Kidd, Williams
• Suns: --

• Mavericks: --
• Suns: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #70 Brent Barnaky, #12 Violet Palmer
• Attendance: 13132
• Duration: 2:08