Well, this has been a crap stretch. Big game tonight at Toyota Center (the one game I'll get to attend this season). Looks like Howard is questionable. If so, I actually like our chances. Ariza may lock Parsons down, but Monta and Rondo should have good nights (as will Harden).

Two games in a row with bad turnovers- tonight was the season high though, which was the difference in the game. Much better defensive effort though- glad to see Aminu getting some good blocks

I'm a MFFL and hate to say it, but the rondo trade killed the offensive flow of this team. Theyre just a shadow of how efficient the offense used to be. Defense hasnt improved at all since the trade, as teams continue to shoot the lights out from 3 against this team. Way too many turnovers tonight and a lack of his ability to score really gives the team a disadvantage when he's on the floor. I hope this team can figure it out, otherwise its gonna be another 1 and done year in the playoffs.

I miss when we were lob city for the first 25% of the season

Though this is obviously the biggest low of the season for the mavs, I remain optimistic about how good we will be at the end of the season. There's simply too much talent on this roster to not make this thing work well. Not to mention we have a top three coach in the NBA to fix these issues. The easy solution is to limit our turnovers. It seems like we just simply lack focus at times. J Oneal will certainly help out on the defensive side, but lets see what Carlisle can make of this team in April, and June.

I really miss the pre-Rondo offense as well. It was a thing of beauty. It makes me physically upset watching him shoot 1/9 every game and kill the flow of the offense. He kills our ball movement because we can't swing the ball to him...or we can, but there is no point to. And the defense knows this, so they don't even worry about closing out on him when we start to swing it.

There was a play in the 4th last night where someone had the ball in the left corner, kicked it to the left wing, who then quickly kicked it to Dirk at the top of the key. Dirk would usually kick it to the right wing right away for a wide open shot, but it was Rondo on the right wing. So Dirk had three players around him. He made a great move and got to the basket for a layup on that possession, but that play shows how the trade killed our offensive rhythm. We basically have to only play on one half of the floor when Rondo is in.

I also miss lob city. That was a blast to watch.

I am just praying we don't try to sign him this summer. There was an article about how the Mavs coaching staff and shooting coaches thought it would take a full summer to fix Rondo's jumper. Please tell me that doesn't mean they are thinking about signing him long term. I guess it's possible they could fix it somewhat, but I don't want to be betting on that with the type of contract he will be wanting. Boston's coaches thought they could fix it each summer for the past 8 years, and we know how that worked out.

Yes, that trade is looking like a disaster so far.

It was a fun game. If you would have told me that: a) Harden would be held to 17; b) Mavs would out-rebound and c) shoot a better percentage, I would have bet money on a win. You can point to just a couple of things that resulted in the loss:

1) Bench: Josh Smith matched the production of our entire bench. A bad 3 pt shooter went 4/5, and led the Rockets in scoring. That won't happen often.

On a night when Rondo is "bad Rondo" Harris and Barea need to be much better. Hard to win when your PGs are a combined 1 of 14.

2) Turnovers: This is actually number 1. With just a few less turnovers, Mavs win, no doubt.

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There was a play in the 4th last night where someone had the ball in the left corner, kicked it to the left wing, who then quickly kicked it to Dirk at the top of the key. Dirk would usually kick it to the right wing right away for a wide open shot, but it was Rondo on the right wing. So Dirk had three players around him. He made a great move and got to the basket for a layup

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I was gonna post about this. Dirk did this frequently during the championship run. He needs to get back to doing it more.

Also, the Chandlers need to be more aggressive at the rim. Tyson looked a little timid at times when it looked like he could have gone straight up and either score or get fouled.

I'm not ready to bail on the Rondo trade. We weren't going anywhere w/ Jameer at PG. Rick needs to work his magic, and rein him in from jacking up jump shots. Convince him to play D and distribute, a la J-Kidd in 2011 (but, at least Kidd could hit wide open 3's).

I wouldn't push the panic button just yet but its pretty clear what the Mavs weakness is.
1. Backup post play and rim protection is non-existent. If that Mavs could talk Jermaine O'Neal into playing 15-20 minutes a night that would be a huge boost.
2. Turnovers and Rondo. There is a lack of chemistry at this point and the Mavs have been turning the ball over way too much.

Still, the Mavs have lost 3 of these 4 games in the last 10 seconds. They've been a little unlucky at times and still have a cushion to making the playoffs. Win these next 2 in Florida and all is forgiven. Lose them and its officially time to panic.

While the offense may have been pretty efficient, a lot of it was predicated on our 2nd team dominating the other teams. In the playoffs, minutes for starters ramp up, and the end of the bench doesnt play as much.

I get what you are saying, but our starters and bench are less efficient post trade, so I don't think it will help us that starters will play more minutes in playoffs.

People always say that we weren't going anywhere with jameer but we were 19-8 (I think) with him, playing some of the best ball in the league and obviously were going to make a trade at some point to help the roster. And if jameer continued to struggle, he wouldn't play in playoffs. Harris would get the majority of minutes and he is a serviceable pg who was playing really well before the trade. After the trade, we are 11-9. It's only 20 games but we basically aren't even a playoff team with that win percentage.

after the way the kidd trade ultimately worked out, I will always trust Cuban and Nelson. been a frustrating month, esp the past few games, but I also trust Carlisle.

just sucks that the mavs had one of the most efficient offenses ever, and they felt the need to make a big change. long season. gotta stay scoring points tonight though, or it could go from the worst losing streak of the season at 2 games, to 5 against a bad Miami team.

might be the ugliest half of Carlisle led bball ever.

This is awful

look like absolute ****. not gonna break 40 in the first half. dirk misses a ft, some scrub is tearing them up, chandler can't finish a dunk. hope the second half goes better. 12 points in the NBA means little.

And that is why basketball is a 4 quarter game. Mavs looked dead to rights in the first half. Turned this game into a rout.

wow, what a turnaround. destroyed them.

7:04 in the third was the turnaround.

Classic reverse jinx. Nice work guys. Feel like we played a part in the win

hope they can get back on track, 4th quarter was dominant as hell.

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might be the ugliest half of Carlisle led bball ever.

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Exactly what I said to my wife at the end of the half. Incredible how much they turned it around. I really hate that part of it was due to Charlie V suddenly not being able to miss since we can't rely on that all the time

TIME TO SMACK AROUND GOLDEN STATE TONIGHT! WE TONIGHT!


I'll probably go to bed after the 1st quarter. Stupid west coast games.

Why the heck wouldn't you stay up to watch this game?

Both teams are gonna get to 100 before the 4th quarter.

Curry cannot ****ing miss

Only person on our team that can stop him has a broken face

Regardless of the outcome this has been a fun game to watch.

too many stupid ****ing mistakes

Fun game but we played way too sloppy down the stretch

If anyone tells me we are better without rondo I'm going to punch them in the face and make them watch this game on repeat for 30 hours. That was frustrating. You don't win games when the other team makes 19 threes. Especially when they shoot 50% from deep. Without Rondo not much you can do with curry tonight....but he certainly would have helped. Need to regroup and get some wins or we'll be behind more than we can handle with our remaining schedule. Still have faith we can make things happen this year. Let's go mavs.

Dallas was better without Rondo.

Dallas was better without Rondo.

Dallas was better without Rondo.

Can't wait to see a Mavs/GSW game with Rondo playing.

The Mavs have little chance to beat GSW with or without Rondo in a playoff series. But Rondo is the only guy who can attempt to guard his man on the perimeter. GSW is just a bad match up for the Mavs (and most teams) all around. Statistically the Mavs defense has been top 10 with Rondo in the lineup. I think the Mavs can be a nuisance to anyone in the West except for GSW.

The annoying thing about the West is that OKC and the Pelicans are only 6 behind in the loss column and the Mavs have the toughest remaining schedule out of playoff contenders. Long way to go.

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Why the heck wouldn't you stay up to watch this game?

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1. B/c I had to get up at 4:45 to workout.
2. Because I knew this would happen.

I enjoyed watching the first quarter, and went to bed hopeful, but not optimistic, that we'd hold on.

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Dallas was better without Rondo.

Dallas was better without Rondo.

Dallas was better without Rondo.

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Gotta have someone to stop Curry, Westbrook, Lillard and Paul. JJ Barea got schooled last night. Rondo's defense, even now, is better than Barea, Nelson, Felton, Harris and possibly Ellis.

That said, the W/L since getting Rondo hasn't been good.