# GT: Philadelphia 76ers @ Dallas Mavericks



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

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*Philadelphia 76ers [2-4] @ Dallas Mavericks [4-2]*
 | Tuesday, November 13 2007 | Dallas, TX | American Airlines Center | 8:30 pm ET | 
| *TV*: FSNSW | *Radio*: KESN-FM 103.3; KFLC-AM 1270 (Spanish) |


*Game Notes*


Dirk Nowitzki's shooting skills have helped the Dallas Mavericks forward earn a reputation as one of the NBA's most efficient superstars. Early this season, though, Nowitzki hasn't lived up to that distinction. 

Nowitzki looks to snap out of a rare shooting funk as the Mavericks (4-2) try to rebound from an ugly loss with a home matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers (2-4) on Tuesday. 

Nowitzki has set career highs in field-goal percentage in each of the last two seasons, finishing 2006-07 at 50.2. Of the 11 players in the league that took at least 1,250 shots, he was the only one to shoot better than 50.0 percent. 

This season, however, he's shooting 43.8 percent - his lowest mark since his rookie season of 1998-99. He's 5-for-18 from 3-point range (27.8 percent) after connecting on a career-high 41.6 percent of his shots from behind the arc in 2006-07. 

On Saturday, Nowitzki was 4-for-13 from the field as Dallas lost 91-82 at Portland. He's 17-for-48 (35.4) in his last three games. 

Nowitzki wasn't the only Mavericks player to struggle on Saturday, however. After entering the game shooting 57.8 percent, Josh Howard went 5-for-15. Jason Terry, shooting 59.7 before the defeat, led Dallas with six field goals, but also missed eight as the Mavs shot 35.4 percent. 

"We missed a lot of shots," Howard said. "I don't think we could buy a basket tonight." 

It was the Mavericks' worst shooting effort since a Jan. 25 loss at Chicago last season, and just their third time below 36.0 percent since the beginning of the 2005-06 season. 

"We just didn't have it tonight," Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. "The other team was better. We can't just show up and expect to win. We need our hard hats on and our thinking caps on every night and we just didn't have it tonight." 

Dallas will look to rebound at the American Airlines Center, where it posted the league's best home record at 36-5 last season. The Mavericks have won their first two home games by a combined 30 points while shooting 55.5 percent. 

Like the Mavericks, the 76ers are coming off a sloppy loss. They capped a 1-3 homestand with a 93-72 defeat to New Orleans on Sunday, getting outscored 54-30 in the second and third quarters. 

"The way we're going to win games is going to be on the effort side and certainly what I mentioned to them is the way we have to play, we have to outwork everyone," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said. "When our offense is not up to par and our defense is not up to par we're gonna have a hard time winning." 

The 76ers are looking to Andre Iguodala to make a big leap in his first full season playing without former teammate Allen Iverson. Iguodala is shooting 50.0 percent from the field and scored 23 and 22 points in his first two games, but has been held under 20 points in three of his last four contests, although he had a season-high 26 against Toronto on Friday. 

"We didn't have that energy that we needed tonight," Iguodala said Sunday. "Guys didn't really turn it up. It was always one level. It was at a five and we needed it to be at a 10." 

Iguodala and the 76ers will likely need a stronger effort against Dallas, which has won the last three games in the series, including both meetings last season by a combined 31 points. Nowitzki averaged 18.5 points while shooting 43.8 percent in the sweep.



*Starting Five*






































*Devin Harris - Trenton Hassell - Josh Howard - Dirk Nowitzki - Desagana Diop*


*vs.*





































*Andre Miller - Willie Green - Andre Iguodala - Reggie Evans - Samuel Dalembert*


*Injuries*

*Mavs:* Devean George (left foot) and Erick Dampier (right shoulder) are out; Eddie Jones (right leg) is day-to-day. 
*Sixers:* None. 











​


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Avery Johnson is killing Dirk....


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

How so ?


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

croco said:


> How so ?


AJ is forcing Dirk to do things completely out of his comfort zone.

Dirk is a side-stepping, fade-away-shooting, off-balanced shooter. The goofier he looks, more accurate he is. But.... AJ doesn't want Dirk to jack up shots.

Dirk is not a defender. But.... AJ wants him to play 5, arguably the hardest position to play defense for non-athletic guys.

Dirk is not a passer. But.... AJ wants him to become a passer. I am sure you noticed his assist number going up this season thus far. Dirk is suppose to be our clutch shooter, but now he passes to the open man. He's now "don't give me the ball" Dirk.

If Dirk is not allowed to be Dirk, I want AJ's head.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> AJ is forcing Dirk to do things completely out of his comfort zone.
> 
> Dirk is a side-stepping, fade-away-shooting, off-balanced shooter. The goofier he looks, more accurate he is. But.... AJ doesn't want Dirk to jack up shots.
> 
> ...


Is it really Avery trying to force him to do those things or is it Dirk trying to become a more complete player like he usually says ? Probably a bit of both, but I agree with you that this team doesn't need Dirk to have four assists just to have four assists, those need to be easy assists in the flow of the game.

This is the reason why I hate the iso offense, it's just so stagnant and takes away the aggressiveness. I was watching some highlights of game 7 in the Spurs series in 2006 and noticed that most of our players were more aggressive and we didn't have isolation plays until the opponent bores off. 

Contrary to the popular belief this team needs Dirk to score 25, 26 points a game and grab 10 rebounds. This is when he is at his best and most valuable for the the team.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

croco said:


> Contrary to the popular belief this team needs Dirk to score 25, 26 points a game and grab 10 rebounds. This is when he is at his best and most valuable for the the team.


+1


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

Go go SIXERS!!


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Kunlun said:


> Go go SIXERS!!


+1


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Good to have Damp back. Finally some offensive threat from our 5.

It was almost funny watching him scream like Kong after that dunk. The only thing missing was the pounding chest. :lol:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

It's half time, and I find myself hoping that Dallas loses this game. Is that normal?


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Bass is taking dumb shots...

Grrrrr......


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Dirk looks to pass before looking for open lane to drive....


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

Aww Brandon missed his first FT this season.  22 straight.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Jet said:


> Aww Brandon missed his first FT this season.  22 straight.


 



.....I guess 8 points in 16 minutes of playing time is ok.


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

Seriously, i cannot get excited watching the Mavericks offense.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

The Mavs just dont seem like the team they used to be.. Idk they seem lethargic, apathetic and lackadaisical. Its not very... exciting, for lack of a better word.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Jet said:


> The Mavs just dont seem like the team they used to be.. Idk they seem lethargic, apathetic and lackadaisical. Its not very... exciting, for lack of a better word.





t1no said:


> Seriously, i cannot get excited watching the Mavericks offense.


I guess that's why I was hoping they would lose this game.

As fans, we are just waiting for the playoffs, but as players they need to DO THEIR JOB!

:azdaja:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

And... what the hell is that slogan about?

"It's all about D!"

http://www.myspace.com/dallasmavericks1980

What in the world does that mean?

Defense? I haven't seen much of that lately.

Dallas? lol... they better be more original than that.

Dirk? It's better be about MORE THAN DIRK.

D..... WHAT?


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

I blame the coaching staff.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

t1no said:


> I blame the coaching staff.


I blame Donnie. We need some thugs!


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

Marbury?


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## knicksfan89 (Jan 6, 2005)

what but at least we won by 15 after a brilliant second half


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> I blame Donnie. We need some thugs!


There you have your answer, D = Donnie :biggrin:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

croco said:


> There you have your answer, D = Donnie :biggrin:


:lol: Good one.

It's all about Donnie....


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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

t1no said:


> Marbury?


are you serious?


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

no


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