# Dallas Mavericks waste golden opportunity in loss to Nuggets



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Dallas Mavericks waste golden opportunity in loss to Nuggets

By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News

DENVER – Holding onto a playoff spot in Dirk Nowitzki's absence is difficult enough.

It just got tougher.

The Mavericks lost two games in one Thursday night. Not only did Denver's 118-105 victory narrow the gap in the standings, it gave the Nuggets what could be a crucial tiebreaker.

For the first time in 13 years, Denver won the season series (2-1) against the Mavericks. If these teams wind up tied for the final playoff spot in 20 days, Denver will advance, and the Mavericks will turn their attention to the lottery.

"Just disappointed, man," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. "We're battling our butts off out there."

And it still wasn't enough. The Mavericks remain the No. 7 seed, but only one-half game separates them and Golden State. Their lead over Denver is one game.

What happened Thursday provides a more accurate picture of what lies ahead for the Mavericks without Nowitzki than their victory over the LA Clippers two nights earlier.

The Nuggets are not the Clippers, although they looked like it early. The Mavericks scored 70 points in the first half for only the second time this season. They shot 59.6 percent from the field, picked up 49 points from Josh Howard, Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Kidd and took a 70-60 lead into the locker room.

Denver was a desperate team in the second half. The Nuggets hit the Mavericks with a 22-9 run in the third and never looked back. What had been a 15-point deficit mushroomed to a 16-point lead for the Nuggets in the second half.

"We played a pretty good first half," Kidd said. "But once they took the lead, they became even more aggressive, and well, we just sat back.

"We watched. We didn't come out with the same intensity we did in the first half."

The Mavericks watched as Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points and Allen Iverson 31. The Mavericks turned the ball over – something they stressed they couldn't do – 17 times and scored only eight points in the paint in the second half.

The Mavericks scraped together only 35 points in the final two quarters. Howard finished with 30 points. But Kidd and Stackhouse combined for just eight points in the second half.

"I don't know how to elaborate," Howard said. "We made silly mistakes and turnovers and they were able to capitalize on it."

The Pepsi Center is not a nurturing environment. The last time the Nuggets played a game here, they scored 168 points. Denver averaged 126.3 points and beat teams by an average of 23 points in its previous six home games.

The Mavericks were simply their latest victim.

"If it comes down to the last game and we're tied with them, we can't do nothing but look at ourselves and know we had opportunities, not only tonight but the game at home where they came in and took it from us," Stackhouse said. "We can't do anything but look in the mirror.

"That's all we can do from here on out."

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/032808dnspomavslede.85b9869.html


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

I thought it would get better as time goes by, but we are at the point where we can safely say that it did not get better. Still no win against a team with a winning record, our best player might be done for the season. I had some confidence after the Kidd trade, it is gone now and looking at the reminder of the schedule we are probably going to miss the playoffs.


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## NewAgeBaller (Jan 8, 2007)

croco said:


> I thought it would get better as time goes by, but we are at the point where we can safely say that it did not get better. Still no win against a team with a winning record, our best player might be done for the season. I had some confidence after the Kidd trade, it is gone now and looking at the reminder of the schedule we are probably going to miss the playoffs.


Same & agreed.


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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

outcoached once again.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

VeN said:


> outcoached once again.


I am looking at the boxscore, and it looks like AJ had a nice talk with the players during half time.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

If I were a player I would also be annoyed by his voice after three years.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

> "We're battling our butts off out there."


A coach in danger of losing his job will often take up for his team. This one's doing it a lot lately.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

It's not the first time the Mavs have wasted a golden opportunity. I was watching the game on TNT and then went through all the losses against winning teams that they had, and 4 of the 8 were by 4 or less points. Those were some wasted opportunities also... Games that could have been won, but were not.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Jet said:


> It's not the first time the Mavs have wasted a golden opportunity. I was watching the game on TNT and then went through all the losses against winning teams that they had, and 4 of the 8 were by 4 or less points. Those were some wasted opportunities also... Games that could have been won, but were not.


Coaching? :whistling:


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

I love Avery, so therefore I'm not going to blame him for it.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Jet said:


> I love Avery, so therefore I'm not going to blame him for it.


You're a great girl, but you'd make a lousy GM.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

Haha yeah I know. I loved Avery as a player, so I couldn't fire him as a coach. Remember how ecstatic I was when Avery took Nellie's place as head coach?


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Jet said:


> Haha yeah I know. I loved Avery as a player, so I couldn't fire him as a coach. Remember how ecstatic I was when Avery took Nellie's place as head coach?


Yeah, and he definitely was the shot in the arm they needed - what is unknown though is the connection between him and the team; is he willing to let the players play to their strengths (especially since Kidd’s arrival)? Has he himself grown in knowledge regarding the nuances and strategy of coaching (he's been outcoached in the playoffs - has he proven that he’s growing, or that he’s unwilling to grow)?

Many times he’s given postgame comments about the team not following his instruction - they’ve got to be on the same page if this is going to work. Cuban is no doubt looking to see how he handles this adversity, or perhaps at this point it's "playoffs or eat the remainder of the contract". :thinking2:


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Jet said:


> It's not the first time the Mavs have wasted a golden opportunity. I was watching the game on TNT and then went through all the losses against winning teams that they had, and 4 of the 8 were by 4 or less points. Those were some wasted opportunities also... Games that could have been won, but were not.


This is why I thought they would improve in those situations, but it's been the same story for forever now.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

croco said:


> This is why I thought they would improve in those situations, but it's been the same story for forever now.


Who's the problem then?


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> Who's the problem then?


The entire team including the coaches.


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

croco said:


> The entire team including the coaches.


But it starts with the coaching staff.


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## VeN (May 10, 2005)

xray said:


> Has he himself grown in knowledge regarding the nuances and strategy of coaching (he's been outcoached in the playoffs - has he proven that he’s growing, or that he’s unwilling to grow)?


to me, hes making the same coaching mistakes hes always done.


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