# GT: New Orleans Hornets @ Dallas Mavericks



## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

*







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*New Orleans Hornets [14-8] @ Dallas Mavericks [14-9]*
 | Friday, December 14 2007 | Dallas, Texas | American Airlines Center | 8:30 pm ET | 
| *TV*: FSNSW | *Radio*: KESN-FM 103.3; KFLC-AM 1270 (Spanish) |


*Game Notes*

In the first three seasons after the creation of the Southwest Division, the Dallas Mavericks dominated the New Orleans Hornets, winning each game against them and finishing ahead of them in the standings each season. 

After snapping their skid against the Mavericks earlier this month, however, the Hornets think 2007-08 could finally be the season to turn things around. 

New Orleans looks to protect its lead over Dallas when the division rivals square off at American Airlines Center on Friday night. 

Realignment brought the Hornets to the Western Conference before the 2004-05 season, putting them in the newly formed Southwest Division with Dallas. The Mavericks won the teams' next 12 meetings, extending their win streak over the Hornets to 21 games dating to 1999, when the Hornets were based in Charlotte. 

This season's Hornets (14-8), however, don't look like the division doormats they've been in recent years. They've managed to stay reasonably healthy and play consistently behind the lead of third-year point guard Chris Paul -- one of three opening-night starters who missed significant time last season due to injury. 

This year's Mavericks (14-9), meanwhile, are equally hard to recognize. After winning a league-best 67 games last season, Dallas is in third place in its own division, trailing San Antonio and New Orleans. 

The Hornets halted their losing streak against the Mavericks with a 112-108 overtime victory at home on Dec. 1. Paul had 33 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds in that game, and Tyson Chandler added 21 points and 13 boards. 

Paul is averaging 19.1 points, 6.5 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals while shooting 50.4 percent from the field in eight career games against the Mavericks, but that was his first win against them. 

"This is the last team in the NBA I had yet to beat and I finally beat them," he said. "For a while there, everybody in the organization almost thought Dallas was unbeatable. We showed we could do it. ... Enough is enough." 

Dallas will likely need an improved defensive effort to recapture its form from last season. Coach Avery Johnson's typically stout defense is giving up 99.3 points per game. 

"We have to be better defensively to win, especially on the road consistently," Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki told the Mavericks' official Web site. "We have to do it with energy, getting back in transition, contesting shots even though sometimes the guy might be open, you still have to go out there and do your best." 


*Starting Lineups*





































*Devin Harris - Jason Terry - Josh Howard - Dirk Nowitzki - Erick Dampier*

*vs.*





































*Chris Paul - Morris Peterson - Peja Stojakovic - David West - Tyson Chandler*


*Injuries*

*Mavs:* Devin Harris (stomach virus) is a game-time decision.
*Hornets:* Melvin Ely (fractured eye socket) is out; Peja Stojakovic (groin muscle) and Mo Peterson (back) are day-to-day. 











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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Bass WILL go bananas on his former team...


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

Jet looks tallest. :biggrin:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Anybody thinks DAL wins tonight?

Where is the vbookie event? :biggrin:


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> Bass WILL go bananas on his former team...


I just hope he will get more minutes than Juwan Howard and Devean George combined :sadbanana:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

I've given away my tickets to all home games this year as Christmas presents. I am fed up with wasting time sitting there watching a bunch of players playing without heart. Plus, I am saving money by not having to spend money on those darned presents.

The next home game I will be attending is [email protected] on 1/2, and I'll go just to boo SJax and BDavis. They might shoot me, but I will die a happy booing-man.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

The Mavs better win this game... if they don't I might just go emo... which I've threatened to do many times, but never actually done because thats just silly. Anyway... I really hope Devin plays tonight.


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## southeasy (Jun 11, 2003)

xray said:


> Jet looks tallest. :biggrin:


Dirk looks the shortest!

anyway, the dallas board gamethreads always look the nicest..


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

edwardcyh said:


> I've given away my tickets to all home games this year as Christmas presents. I am fed up with wasting time sitting there watching a bunch of players playing without heart. Plus, I am saving money by not having to spend money on those darned presents.
> 
> The next home game I will be attending is [email protected] on 1/2, and I'll go just to boo SJax and BDavis. They might shoot me, but I will die a happy booing-man.


then youd miss Romo leading us to a payback victory over the Patriots(or Colts)!!!


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Some great D early, hopefully the Mavs can keep that up for a while.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Good first quarter, still too many jumpshots, but a lot more aggressiveness on both ends.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

There we are again, as bad as the Hornets have played the lead is only 8. Devin does a good job on Chris Paul, keeps him from creating for the shooters which is the main reason why they have a hard time getting good looks so far.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Up by 16 midway through the second quarter, down by 1 midway through the third quarter.

:|


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Playing 48 minutes with consistent effort is not one of the strenghts of this team right now.


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

2-8 :lol:


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Anybody watched the game tonight? The boxscore looks terrible in couple aspects:

1. Dirk only had 8 shots the entire game?

2. Dirk LED the team in assists with 6? That's more than both of our starting guards COMBINED.

3. Bass was 2-8, like Dirk....

4. Juwan Howard saw minutes, but Devean George DNP...

5. Hassell DNP.

Does that mean our rotation is close to being set?



Oh.... JET WAS ON FIRE!


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

t1no said:


> 2-8 :lol:


If that was mocking Dirk, cool...

If that was aimed at my boy Bass, :azdaja:


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## Dragnsmke1 (Jul 29, 2002)

edwardcyh said:


> Anybody watched the game tonight? The boxscore looks terrible in couple aspects:
> 
> 1. Dirk only had 8 shots the entire game?
> 
> ...



i seem to remember Bass having like 4 great dunks...was it really only 2?!!


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> Anybody watched the game tonight? The boxscore looks terrible in couple aspects:
> 
> 1. Dirk only had 8 shots the entire game?
> 
> ...


Dirk was very passive on offense, but he played some good defense on David West, he had more impact on the game than the box score suggests. I would even say it was probably his best defensive game of the year, but if you combine that with the offensive woes it still wasn't good. 

Bass was ok, he brought some energy and grabbed eight boards, nothing special though.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Dragnsmke1 said:


> i seem to remember Bass having like 4 great dunks...was it really only 2?!!


I think you confused Bass with Diop, both had two dunks :clap2:


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> If that was mocking Dirk, cool...
> 
> If that was aimed at my boy Bass, :azdaja:


I was mocking Dirk haha...
I am not going to pay much attention to Bass till he learns how to protect the paint, though his 1v1 D is really impressive +1 for him there.


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