Dallas Mavericks Blog – Page 56 – NBA Blog

Vince Carter 3 lifts Mavs over Hornets, 104-100

Dirk Nowitzki knows a vintage Vince Carter performance when he sees it.

So with a subtle nod, Nowitzki gave Carter the green light to take a crucial shot in the final seconds, and could not have been more pleased with the result.

Carter capped a 22-point performance with a 3-pointer that gave Dallas the lead with 6.5 seconds left, and the Mavericks held on for their third straight victory, 104-100 over the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night.

”I looked at him to see what he wanted,” Carter said of Nowitzki, who was supposed to get the shot with the Mavericks trailing 100-99. ”He gave me the nod to go ahead. Yes sir.” …

Nowitzki, who scored 25 points, said he and Carter noticed New Orleans making a defensive switch in the final few possessions, resulting in 7-foot forward Jason Smith covering Carter. When it happened just inside the final minute, Carter tried to drive on Smith, and found Mike James open in the left corner for a clutch 3 that made it a one-point game…

Elton Brand added 13 points for Dallas (25-29), which is 4 1/2 games out of the last Western Conference playoff spot with 28 games left. Darren Collison scored 11, hitting a pair of free throws with 3 seconds left for the final margin.

Eric Gordon scored 23 for the Hornets, who have lost three straight, but had only three points in the second half and lost the ball out of bounds while being closely guarded by O.J. Mayo with 5.8 seconds left, costing New Orleans a chance to set up a shot to tie or lead.

— Reported by Brett Martel of the Associated Press

Mavs trade Dahntay Jones to Hawks for Anthony Morrow

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have acquired guard Anthony Morrow from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for guard Dahntay Jones.

Morrow (6-5, 210) was originally signed by the Golden State Warriors after going undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft. He averaged double figures in each of his first four seasons in the league and holds career averages of 11.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 26.2 minutes in 280 career games (120 starts) with Golden State, New Jersey and Atlanta.

The Charlotte, N.C., native is career .450 shooter from the field, holds a .425 career average from behind-the-arc and has shot .895 from the free throw line. Morrow scored a career-high 42 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 3, 2012.

Morrow played collegiately at Georgia Tech where he established a school record by shooting .867 from the free throw line for his career while also finishing third in all-time three-point field goals (258).

Morrow will wear number 23 for the Mavericks.

Jones was acquired by the Mavericks, along with Darren Collison, from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Ian Mahinmi on July 12, 2012. He saw action in 50 games (15 starts) and averaged 3.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 12.7 minutes per game.

Elton Brand says Mavs must step up on defense

Elton Brand, one of the players who must shoulder the load when it comes to rebounding, understands the situation. He said the numbers make it clear why they have struggled.

“We play great defense for about 20 seconds,” Brand said Tuesday. “But there are all kinds of stats these days. And the stats say we’re one of the worst teams in the league defensively, 29th, in the last four seconds. So we’re not contesting shots right at the end.

“And the next step is, stopping the offensive rebounds. If you play good defense and don’t get the rebound — that’s cost us games.

“In these last 30 games, we have to take pride in that. We have to get stops and we have to come away with the ball. That’s why Sarge [Bernard James] is out there with his energy and Shawn [Marion], who’s athletic, is there. We got to do it by committee. We have to find a way to get those balls.”

— Reported by Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

Mavs may have interest in Eric Gordon

The odds of the New Orleans Hornets trading shooting guard Eric Gordon before the Feb. 21 deadline are slim.

The odds of the Mavs trading for Gordon before the deadline are much closer to none.

However, ESPN’s Chris Broussard reports in an Insider column that the Mavs, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors are among the teams that have inquired about Gordon. In the cases of the Mavs and Rockets – a couple of teams that will have enough cap space to enter the Dwight Howard summer sweepstakes – the inquiries are likely about exploring a potential offseason fallback option…

Is Gordon worth that kind of money when the Mavs could probably re-sign O.J. Mayo for significantly less?

— Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas

Vince Carter passes Larry Bird as Mavs put away Kings 123-100

Move over, Larry Legend. Vinsanity still has a few special moments in him.

Vince Carter scored 26 points to pass Larry Bird on the NBA’s career scoring list, and the Dallas Mavericks headed into the All-Star break with a 123-100 victory against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

Carter earned his nickname with circus dunks but can’t quite rattle the rim like he used to. He’s more dangerous these days from one of the places where Bird did plenty of damage: the 3-point line.

The 14-year veteran turned aside a Sacramento rally in the third quarter by going 5 of 7 from long range and scoring 17 of Dallas’ last 21 points in the period. He ended the night with 21,796 career points for 29th on the all-time list, five ahead of Bird.

”There were open shots and I was shooting them to make them. I wasn’t shooting to get attention,” said Carter, who also became the 11th NBA player with at least 1,600 3-pointers. ”I’ve talked to Larry before. He is a legend and one of the greatest to play the game.”

Tyreke Evans scored 23 for the Kings, who lost their 18th straight regular season game in Dallas dating back almost 10 years.

The 3-pointer that pushed Carter past Bird came from a couple of feet behind the line with 2.9 seconds left in the third quarter and gave Dallas a 92-77 lead.

— Reported by Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press

Did Vince Carter commit beard violation?

The rules regarding the Mavericks’ beard pact are a bit fuzzy, so to speak.

Shaving the neck is definitely allowed. What about the cheekbones? That will determine whether sixth man Vince Carter has violated the pact of not shaving until the Mavs hit .500 again.

Carter’s beard is bushy, but it’s been lined up on the neck and cheekbones and his mustache has been well trimmed. According to his interpretation of the unwritten rules, Carter is still in compliance.

“I can’t have it in my eyes, bro. Sorry,” Carter said. “Have you seen Chris Kaman? I can’t do that, man. I didn’t make the rules. That’s the thing. I don’t know where all the rules came from. O.J. (Mayo) was like, ‘We can’t cut the beard.’ The beard is the beard.”

— Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas

Rick Carlisle impressed with Warriors

Just because the Golden State Warriors played and lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, 99-93, on Friday night, Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle doesn’t believe that gives his team a distinct advantage when they face the Warriors tonight at 7:30 at American Airlines Center.

“They’re very, very good and they always bring it,” Carlisle told three reporters after this morning’s shoot around. “The other thing about them statistically, a lot of teams have big dropoffs on (the second game of) back-to-backs.

“These guys actually have better stats in a lot of areas on back-to-backs, which shows what great condition they’re in and how tough-minded they are.”

— Reported by Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Blog)

Shawn Marion says bad teams should not try to trade for him

The Feb. 21 NBA trade deadline is approaching. Shawn Marion doesn’t know if his name will be wafting in trade winds, but he says this much for certain:

“The thing is, right now, you come into a position like I am, this is my 14th season,” Marion, 34, said after practice Friday. “If I’m going to get traded, they’re going to tell me what’s going on and where I’m going.

“Because if I’m going to a (crummy) situation, I’m not going. It’s just that simple.”

Marion does not have the ability, by contract, to veto trades, but he does have a 15-percent trade-kicker clause.

— Reported by Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News

NBA fines Mavs coach Rick Carlisle $25,000

Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of officiating, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

Carlisle made his comments post game following the Mavericks’ 100-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 31 at Oracle Arena.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “Carlisle sent texts to reporters today, letting them know that he is in complete agreement with the NBA’s decision to dock him a few thousand dollars. “I spoke to the NBA office today and agreed that I should be fined for my comments following the Golden State game,” Carlisle texted. “In this league we all have challenging jobs, and the job of the officials is one of the toughest. “Those postgame remarks about the officiating were not appropriate and I accept the fine.”

Delonte West leaves D-League team in limbo

West, the colorful journeyman guard who has been out of basketball since his detrimental conduct caused the Mavericks to release him just before the season opened, has left the D-League’s Texas Legends in limbo. The Legends claimed West on Jan. 25 after he put his name in the D-League player pool, but he has yet to report to Frisco.

A source said it’s up to West whether he will play for the Legends, who are still open to having him on the team and continue to list him on the roster on the team’s website. West has complicated the process by parting ways with agent Dan Fegan.

West, 29, a valuable role player during his lone campaign in Dallas last season, had hoped to earn another chance with the Mavs via his performance and behavior with their D-League affiliate. However, Mavs owner Mark Cuban publicly declared that wasn’t a possibility hours after the Legends acquired West’s rights.

— Reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas