The Dallas Mavericks (17-13) began a 3-game road trip as they took on the Chicago Bulls (11-17) on Saturday night. The Mavs prevailed in thrilling fashion with a 105-83 victory.
How it went down:
From tip-off, the Mavs looked be aggressive and jumped out to an early 11-point lead in the first quarter. With just under two minutes left in the first quarter, the Mavs produced a 15-2 run thanks two huge three-pointers from Vince Carter.
Dallas carried their first quarter momentum for the rest of the first half, outscoring the Bulls 30 to 15 in the entire second quarter. The Mavericks held Chicago to 39 points through two quarters, the lowest point total that Dallas has held an opponent in the first half this season.
The Mavs slowly let their foot off the gas pedal through most of the second half. The Bulls stepped up on defense, holding Dallas scoreless in the first six minutes of the final quarter. The Bulls went on a 16-0 run with Joakim Noah’s 8 points, but it just wasn’t enough to pull out the victory.
Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki finished the game with 18 points. Shawn Marion recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Monta Ellis’ 22 points made him the team’s scoring leader. Five Bulls players finished the game in double figures, led by Joakim Noah’s double-double performance: 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Inside the Numbers:
Chicago experienced countless issues on the offensive side of the ball. The Bulls shot a grueling 38 percent and turned over the ball 13 times in the first half alone. At the end of the game, the Bulls finished shooting 18% from behind the arch.
The Mavericks looked nearly flawless on offense. Dallas was 10 of 11 (90%) from the free throw line and 50% from the three-point line.
Impact Play of the Game:
In the beginning of the second quarter, Dirk Nowitzki converts a 4-point play after being fouled on a made three-pointer at the top of the key. Two minutes later, Jae Crowder also converts a huge 4-point play after being fouled. This helped the Mavs jump out to an early 14-2 run in the second period.
Step-Up Mav of the Night: Dirk Nowitzki
As of lately this month, Dirk Nowitzki has arguably carried the team on his back. Dirk ended the game with 18 points, but 12 of his point came from behind the three-point line. Nowitzki also recorded 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and was a defensive threat in the paint with 3 blocks.
On Deck:
The Mavs continued their 3-game road trip traveling west to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.
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