Hawks - Mavericks

[lethalweapon3]

The Champ is Here! After flirting with becoming the only team other than the 1999 Chicago Bulls to fail to make the playoffs one season after winning the NBA title, the Dallas Mavericks arrive at the Highlight Factory for its playoff tune-up against the Hawks.

Dallas holds the tiebreakers against 8^th-seeded Utah and 6^th-seeded Denver. So the Mavs will be paired up against either 2^nd-seeded Oklahoma City (potentially Harden-less) or the 3^rd-seeded Lakers (potentially Peace-less), the latter being the opponents they upset on their way to the NBA Finals in 2011.

A former Hawk we wrote off years ago that makes his first return to Philips as a NBA champ is Jason Terry. Soon to be an unrestricted free agent, this might be Jet’s last foray in Atlanta as a Maverick, depending on how things go for Mark Cuban in the Deron Williams cage match/sweepstakes. He’s still doing what he does best – firing away – ranking 2^nd in the NBA in threes made and 3^rd in threes attempted. Dallas as a team has the highest rate of three point shots (27% of all field goal attempts) in the West, but only hits around a third of them (34%, 19^th in the NBA).

If you’re a fan of old-heads like 39-year-old Jason Kidd and 35-year-old Vince Carter, this might be their last regular-season appearance as well, with Dallas or perhaps anybody else. Kidd has been resting up for the playoffs but might make a cameo, perhaps as a ceremonial starter ahead of Rodrigue Beaubois. Carter has been a starter for much of the season but has been coming off the bench of late. He hasn’t really shot the ball well (41.5 FG% in his last four games) but has been readily getting to the line and helping with rebounding duties (18.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG). Considering his durability through much of the season, Vince should be able to find a nice, short veteran’s-minimum contract this summer.

Dirk Nowitzki still uses his lean-back jumper to devastating effect. He and his old drinking buddy Steve Nash are the only major players nailing at least half of their two-point jumpers from 16 feet out. Nowitzki also gets bunches of his points at the line (almost 6 per game, shooting 89%). If you have to put someone on the line, you don’t want to hack Dirk or any of the guards, almost all of them shooting over 82%. Instead you’ll want bigs like Haywood (47%) and Ian Mahinmi (64%), who get sent to the line plenty in limited minutes but rarely go 2-for-2.

Coach Rick Carlisle has transformed the Mavericks from a team that sought to just outscore everybody to one capable of making stops. Its defensive rating (102.1 opponent points per 100 possessions doesn’t sound like much, but it’s the lowest in the franchise’s 32-year history. The Mavs rank 3^rd in defensive rebounds per game and 4^th in steals per game. Kidd and former Mavs DeShawn Stevenson and Tyson Chandler helped turn things around in prior seasons, but these days, it’s Shawn Marion getting the accolades lately. The Matrix has been holding opposing forwards to around 35 percent shooting (according to Carlisle). Don’t count on a productive night offensively from Josh Smith if he’s not posting up Marion on the blocks.

Young Golden State castaway Brandan Wright has been something of a revelation, with the team’s lowest defensive rating (100) and the only player other than Brendan Haywood actually blocking shots (1.3 BPG). He leads the team in block percentage (6.4% of opponent field goal attempts) and lowest turnover percentage (7.4% of possessions), the only player in the NBA’s top 20 for both categories. A fellow ex-Warrior, Kelenna Azubuike, once averaged 14 PPG a couple seasons ago, before being beset by injuries that knocked him out of the league. He’ll be playoff eligible after getting acquired from the D-League just before the NBAs deadline. To help shake some of the rust off, he may get some minutes in the event of a large lead/deficit.

Delonte West has this annoying habit of sticking appendages in places where they shouldn’t be, but he’s been assessed his fine for wet-willie’ing Gordon Hayward just over a week ago. Happily for Dallas, the one thing he’s been able to put his finger on is how to find the rim. The 6-foot-3 guard is hitting shots at a 60.5% clip over the past eight games, averaging 16.2 PPG over his past six.

The Hawks will likely catch a break at the rim, where Dallas takes just 26 percent of their shots (second lowest in the NBA). Instead of Haywood, look for the likes of Citizen Pain (Brian Cardinal) and Yi Jianlian to get some time in tonight.

Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

Noting that Mavs media indicates Carlisle will likely still rest Kidd tonight, on the DNP-OLD tip.~lw3

[AHF]

Noting that Mavs media indicates Carlisle will likely still rest Kidd tonight, on the DNP-OLD tip.

~lw3

I heard he was afraid Drew would look to get some payback after Kidd came after Woodson a few years ago. Drew basically intimidated Kidd out of playing.

In fact, here he is threatening Kidd from the last time we played the Mavs:

[Admin]

Not watching the game since the NFL draft is where it's at for me tonight but following it on gamecast and dezzam did we really put up 38 in the 1st quarter tonight? And Boston is in a fight with the Bucks early. Now please Miami trade back and don't take Tannehill at 8, combined with a Hawks win and I'll be having an awesome night.

[Gray Mule]

Dolfan23Hawks hit everything in sight in the 1st qtr - Big lead with 60.Celtics have their final game against Bucs - Big lead with 60.Falcons don't draft until 2nd round, so I'm watching Hawks.(And, the Braves are off tonight)Hawks VS Celtics - - Sunday.GO HAWKS!!!

Edited April 27, 2012 by Gray Mule

[Admin]

Dolfan23Hawks hit everything in sight in the 1st qtr - Big lead with 60.Celtics have their final game against Bucs - Big lead with 60.Falcons don't draft until 2nd round, so I'm watching Hawks.(And, the Braves are off tonight)Hawks VS Celtics - - Sunday.GO HAWKS!!!

Good stuff GM thanks! Sucks that Boston is running away with it and we're letting Dallas back into the game.Never know the Falcons may move into the 1st, although they'd have to give up a lot to do it.

[Guest]

Dolfan23

Hawks hit everything in sight in the 1st qtr - Big lead with 60.

Celtics have their final game against Bucs - Big lead with 60.

Falcons don't draft until 2nd round, so I'm watching Hawks.

(And, the Braves are off tonight)

Hawks VS Celtics - - Sunday.

GO HAWKS!!!

You will be gald to know that Dampier played tonight and had some rebounds....

[Randy]

Yeah - 4 rebounds in 5 minutes. Took Collins 16 minutes to get one rebound.

[lethalweapon3]

Aside:2011-12 DEFENSIVE RATINGS (points allowed per 100 possessions):1. Kevin Garnett (Center) 94.22. Carlos Boozer (Forward) 95.23. Dwight Howard (Center) 95.64. Joakim Noah (Center) 95.75. JOSH SMITH (Forward) 95.96. Elton Brand (Center) 96.27. LeBron James (Forward) 97.48. Andre Iguodala (Forward) 97.89. Marcus Camby (Center) 98.110. Serge Ibaka (Forward) 98.32011-12 DEFENSIVE WIN SHARES1. JOSH SMITH (Forward) 4.92. LeBron James (Forward) 4.53. Dwight Howard (Center) 4.44. Kevin Garnett (Center) 4.35. Carlos Boozer (Forward) 4.36. Joakim Noah (Center) 4.27. Andre Iguodala (Forward) 4.28. Marc Gasol (Center) 4.09. Kevin Durant (Forward) 3.710. Paul Pierce (Forward) 3.7~lw3

[Admin]

How in the world is Boozer ranked so highly? It must be due to the Bulls overall defense as he's nowhere near that good of a defender.

[lethalweapon3]

Aside #2:TOP FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGES AMONG NBA GUARDS, APRIL 2012:(min. 10 games or 50 FG attempts)(** = in Eastern Conference Playoffs)1. JEFF TEAGUE 54.4%**2. Manu Ginobili 53.0%3. Ty Lawson 52.9%4. Danny Green 52.5%5. Anthony Parker 52.5%6. Gary Neal 52.3%7. Arron Afflalo 52.1%8. Kobe Bryant 52.1%9. Avery Bradley 52.0%**10. Steve Nash 51.2%11. Tony Parker 51.0%12. Sebastian Telfair 50.8%13. JOE JOHNSON 50.3%**14. Tyreke Evans 50.0%15. Delonte West 50.0%TOP FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGES AMONG NBA FORWARDS, APRIL 2012:(min. 10 games or 50 FG attempts)(** = in Eastern Conference Playoffs)1. Tiago Splitter 67.1%2. Boris Diaw 62.5%3. Brandan Wright 60.0%4. Tim Duncan 59.2%5. Blake Griffin 59.1%6. Kenneth Faried 58.4%7. IVAN JOHNSON 58.2%**8. Jason Smith 58.1%9. Jason Thompson 57.4%10. Derrick Favors 57.1%~lw3