The Difference: Dallas Mavericks 99, Los Angeles Lakers 91

Posted by Connor Huchton on October 31, 2012 under Recaps | 2 Comments to Read

 Box Score – Play-by-Play – Shot Chart — Game Flow

You know the drill. The Difference is a reflection on the game that was, with one bullet for every point in the final margin.

  • It begins with defense. From season to season, as the Mavericks’ roster changes, grows, and bends, the theme of strong, systemic defensive style remains the same under the tutelage of Coach Rick Carlisle. Despite missing two of the team’s better offensive players in Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Kaman, the team’s energy never waned defensively. Darren Collison (17 points, four assists, 8-12 FG) spring-boarded along the perimeter, harrying Steve Nash (seven points, four assists, 3-9 FG) to a dismal performance. Shawn Marion (5-11 FG, 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists) played like the defensive-focused Hall-of-Famer he is. And Elton Brand (eight points, 11 rebounds, 3-10 FG) served as a constant breath of isolation defense fresh air. Brand bothered Dwight Howard (19 points, 10 rebounds, 8-12 FG, 3-14 FT) at every turn, and managed to limit his and other Lakers’ bigs opportunities to dominate the game for any significant stretch.
  • The Mavericks’ offensive cohesion was a surprise of the most pleasant kind. Nine Mavericks’ players had seven points or more, and apart from O.J. Mayo’s late game struggles, almost no player’s production came with a dose of moderate inefficiency. The ball moved with crispness, best exemplified by a late-game play in which Darren Collison passed to a cleverly positioned Elton Brand near the elbow, who in turn quickly passed to a rolling Shawn Marion for a smooth dunk. This transition from a two-man game situation to an immediate matchup advantage, simply through an act of positioning by Brand and the team’s general offensive flow, was a brief, pretty moment of basketball, and one that nicely summed up a night of fun movement.
  • Jae Crowder (eight points, 3-7 FG) and Rodrigue Beaubois (11 points, five assists, 4-8 FG) provided a seamless transition between Mavericks’ rotations through their energized play, both offensively and defensively. Crowder and Beaubois are perhaps the two most exciting players on the team until Nowitzki returns, so their success provided a welcome sight of hope for concerned Mavericks’ fans.
  • Beaubois’ five assists actually led the team, highlighting a fairly strong performance in only 17 minutes of action.
  • It must be noted that this Lakers’ team is not yet fully formed and clearly lacks chemistry at the moment, but it is equally worth noting how much vitality a less-than-healthy Mavericks’ exuded in juxtaposition to the Lakers.
  • Eddy Curry (3-7 FG, seven points, four rebounds) and Brandan Wright (14 points, five rebounds, 5-5 FG) must also be commended for their efforts in the place of the injured Chris Kaman, as both filled in admirably in their own way. Wright finished gracefully and efficiently at the rim as he always does (while exceeding expectations, which he also has a knack for doing), and Curry provided a moderately effective defensive presence for stretches of the game.
  • An important key to the Mavericks’ victory was how well the team collectively played to its own strengths. Collison and Beaubois used their speed and mid-range game, Marion found space for those oft-used six-foot floaters, Wright demonstrated the advantages of wingspan near the rim, and Brand helped move the ball between the perimeter and key with quickness and alacrity.
  • How the Mavericks react to an unexpected victory will be very telling in regards to the team’s continued chances until Nowitzki returns. Rhythm existed on both offense and defense tonight to an almost astounding extent – is the team capable of producing a similar effort on back-to-back nights without the overwhelming talent needed to coast?

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Matt Hulme

    Great analysis, Connor. Always love The Difference.

    I was actually at this game (first time at the Staples Center …first impression? Underwhelming.), and even from the opening tip of the new-look Lakers home opener, they never looked the stronger outfit. The first quarter went fairly well both ways, but at the start of the second, I said to my Lakers’ fan friend next to me that this is a bad sign. Not for the game (I still thought, until about three minutes left in the game) that the Lakers could and very well would come back, but for the bigger picture. That’s a team with a myriad of talent and problems to match, and I doubt Mike Brown is the right coach to pull it all together.

    As for the Mavericks, I said a few days ago that, if nothing else, this team would sure as hell be entertaining. They might just be pretty good, too. I’m very interested to see how they follow it up tonight in Salt Lake City, and beyond that, once Kaman, and eventually Dirk, return, how the team’s current chemistry/youth/energy will shift to a more standard Mavs set. One down, 81 to go. I love basketball.

  • Jose Santos

    Crowder is indeed very interesting, but I personally had more fun with Collison than anything else. Quite a difference, and a very welcome one, seeing a quick point guard who can score with these much younger new-look Mavs. Quite the contrast to the 40 minute Jason Kidd-run offense.

    Now let’s not get over-excited from the one game sample we’ve had so far. Let’s see what happens… but it looks promising so far. Like Matt said, one down, 81 to go. I love basketball.

home top