The Dallas Mavericks are starting to discover that. The loss to the Sixers on Thursday hurt, but Dallas will end February with a victory over the hottest team in the league. Even with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant out of the game, this was a victory that could give the Mavericks a boost. James Harden scored 29 points and conceded six assists, but it still wasn’t enough, as Brooklyn’s eight-game winning streak came to an end. Let’s look at some numbers:
9 Mavericks add up to at least one theft
The Mavericks, who have only two players averaging at least one robbery per game this season, put up a defensive clinic tonight. The Nets and Mavericks suffered because of their defenses this season, but tonight, it seemed that each Maverick gave a lot of energy to that side of the court. This showed not only Brooklyn making 19 turns, but also Dallas holding the Nets with just 34 points in the second half.
Dallas is now 14-0 in games in which they led after the first quarter
The Mavericks are proving that hot starts are becoming vital to their success. The 14 wins Dallas won after a first quarter advantage is the league’s top. The Mavericks are once again struggling with clutch problems, as they ranked 20th in the net clutch rating this season. Fortunately for Dallas, the beginning is putting them in a position of success.
The Mavericks are 11-2 when they make 14 or more this season
Dallas started his season with one of the ugliest shots I have ever seen. Sitting last in three-point efficiency at the very front of the schedule, Dallas has finally stepped out of that routine and is finding a rhythm in the depths. The Mavericks will end the month of February without a game in which they hit below 30 percent of the depths. This is something that happened in eight games earlier this month. If they can continue to shoot at that rate, that 11-2 record will prove to be no fraud.