SB Nation Dallas - Mavericks Vs. Bobcats: Dallas Hangs On For 101-96 Win Over Charlottehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48887/dallas-fave.png2012-03-15T22:29:35-05:00http://dallas.sbnation.com/rss/stream/26385482012-03-15T22:29:35-05:002012-03-15T22:29:35-05:00Brendan Haywood Injury: Mavericks Center Suffers Knee Sprain Against Bobcats
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<p>Brendan Haywood left during the second half of Thursday's game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats">Charlotte Bobcats</a> with what the team is calling a mild right knee sprain. Haywood went to the locker room and did not return. </p>
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<p>Officially, it's a right knee sprain for Brendan Haywood and he will NOT return tonight.</p>
— Earl K. Sneed (@EKS_MavsNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/EKS_MavsNBA/status/180478833353428993" data-datetime="2012-03-16T02:21:21+00:00">March 16, 2012</a>
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<p>Haywood was playing in just his second game back from an ankle injury that he suffered on March 5 against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a>. He missed four games with the ankle before returning for Tuesday's win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a>. </p>
<p>Haywood is averaging 5.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this season. Haywood had six points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes of action against the Bobcats. </p>
<p><i>For more on Brendan Haywood and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a> be sure to check out <a href="http://www.mavsmoneyball.com">Mavs Moneyball</a>. For more news and analysis from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">NBA Basketball page</a>. </i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-mavericks/2012/3/15/2876692/brendan-haywood-injury-mavericksKris Willis2012-03-15T22:05:42-05:002012-03-15T22:05:42-05:00Mavericks Vs. Bobcats Final Score: Dallas Holds On For 101-96 Win
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a> struggled at times but held on for a 101-96 win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats">Charlotte Bobcats</a>. After trailing 54-48 at halftime, the Mavericks outscored the Bobcats 26-14 in the third quarter. Charlotte made things interesting at the end after the Mavericks put things on cruise control just a little early. </p>
<p><span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> scored 27 points and <span>Jason Terry</span> chipped in 18 off the bench to lead the Mavericks. <span>Rodrigue Beaubois</span> added 14 points and <span>Vince Carter</span> finished with 11. </p>
<p><span>Corey Maggette</span> scored 21 points on 5-15 shooting to lead the Bobcats. <span>Tyrus Thomas</span> added 14 points while <span>Kemba Walker</span>, <span>D.J. Augustin</span> and <span>Gerald Henderson</span> finished with 12 points each. </p>
<p>Dallas improves 25-20 on the season and 17-7 at home. Charlotte falls to 6-36 and are just 3-21 on the road this season. </p>
<p><i style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For the latest news and notes on Mavericks, head to <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c82527; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavs Moneyball</a> while <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c82527; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.rufusonfire.com/">Rufus On Fire</a> has you covered for all the pregame angles from Charlotte. For more news and analysis from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c82527; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">NBA Basketball page.</a></i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-mavericks/2012/3/15/2876573/mavericks-vs-bobcats-final-scoreKris Willis2012-03-15T20:43:06-05:002012-03-15T20:43:06-05:00Mavericks Vs. Bobcats Score: Dallas Trailing Charlotte 54-48 At Halftime
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a>' struggles continue as they trail the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats">Charlotte Bobcats</a> 54-48 at halftime after a big second quarter by the visiting team. The Bobcats outscored the Mavericks 31-25 in the second quarter behind a strong start by rookie <span>Kemba Walker</span>. </p>
<p><span>Dirk Nowitzki</span> leads the Mavericks with 13 points on 5-11 shooting. <span>Jason Terry</span> added added 11 points. Dallas hit 47 percent of its shots in the first half but turned the ball over seven times leading to 16 points for Charlotte.</p>
<p>Kemba Walker leads the Bobcats with 10 points and three assists off the bench. <span>D.J. Augustin</span> and <span>Tyrus Thomas</span> scored eight points each. Charlotte hit 51 percent of its attempts in the first half including 6-10 attempts from three-point range. </p>
<p><i style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For the latest news and notes on Mavericks, head to <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c82527; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavs Moneyball</a> while <a style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c82527; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;" href="http://www.rufusonfire.com/">Rufus On Fire</a> has you covered for all the pregame angles from Charlotte. For more news and analysis from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">NBA Basketball page.</a> </i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-mavericks/2012/3/15/2876418/mavericks-vs-bobcats-halftime-scoreKris Willis2012-03-15T15:16:08-05:002012-03-15T15:16:08-05:00Mavericks Vs. Bobcats Preview: Five Questions With SB Nation's Charlotte Blog
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<p>We discuss the futility of Charlotte's season, the best way to rebuild an NBA team and the future of former Texas PG DJ Augustin. </p> <p><i>To preview the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a> game against the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Bobcats</a> on Thursday, we've brought in Cardboard Gerald from SBN's <a href="http://www.rufusonfire.com/">Rufus on Fire</a>, whose had the thankless joy of being a hardcore Charlotte fan over the last few years.</i></p>
<p><i>Check back later in the day for answers to his questions about Dallas.</i></p>
<p>1) How painful is it to regularly watch Charlotte's games this season? I feel like anyone who sits through all 66this year deserves some type of award.</p>
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<p>It's tough. Really tough. Thankfully, I don't watch every game. Work or school usually preclude me from watching at least a game a week, sometimes more, but yes, I have seen most of their games this season. It's difficult, especially as a blogger covering the team on a daily basis. It hurts to see the team struggle like this and have such a blurry future yet you want them to be as competitive as soon as possible, but it takes so much time.</p>
<p>Back in their dreadful losing streak, I felt like game recaps were just so repetitive. A lack of effort and focus, an inability to defend in the paint and the incapacity to get shots at the rim. And when the losses consistently become by 20 points or more, you can't help but question if any of the players have a future with the team. Luckily, injuries healed and the Bobcats look slightly more competent as of late, but they're still not easy to watch.</p>
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<p>2) This team was in the playoffs only two years ago. Do you think tearing it down to its foundations OKC style was the right thing to do?</p>
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<p>I do. Their ceiling with that team was a 6th seed, tops. Chemistry was falling apart and the team leaders were at the age that we deem their peak years. Maybe they didn't get a great deal for <span>Gerald Wallace</span>; it's tough to say without knowing what else was out there on the table. But they made the necessary move to start the rebuilding process. They had limitations in talent and cap space taken up by plenty of bloated contracts. The team had little room for improvement and next to zero odds for playoff contention. It had to be done.</p>
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<p>3) How have the Bobcats two lottery picks, <span>Kemba Walker</span> and <span>Bismack Biyombo</span>, progressed this season and what do you their NBA ceiling is?</p>
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<p>They've been OK. Inconsistency haunts both of them, but that's to be expected. Kemba's shown nice flashes of what he can contribute and I think if he tightens up his shot and becomes a more consistent midrange shooter, he can be really dangerous. He has great skill to create space, but his shot doesn't fall as much as it needs to. But he's making improvements aside from shooting; his passing and running an offense looks better than earlier, too.</p>
<p>Biyombo's play is up and down as he continues to learn the game. We knew he'd be a project coming into the season, and with a shortened offseason even more shortened by his Fuenlabrada contract troubles, he had to learn the NBA transition on the fly. His shotblocking already proves to be top-notch, though his post defense can easily be beaten by savvy post players. Biyombo's strong and can hold his ground, but that finesse game with pump fakes and head fakes is just something he has trouble defending right now.</p>
<p>Offensively, he's not as bad as I thought he'd be. His hook shot is more credible than you'd expect, though it's far from solid. He hasn't shown to be a spectacular rebounder, but you have to keep an eye on him on the boards. No one on the Bobcats goes after rebounds like him. With his athleticism and desire to soak up knowledge about the game, I like his potential.</p>
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<p>4) With Walker's arrival, former Texas great DJ Augustin doesn't seem to have a place in Charlotte anymore. Do you think he's a legitimate NBA starting PG and if you had to guess where do you think he'll be next year?</p>
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<p>I do think Augustin can start in the league. He's not going to be a good first or second scoring option for a team, but he's a guy who can run the pick and roll decently well and take care of the ball. He might be best in a <span>Derek Fisher</span> type of role on a contender, knocking down open shots. But perhaps he might be better as a first or second guy off the bench. It's hard to say where he goes from here. He could get traded before the deadline, or he could sign elsewhere as a free agent. The world is his oyster, but it certainly seems like he won't be in a Bobcats jersey next season.</p>
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<p>5) After two years at the end of the bench and in the D-Leaguefor OKC, <span>Byron Mullens</span> isn't exactly a household name. However, he has put up some interesting per-36 minute statistics in Charlottethis year. Talk a little about his game.</p>
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<p>Byron Mullens set the world aflame with his hot shooting early in the season. He returned back to earth not too long afterwards, but he's back to old tricks lately. Mullens is best in pick and pop plays getting shots in rhythm off the pass from the guard. His size and high release in addition to playing far from the paint make him a difficult guard for most big men who don't want to stray too far from defending the rim. Mullens also plays the pick and roll pretty well and shows decent hands around the hoop.</p>
<p>All that said, the rest of his game is pretty subpar. His attempts to create his own shot, whether facing up or back to the basket, often end in failure. His defense is laughable one-on-one. Mullens is too weak to hold his position against most centers in the post and he has trouble reading pick and rolls defensively. He's better guarding the rim with defensive-minded players like Biyombo playing beside him, but I'd attack him regardless were I an opposing player.</p>
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https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-mavericks/2012/3/15/2875033/mavericks-vs-bobcats-preview-dj-augustin-trade-rumorsJonathan Tjarks2012-03-15T12:19:49-05:002012-03-15T12:19:49-05:00Mavericks Vs. Bobcats: Game Preview, TV Info And More
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<p>Dallas will try to take advantage of their second consecutive home game against the dregs of the Eastern Conference.</p> <p>After bouncing back from a brutal stretch of 9 games in 12 days after the All-Star break with an easy 107-98 win over the hapless <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> on Tuesday, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a> get another get well gift from the NBA when the hopeless <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/charlotte-bobcats">Charlotte Bobcats</a> come to town Thursday.</p>
<p>It's hard to overemphasize how inept the Bobcats have been this season, the end result of a decision to blow up a 44-win team that made the playoffs in 2009 and start over.</p>
<p>They're 6-31 with a -13.4 point differential, one of the worst in NBA history. They've lost by over by over 40 points multiple times and are coming off a 107-87 loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a> on Wednesday night.</p>
<p>With former Maverick <span>DeSagana Diop</span> joining <span>Boris Diaw</span> as part of an out-of-shape and unmotivated Charlotte front-court, the Bobcats only bright spots have been their talented but inconsistent lottery picks: <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52415/kemba-walker">Kemba Walker</a> from UConn and <span>Bismack Biyombo</span> from the Republic of Congo.</p>
<p>For the Mavericks, the biggest concern is letting a young Charlotte team gain confidence by staying in the game against the defending NBA champions. On the last day of a four games in six days road trip, the Bobcats are likely thinking of returning home and may fold early if Dallas comes out strong.</p>
<p><i>For the latest news and notes on Mavericks, head to <a href="http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavs Moneyball</a> while <a href="http://www.rufusonfire.com/">Rufus On Fire</a> has you covered for all the pregame angles from Charlotte.</i></p>
https://dallas.sbnation.com/dallas-mavericks/2012/3/15/2874461/mavericks-vs-bobcats-game-preview-tv-info-and-moreJonathan Tjarks