Mavericks AM News: Coming Home At 2-1

20. 103. 79. Final. 93

The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up a season-opening road trip with a dominant 103-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center.

The third game of the young 2015-16 NBA season started quickly for the Mavericks. Dallas led by a score of 15-0 before Los Angeles Lakers legend hit the first of three free throws to make the score 15-3. A lead of 32-21 pretty much removed any doubt that Mavericks, now at full strength, would jump back above .500 while keeping the Lakers winless.

The win also makes head coach Rick Carlisle the winningest head coach in Mavericks history. The eighth-year head coach now has 340 wins as Dallas’ fearless leader and is the only coach to lead the Mavs to an NBA championship.

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In their eighth straight win over the Lakers, the Mavericks were finally at full strength. Guards Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews returned after missing the second game of the season against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Perhaps most significant was the long-awaited return of small forward Chandler Parsons, who finally made his return to the court for the first time since last season’s first round of the Western Conference playoffs against the Houston Rockets.

Chandler didn’t contribute much in the way of points (2), but the Mavericks proved once again that they could be a quite formidable team when numerous players reach double digits in scoring. During the opener against the Phoenix Suns last Wednesday, eight different Mavericks reached double digits. Dallas did the same on Sunday against a Lakers team that’s just awful on defense.

But instead of point guard Raymond Felton leading the way with 18 points, it was power forward Dirk Nowitzki who led the charge with 25. The big German looked much like he did back in the days of head coach Don Nelson while jump starting the offense early with shots from beyond the arc.

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Center Zaza Pachulia and Nowitzki combined for 21 rebound in this game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicates.

The Mavericks head home for the first time this season to prepare for the Toronto Raptors at American Airlines Center on Tuesday. The Charlotte Hornets arrive in Dallas for a Thursday night meeting and then New Orleans finishes the home stand next Saturday – all tip offs at AAC scheduled for 7:30pm CST.

Mavericks News From Around The Internet

Mavs Beat Winless Lakers, Nowitzki Scores 25 (Sports Illustrated via Associated Press)

The Dallas Mavericks completed the longest road trip ever to begin a season with a dominant victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staple Center. Future Hall of Fame forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 in leading the route.

Mavs Home Opener (DallasMavericks.com)

Planning to attend the Mavericks home-opener against the Toronto Raptors? DallasMavericks.com offers details on the game and also pregame festivities taking place at and around American Airlines Center before the home schedule gets underway.

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Mark Cuban: Sorry Clippers, L.A. Is Still A Lakers Town (Eddie Sefko – Dallas Morning News)

In a never-ending series of verbal shots at the Clippers, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban states the obvious following his team’s second straight game at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Published on 11/02/2015 at 15:01 PM
Last updated at 11/02/2015 at 12:11 PM

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