vs Denver Nuggets
—–LAST YEAR RESULTS—– —–UPCOMING MEETINGS—–
DEC 26 @ DALLAS: L 115-93 DEN 28 @ DENVER
FEB 8 @ DENVER: W 105-95 APR 4 @ DENVER
FEB 15 @ DALLAS: W 102-84 APR 12 @ DALLAS
MAR 19 @ DENVER: W 112-95
MAVS WON SERIES 3-1
There’s no doubt that the Nuggets have been a whole lot better ever since trading Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks and now getting Andre Iguodala the Nuggets have gotten even better than they were last year.
The Dallas Mavericks may have a hard time keeping up with this team now that they do have Iguodala. Denver may not have a group of big name talent and I really don’t see Iguodala as a big name guy, but with the talent that Denver has they do not need a big name guy. This year should be a career season for Iguodala and I believe his stats will raise dramatically. With these two teams meeting for the first time in late December both the Nuggets and the Mavericks will have enough games played that everybody should see what both teams will be like for the remainder of the season.
I believe one key to the game for the Mavericks to beat this Nuggets team is to get JaVale McGee into foul trouble. There is no other big man that can really defend the paint and that’s how the Mavericks need to get most of their points against this team. However, that does not mean anything if they do not defend this team. Last year the Nuggets ranked #1 in points scored, but was almost dead last in points allowed. Last year the Mavericks won three out of the four games all by double digit.
The Mavs will need to score hurry in the first quarter and keep them away with defense. If they can stop the assist to Iguodala then the Mavs should be able to win all three games by double digits. Last year they outscored the Nuggets in both quarters in the first half and that’s what Dallas is going to need to do again if they want to beat this Nuggets team.
For the Nuggets their key will need to be take Dirk out of his game. Make him pass when he is uncomfortable where it will make the Mavericks make careless mistake. The Mavs have a tendency to give up 4th quarter leads and they have been doing that for the past few years. If the Nuggets stop the Mavs in transition then they should easily take at least two out of the three games that they meet this year. However, I do see the Nuggets struggling against the Mavericks yet again this year as they did last season and that means that the Mavs should easily take all three games away from Denver.
vs Philadelphia 76ers
—–LAST YEAR RESULTS—– —–UPCOMING MEETINGS—–
FEB 17 @ PHILLY: W 82-75 NOV 27 @ PHILLY
MAVS WON SERIES 1-0 DEC 18 @ DALLAS
Believe it or not I predict the Mavs struggling both times against the 76ers. With the acquisition of Andrew Bynum by Philadelphia I think that he will be the main reason why the Mavericks lose both meetings against this team. With the power of Bynum in the pain I see the Mavs getting into foul trouble early which will force Rick Carlisle to pull guys out and with the 76ers having Jason Richardson, Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young still on the court the Mavericks will have a hard time keeping up.
I know that the NBA is quite a ways to the opener, but looking at Philadelphia’s roster that the Mavericks will have trouble against them especially during the early meetings of the season. With that said the keys for both games for Dallas is to stay out of early foul trouble and put the Sixers in foul trouble. If their key guys like Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion can stay on the court without getting in to foul trouble early then they will need to score in a hurry. They are going to need to depend on their jump shots as the centers of the 76ers will be a problem for the Mavs to get through. If the Mavs are able to connect with their shots early then they should have a shot at the end of the game to win.
If the Mavericks do win this game it will most likely win by a point or two, but if the 76ers win this game it will be most likely be a double digit win for them. All they need to do is to take Nowitzki and Marion and either Chris Kaman or Elton Brand into early foul trouble then all the Sixers need to do is to give it to Bynum and take it to the paint. Plain and Simple.
PART ONE: VS Minnesota Timberwolves, VS Orlando Magic
PART THREE: VS Houston Rockets, VS Chicago Bulls