It’s not uncommon to find the Dallas Mavericks at the top of the Southwest Division and the Memphis Grizzlies at the bottom of it.

Though that’s again the case as the teams enter their second meeting of the season, the gap between them is rarely this narrow.

The Grizzlies go for their season-high fourth straight win – and their unprecedented fourth in a row over the Mavericks – as the clubs meet Saturday in Dallas.

The Mavericks (20-9) are on pace for their 10th straight 50-win season and second division title in four years, while Memphis (13-15) is in the Southwest cellar and in danger of its fourth consecutive last-place finish.

However, the Grizzlies are 7-3 this month and have won 12 of 19 since a 1-8 start. They beat Golden State 121-108 on Tuesday night for their 13th win, a mark they didn’t reach until their 48th game last season, on Feb. 4.

… for more visit yahoo/mavs griz preview

After running through the Teams of the Decade this morning, it’s time to rank the Franchises/Programs of the Decade—those that have consistently churned out competitive and championship-winning teams. My criteria included things like regular-season record, number of playoff appearances, conference titles, and championships into the equation, alongside less quantifiable measures such as historical imprint and landmark players.

NFL

(all information prior to Week 16 of 2009 NFL season)

WORST: Detroit Lions (0 playoff appearances, 0-16 season, 42-116 record)

5. New York Giants (1 title, 2 conference championships, 6 playoff appearances, 6-5 playoff record, 88-70 regular season)

4. Philadelphia Eagles (1 conference championship, 8 playoff appearances, 10-7 playoff record, 102-55-1 regular season)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (2 titles, 2 conference championships, 6 playoff appearances, 10-4 playoff record, 101-56-1 regular season)

2. Indianapolis Colts (1 title, 1 conference championship, 9 playoff appearances, 7-7 playoff record, 115-43 regular season)

1. New England Patriots (3 titles, 4 conference championships, 7 playoff appearances, 14-3 playoff record, 111-47 regular season)

This might be the easiest choice on the board. While the Colts have set the bar high with the most regular-season wins ever in a decade with their 115 (and counting), the Patriots’ 14-3 postseason record tops the Niners of the ‘80s (13-4) and the Steelers of the ‘70s (14-4).* They won three Super Bowls, lost a classic fourth one as an 18-0 team, and gave us one of the league’s best quarterbacks ever in Tom Brady and coaches in Bill Belichick. The Patriots were part of no fewer than five of the 10 best games of the decade, and as I’ve said throughout this month, the story of the Aughts (especially in football) is the story of the New England Patriots.

*Of course, New England’s playoff record will change next month. Provided they don’t lose their opening game, the Patriots will finish the Aughts with the most postseason wins in a decade in NFL history.

NBA

WORST: Memphis Grizzlies (3 playoff appearances, 0-12 playoff record, only team to play entire decade without winning playoff series)

5. Dallas Mavericks (1 conference title, 9 series victories, 9 playoff appearances)

4. Miami Heat (1 title, 1 conference title, 8 series victories, 7 playoff appearances)

3. Detroit Pistons (1 title, 2 conference titles, 16 series victories, 9 playoff appearances)

2. San Antonio Spurs (3 titles, 3 conference titles, 19 series victories, 10 playoff appearances)

1. Los Angeles Lakers (4 titles, 6 conference titles, 23 series victories, 9 playoff appearances)

Sucks to be the Spurs, doesn’t it? You make the playoffs every year, win 19 series en route to three titles, and you still aren’t the best in your own conference. The Lakers hoisted the Larry O’Brian trophy just under half the time in the Aughts, fueled first by a Shaq/Kobe dynasty that rivaled some of the greatest teams in NBA history and later by a revitalized Kobe taking his game to a new level. Only two upset losses in the Finals to the Pistons and Celtics prevented LA from matching the Bulls’ six titles in the ‘90s.

MLB

The Yankees' credentials might be better, but Boston is the defining team of the Aughts.

WORST: Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates (0 winning seasons for two proud franchises)

5. Philadelphia Phillies (1 World Series, 2 pennants, 5 series victories, 3 playoff appearances)

4. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1 World Series, 1 pennant, 5 series victories, 6 playoff appearances)

3. St. Louis Cardinals (1 World Series, 2 pennants, 8 series victories, 7 playoff appearances)

2. New York Yankees (2 World Series, 4 pennants, 11 series victories, 9 playoff appearances)

1. Boston Red Sox (2 World Series, 2 pennants, 8 series victories, 6 playoff appearances)

Probably the most controversial call because, by any mathematical standards, the Yankees had a better decade than their northeast rivals: They made the playoffs more, they won more series, they won more pennants, they won the same number of World Series. But, when we think back on the Aughts, we will think back to the Boston Red Sox overcoming that 3-0 series deficit and finally toppling the Yankees, the Cardinals, and the “curse.” A second title three seasons later and a roster that included luminaries such as Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, and Josh Beckett only cemented Boston’s hold as the defining franchise of the Aughts.

NCAA Basketball

HONORABLE MENTION: Gonzaga Bulldogs (4 Sweet 16s, 10 Tourney appearances)

5. Kansas Jayhawks (1 title, 3 Final Fours, 7 Sweet 16s, 3 1-seeds, 10 Tourney appearances)

4. Florida Gators (2 titles, 3 Final Fours, 3 Sweet 16s, 1 1-seed, 8 Tourney appearances)

3. Duke Blue Devils (1 title, 2 Final Fours, 8 Sweet 16s, 6 1-seeds, 10 Tourney appearances)

2. Michigan State Spartans (1 title, 4 Final Fours, 5 Sweet 16s, 2 1-seeds, 9 Tourney appearances)

1. North Carolina Tar Heels (2 titles, 4 Final Fours, 5 Sweet 16s, 4 1-seeds, 8 Tourney appearances)

It hurts, I know, but the Tar Heels clinched the Program of the Decade with their second title in five seasons in 2009. Even after a rough start to the Aughts that saw an 8-seed (who went to the Final Four, mind you), a second-round upset loss to Penn State, and two straight years at home in March, the hiring of Roy Williams returned UNC to its usual pedestal. Even after the bulk of their 2005 title team left for the NBA, the Tar Heels quickly reloaded and earned a 3-seed in the following year behind a freshman named Tyler Hansbrough, who would go on to become the school and the ACC’s all-time leading scorer.

NCAA Football

Bush helped push Leinart and the Trojans to the top of this list.

HONORABLE MENTION: Boise State Broncos (2 BCS appearances)

5. Texas Longhorns (1 title, 2 conference titles, 4 BCS appearances)

4. LSU Tigers (1.5 titles, 3 conference titles, 4 BCS appearances)

3. Oklahoma Sooners (1 title, 6 conference titles, 7 BCS appearances, 2 Heisman winners)

2. Florida Gators (2 titles, 3 conference titles, 5 BCS appearances, 1 Heisman winner)

1. USC Trojans (1.5 titles, 6 conference titles, 7 BCS appearances, 3 Heisman winners)

From 2002 right up until this college football season, the Trojans have been a bona fide top-5 team constantly in the national championship picture. USC boasted three Heisman trophy winners in Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush—the latter two propelling a 34-game winning streak that resulted in a split national title in 2003 (when the top-ranked Trojans were kept out of the BCS championship), an undisputed title in 2004, and either a fourth-down conversion on offense or stop on defense away from a second (or third) straight championship in 2005. That epic loss to Texas was the only BCS bowl game USC lost in the Aughts.

Die Pechsträhne der Portland Trail Blazers will einfach nicht abreißen und so könnten all ihre Hoffnungen auf einen Vormarsch in die Western Conference Finals mit einem Schlag beendet worden sein, als Joel Przybilla im Spiel gegen die Dallas Mavericks zu Boden ging, sich vor Schmerz windete und nachdem er in den Katakomben der American Airlines Arena verschwand, nicht mehr auf dem Spielfeld auftauchte. Einen Riss der Patellarsehne zog sich der einzig verbliebene gesunde Center der Trail Blazers in der Nacht zum Mittwoch zu, als er im ersten Spielabschnitt zu einem Rebound hochstieg und unglücklich wieder landete. Przybilla falle auf unbestimmte Zeit aus, so die Verantwortlichen der Blazers. Hinter dieser schönenden Umschreibung verbirgt sich, dass Przybilla aller Voraussicht nach bis zum Ende der Saison nicht mehr zurückkehren wird.

Erst letzte Woche genehmigte die NBA den Blazers aufgrund der Verletzungsplage einen zusätzlichen Spieler unter Vertrag zu nehmen. Daraufhin verpflichtete das Team aus Oregon Power Forward Anthony Tolliver aus der D-League.
Neben dem neusten Ausfall von Przybilla fehlen weiterhin Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, Nicolas Batum und Patty Mills. Rookie Jeff Pendergraph konnte indes für die Partie gegen die Mavericks aktiviert werden und absolvierte sein erstes Saisonspiel. Auch er fehlte bis dato verletzungsbedingt.
Die Trail Blazers gewannen das Spiel gegen Dallas trotz der Hiobsbotschaft über den potentiell saisonbeendenden Patellarsehnenriss ihres Big Man mit 85-81. Da half es auch nicht, dass Dirk Nowitzki nach seinem unfreiwilligen Hiatus wieder mitwirken konnte und 27 Punkte und neun Rebounds für die Mavs erzielte.
Die Verletzung von Joel Przybilla bedeutet für die Portland Trail Blazers, dass sie unterer anderem darauf vertrauen müssen, dass der mittlerweile 36-jährige Juwan Howard noch ein bisschen Sprit im Tank hat. Gestern Nacht stand er 34 Minuten auf dem Court, netzte zehn Punkte ein, griff sich zehn Boards und verteilte vier Assists. Portlands GM Jeff Pritchard wird darüber hinaus Nachtschichten in der Hoffnung einlegen müssen, einen möglichen Trade in die Wege leiten zu können, der den Blazers einen zusätzlichen Big Man beschert.
Niemand hat damit rechnen können, dass eine weitere erwartungsvolle Spielzeit in Portland von zahlreichen und schwerwiegenden Verletzungen torpediert werden würde, doch umso schwerer wiegt jetzt, dass es Pritchard vor Saisonbeginn nicht gelang Paul Millsap oder David Lee in die „City of Roses“ zu holen. Talentierte Big Men sind in der NBA ein wertvolles und vor allem seltenes Gut, weshalb es schwer werden wird adäquaten Ersatz für Przybilla zu finden.

So when the Dallas Mavericks linked up with the Houston Rockets, you knew it would be a war…I mean, battle of Texas and all that. But who know it would be this hectic. I thought this shit only happens in hockey. Anyhow on his way to the basket Nowitzki accidentally elbows Carl Landry in the face. The result? 3 teeth got knocked out, two of which were lodged in Dirk’s arm. That’s disgusting. Dude has a next mans teeth stuck in his elbow. And Landry was wearing a mouth guard. Nuts!!!

Beating one of the top teams in the NBA without Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t a problem for the Dallas Mavericks.

The Southwest Division leaders could get their superstar back Tuesday night as they look to continue their dominance of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Nowitzki is recovering from a gruesome collision with Houston’s Carl Landry in the first quarter of Friday’s 116-108 overtime loss that ended a five-game win streak. Landry lost five teeth, two of which became embedded in Nowitzki’s right elbow.

Nowitzki needed several stitches and lots of medication and treatment as the elbow is sore, stiff and sensitive to the touch.

This past week, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder introduced his new KD2 sneaker.  The creamsicle shoes however turned out to be sour, and offered no luck as the Dallas Mavericks won 100-86.  The shoes also offered no help to Durant who scored a season low 12 points.  Creamsicles are extremely good, these shoes, extremely not and were ugly enough to snag the fan vote for halfdog of the week.

Dirk sat out yesterday’s Maverick victory over the Cavaliers with a bad case of the tooth arm.

No Dirk, no problem for Dallas Mavericks against Cavaliers

The Dallas Mavericks built this team to have enough depth that it would survive the unexpected potholes and occasional tooth-in-elbow moments of a long NBA season.

So Tim Thomas, the veteran with the smooth 3-point stroke, stepped into the starting lineup Sunday night and did a pretty fair impersonation of Dirk Nowitzki.

Thomas’ team-high 22 points led the Mavs to a gutsy 102-95 win over LeBron James and Cleveland at American Airlines Center, stopping the Cavaliers’ five-game winning streak and avenging the Mavs’ loss in Cleveland last month.

The Mavericks hope to get Nowitzki back Tuesday against Portland, after he received three stitches during Friday night’s loss to Houston. A couple of Carl Landry’s teeth had to be extracted after Nowitzki’s elbow hit Landry’s mouth in the game.

… for more visit startelegram/mavs cavs recap

Houston’s Carl Landry is just standing in the lane, minding his own business, hoping to take a charge from a driving Dirk Nowitzki when BAM! in comes Dirk’s elbow and out goes three of Landry’s teeth. Ouch! I think Dirk earned himself a new nickname!

Good Morning Sports Fans!

Sloppy play caught up with the Cleveland Cavaliers last night as the Cavs dropped 102-95 to the Dallas Mavericks. For the Mavericks, Tim Thomas led the team in scoring with 22 points as teammate Jason Terry scored 19 points coming off the bench. Other Mavericks starters who played a factor were Shawn Marion who had 12 points on the night and Jason Kidd had 10 points. Looking at the Cavaliers, Lebron James had a superb night with 25 points, Delonte West finished with 18 points coming off the bench, and Mo Williams finished the night with 12 points. The rest of the Cavs starters did not reach double digit scoring.

In earlier games, the Cavaliers were able to get away with sloppy play but Sunday night was a different story. The Dallas Mavericks are one of the top teams in the NBA, play solid and consistently and will take advantage of turnovers and mistakes easily. The Cavaliers were able to get away with sloppy play when playing against struggling teams but against Dallas, the mistakes finally caught up.

If the Cavaliers want to beat the league’s best,they will need to get more out of their starting lineup and play stronger defense. The Cavaliers starting lineup tends to have a Jekyll/Hyde effect with certain players performing well one night and inconsistent the next. Miscues and lapses on defense in the middle of the game have haunted the Cavaliers all season long and that will have to be adjusted before the Cavaliers play some of the NBA’s stronger teams down the stretch.

Moving to the Browns, speculation is now circulating that it is likely that former Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren will probably take a job offer from the Cleveland Browns. Holmgren wouldn’t say specifically on his radio show last week whether or not he was coming to Cleveland but recently turned down an offer from the Seahawks. Rumors are also circulating that Holmgren could not only serve as Vice President of Operations but also the Browns head coach as well.

While the Browns have claimed there is no deal yet between them and Holmgren, it’s easy to speculate that the Browns are planning a public relations ploy around this. Season ticket holders have been furious with the team this season and have spent a lot of money since 1999 for only one playoff appearance. Holmgren’s signing would create huge interest among Browns fans and might get a few to reconsider on not renewing their season tickets. Holmgren will help the Browns out tremendously on the field but can help them off the field as well.

That’s it for now. Keep it real.

Jeff

A second-quarter collision between Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki and Houston’s Carl Landry knocked both players out of the game.

The trade-off worked out in the Rockets’ favor.

Kyle Lowry(notes) came off the bench for a career-high 26 points and 10 assists, and the Rockets took advantage of the second-half absence of Dallas’ top scorer to beat the Mavericks 116-108 in overtime Friday night.

Aaron Brooks added 25 points, nine in overtime, and Luis Scola contributed 19 points and 10 rebounds to help the Rockets end the Mavericks’ five-game winning streak.

… for more visit yahoo/rockets mavericks results

The Rockets went into Dallas tonight looking to bounce back from a loss to the Denver Nuggets. This was a big game against the leader in the Southwest Division and the Rockets’ 2-headed point guard came up huge in the effort.

Houston didn’t shoot the ball well in the opening minutes. They started 2/7 from the floor to drop behind before Tracy McGrady came in at the 7:15 mark. Even when T-Mac was on the court, the offense didn’t look much better as Houston turned it over 6 times in the quarter. The defense did look a little better including a McGrady block on Dirk Nowitzki but they also gave up 9 offensive rebounds to the Mavericks so, obviously, they were behind through 12 minutes of play.

24 – 19 after 1.

Kyle Lowry took over in the 2nd quarter. He drilled his 2nd 3 of the night and it was a good thing he was playing so well because the Rockets would only get 6:00 from their best bench player before this collision:

Carl Landry broke 5 teeth and went straight to the hospital while Dirk missed the rest of the game and had to get stitches in his right elbow. Apparently that was the elbow Carl Landry used to commit the foul on Nowitzki. What a pathetic call. The refs were bad again tonight but, at least, they were bad on both sides and the Rockets were able to keep their cool while the Mavs lost it.

Lowry led an 18 – 6 run for Houston to gain a cushion and a Shane Battier and Trevor Ariza big-time dunk kept the lead going into the 2nd half. Ariza played very well for most of the game this time. I would like to see him in this role every night from here on. He only took 10 shots and hit 5 because he only shot 1 three. That’s exactly what he should do.

49 – 41 after 2.

Dallas only shot 32% in the 1st half but you knew the Rockets were going to have to score more in the 2nd half if they were going to win and the Houston guards combined with Sideshow Dave to do just that but not until JJ Barea showed how.

Barea had a monster 3rd quarter as he scored 10 points in Dallas’ 14 – 5 run to get the Mavs within 1. I would actually have liked to see Ariza on him because, though Ariza is not a good defender, his length would have been too much for Barea to counter. Battier could’ve guarded Josh Howard and Brooks would’ve gone to Jason Kidd. Fortunately though for the Rockets, Erick Dampier got his 4th foul for having inexplicably adding an extra “k” to words so he had to sit and the Mavs did ot look the same.

Houston countered with an 11 – 2 run to get the lead back up as the 3rd frame came to a close. Like the 3rd, the 4th quarter would be one of runs for both teams.

73 – 65 after 3.

Kyle Lowry continued his hot shooting with his 3rd three to open the 4th but the Rockets were fouling too much and Dallas got into the bonus with 9:20 still left to play. The Mavs are the 2nd best free throw shooting team in the league and that would help them make a run to tie the game at 81. But it wouldn’t stay that way for long.

Aaron Brooks hit a long 3 and Lowry stripped Jason Terry on the ensuing possession. Terry compounded the mistake by committing a “Clear Path” foul which gave Houston a free throw and the ball. A Luis Scola layup pushed the lead right back to 88 – 81 and Dallas began to show their frustration.

Sideshow Dave went to set a pick on Jason Kidd and Kidd mistook Andersen for his wife so he attacked:  

Technicals were given to Kidd, Andersen and Rick Carlisle but none of this affected Lowry. Kyle knocked down another huge 3 to make the score 92 – 83 but Dallas would make another run.

Dampier was back in the game but he threw Battier down on a rebound and yelled at the ref for not calling a foul on him. So he got another Dallas tech but Houston wanted to give the fans a show so they decided to do some dumb stuff too.

Scola and Lowry both fouled going for offensive rebounds so, since the Mavs were in the bonus, Dallas got 4 points with absolutely no time running off the clock. 99 – 95 Houston with under 2:00 to play. All the Rockets could add was 1 Brooks FT so the game was tied when Tim Thomas (left) hit a 3 with :10 left in regulation. Brooks threw the ball out of bounds on his next drive and Shawn Marion missed a tip for Dallas so the game headed for overtime. Or, well, at least the Rockets did.

Luis Scola finished an “and 1″ layup over Kidd and Brooks followed that with a deep 3 to make it 106 – 104. Lowry added 2 free throws and Brooks hit a tough pull-up jumper for a 110 – 104 lead. The Brooks was called for a flagrant foul on Dampier and Dampier was given a tech for bumping Aaron after the play. I guess the refs were trying to keep the game under control but all that should have been called was a personal on Brooks. But I guess it didn’t really matter at this point anyway.

Lowry sealed the game with a strong drive and finish as the shot clock expired to make it a 113 – 105 game and Rick Carlisle got one more tech to join Dampier and Dirk in the lockerroom.

Final Score: 116 – 108 Houston.

Positives:

1. Kyle Lowry was awesome in this one! 8/13 from the floor with 3 threes for a career-high 26 points, 10 assists, 6 boards, 5 steals and a block. The most important stat though is the +23 in the +/- category. Lowry leads the Rockets in that stat this season and it just shows how well he has played and how he has embraced his role off the bench.

2. Sideshow Dave has been playing well as of late. After the beating the Rockets took in Toronto I wrote that, if he wasn’t going to score, he shouldn’t be in the game. I even hinted that Houston would’ve been better off playing Pops Mensah-Bonsu over Andersen. Well, he has proven me wrong and his last 2 games (17 pts and 16 pts) show that he is a capable scorer. Good for him and the team.

3. The guys were able to keep their heads in a very physical game in which the Mavs got 6 techs and should’ve lost 3 players to the showers if Kidd’s flying elbow would’ve been called correctly. Houston stayed calm and got a huge win over the top team in the division.

4. Tracy McGrady gives this team so much versatility on defense. He came in and guarded Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki well and he still is not anywhere close to being in shape. He is such a weapon when he is motivated that I believe this team can beat anyone in the league except the Lakers in the playoffs. It pisses me off that he is so under-appreciated in this city.

Negatives:

Other than the 2 dumb fould that allowed Dallas to score without any time running off the clock, this was a greta game by teh Rockets.

Insights:

ESPN had a poll on SportsCenter.com last week that asked which team in the West had the best chance of knocking off the Lakers this year. The Rockets weren’t even included as an option which is ridiculous. While I don’t think that they’re the 2nd best team (Denver) they did take LA to 7-games in last year’s playoffs and they went on a chunk of that 22-game winning streak without Yao. Now that McGrady is back this team is legitimate darkhorse in the West because they play defense and they play together. On top of that, they can get scoring from any number of sources so they are tough to game plan for. If you disagree, feel free to say so but time will tell.

Even More Optomistic,

Multatuli 

Carl Landry collides with Dirk Nowitzki during a play tonight. Landry lost three teeth – no lie: two of them were in Nowitzki’s arm.

Watch Free Basketball picks Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks Live Streaming December 18, 2009 NBA Regular Season – The game start time 8:30 PM ET at Stadium: American Airlines Center, Dallas. As expected, Dirk Nowitzki has carried the Dallas Mavericks during their current win streak, but the Houston Rockets have had more trouble stopping top reserve Jason Terry in recent meetings.

Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks Free Basketball picks

Terry will try to rebound from one of his worst performances of the season by helping the Mavericks to a season-high sixth straight victory and their fourth in a row over the Rockets on Friday night at home.

Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks Free Basketball pics

This is a NBA Regular Season game 2009 on 12/18 at American Airlines Center, Dallas between Houston Rockets vs Dallas Mavericks. If you want watch this NBA game, you can try the Free Basketball pics

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As expected, Dirk Nowitzki has carried the Dallas Mavericks during their current win streak, but the Houston Rockets have had more trouble stopping top reserve Jason Terry in recent meetings.

Terry will try to rebound from one of his worst performances of the season by helping the Mavericks to a season-high sixth straight victory and their fourth in a row over the Rockets on Friday night at home.

Nowitzki, who is scoring a career-best 26.9 points per game this season, is the only Mavericks player averaging more than 14.0 points during the team’s run (27.8 ppg), and he topped 30 for the fourth time in six games with 35 in a 100-86 victory Wednesday night at Oklahoma City.

… for more visit yahoo/mavs rockets preview

]]> http://halfmanhalfdog.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/todays-halfdog-award-nominee-creamsicle-nike-shoe/ Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:03:21 +0000 halfmanhalfdog http://halfmanhalfdog.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/todays-halfdog-award-nominee-creamsicle-nike-shoe/

Last night, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder introduced his new KD2 sneaker.  The creamsicle shoes however turned out to be sour, and offered no luck as the Dallas Mavericks won 100-86.  The shoes also offered no help to Durant who scored a season low 12 points.  Creamsicles are extremely good, this shoes extremely not and deserve a halfdog nomination.

Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks found a way to outshine even Kevin Durant’s new Creamsicle orange Nike sneakers.

Nowitzki scored 13 of his 35 points in the final 8 minutes and the Mavericks used a late surge to spoil Durant’s sneaker debut and beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-86 Wednesday night for their fifth straight win.

Durant broke out his new KD2 sneakers for the first time, and most of his teammates joined him in wearing the new Nike shoes. But Durant, the NBA’s third-leading scorer, matched his lowest-scoring total of the season with only 12 points on 4-for-18 shooting.

… for more visit yahoo/dallas mavericks beat oklahoma city thunder

Watch  Free Basketball Picks Dallas Mavericks Vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Live Streaming Picks – Information of the NBA match between Dallas Mavericks Vs Oklahoma City Thunder the game play on, December 16, 2009, Schedule TV on Wednesday 8:00 PM ET and will be live at Ford Center, Oklahoma City,  Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder have made big strides this season after posting one of the worst records in the NBA in 2008-09.

Free Basketball Picks Dallas Mavericks Vs Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Live Streaming Picks

Their last two games, however, showed that they still have a ways to go. Durant and the Thunder will try to contain Dirk Nowitzki, who had two 40-point performances against them last season, when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Enjoy with the Dallas Mavericks Vs Oklahoma City Thunder live score, preview, recaps and highlights here.

NBA Basketball Picks: Dallas Mavericks Vs Oklahoma City Thunder

So where can i watch Dallas Mavericks Vs Oklahoma City Thunder live . The links updates before schedule the game of Dallas Mavericks Vs Oklahoma City Thunder live stream on 12/16 The National Basketball Association (NBA) at Ford Center, Oklahoma City.

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A new #1 in the rankings. The Lakers win streak is over, so which of the NBA elite took their place? Let’s go to the rankings:

1. Boston Celtics (19-4) (previous ranking: 2)- 10 straight wins, playing great ball. With the Lakers’ loss to Utah, they take back the top spot for the first time in weeks.

2. Los Angeles Lakers (18-4) (previous ranking: 1)- One loss makes a difference. The loss in Utah, plus the Celtics 10 straight wins drops them to #2. They won’t be there for long.

3. Orlando Magic (17-6) (previous ranking: 3)- Not much room for Orlando to go with the Celtics and Lakers at the top spot. They remain at #3 for a second straight week.

4. Atlanta Hawks (17-6) (previous ranking: 7)- Excellent week from the Hawks, four straight wins moved them into a tie with the Magic for first in the Southeast Division

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (17-7) (previous ranking: 4)- Great week for the Cavs, but they were victims of the streaking Atlanta Hawks.

6. Denver Nuggets (17-7) (previous ranking: 5)- The Nuggets, like Cleveland. They had a good week, and still lead the Northwest, but they were victims of the streaking Hawks.

7. Dallas Mavericks (17-7) (previous ranking: 8]- Dirk is showing why he’s one of the best in the game. The Mavericks know how to win the close ones, reason why they lead the Southwest right now.

8. Phoenix Suns (16-8) (previous ranking: 6)- The Suns are slumping. Is it weird that the Suns started slumping after losing to D’Antoni, and the Knicks are rising after beating the Suns.

9. Utah Jazz (14-9) (previous ranking: 10)- Snapping the Lakers win streak is a very important thing, and the Jazz deserve a spot in the top 10.

10. San Antonio Spurs (12-9) (previous ranking: 13)- Just a matter of time before the Spurs were among the tops in the NBA. Everything looks like it’s coming together. Matt Bonner has been playing very well as of late.

11. Houston Rockets (13-10) (previous ranking: 11)- The Rockets are playing good ball without Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. We already know Yao’s out, but is McGrady ever going to come back to the team, and if he doesn’t, what team would take that massive salary?

12. Portland Trail Blazers (14-11) (previous ranking: 9)- The Blazers are not the same team without Greg Oden. The psyche of this team is off, and they are not the contenders they were at the start of this season.

13. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-10) (previous ranking: 14)- After three weeks at #14, the Thunder are finally moving up. It’s a matter of time to see if they will move up further or back down.

14. Milwaukee Bucks (11-11) (previous ranking: 16)- The Bucks were in a slump, but seems as if things are slowly turning around for them. It’s a matter of time if this is true.

15. Miami Heat (11-11) (previous ranking: 12)- The Heat are really showing that there is no real supporting cast behind Dwyane Wade. Michael Beasley has not been consistent as he should be.

16. Detroit Pistons (11-12) (previous ranking: 22)- The Pistons are playing improved basketball. Rip Hamilton is back, and Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon are on the mend. Perhaps all hope is not lost in Detroit

17. New Orleans Hornets (10-12) (previous ranking: 18)- 2-1 week puts New Orleans up a spot. Chris Paul is back to his old form, but can they get back to among the Western Conference elite?

18. Sacramento Kings (10-12) (previous ranking: 15)- The Kings are still two games off .500. They are going to be special when Kevin Martin returns.

19. Toronto Raptors (11-15) (previous ranking: 20)- Are the Raptors ever going to live up to their potential? Newsflash to Bryan Colangelo: fire Jay Triano.

20. Memphis Grizzlies (10-13) (previous ranking: 21)- How about the Grizzlies? They have beaten the Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Heat all this month. Iverson leaving was the best thing for this team.

21. Charlotte Bobcats (9-13) (previous ranking: 19)- The Bobcats should not be ashamed in their Texas road trip. They came back from double-digits against the Spurs before running out of gas, and then they lost a heartbreaker in Dallas to the Mavericks. They will get the road woes together eventually.

22. Los Angeles Clippers (9-13) (previous ranking: 17)- The Clippers have weathered the storm of not having Blake Griffin. It will be interesting to see how good they will be when they return.

23. Indiana Pacers (8-13) (previous ranking: 25)- No Danny Granger, the Pacers are in a world of trouble. Considering this team is not as great with him there, he does make them better.

24. Chicago Bulls (8-14) (previous ranking: 23) Vinny Del Negro came out and said that he is the right coach for the Chicago Bulls. If that is the case, why are the talented Bulls underachieving so much?

25. New York Knicks (8-15) (previous ranking: 27)- The Knicks have been playing some of their best ball in a long time… Still wonder how Jonathan Bender will fare after being away for three years.

26. Washington Wizards (7-14) (previous ranking: 24)- The Big Three in Washington is not working out. Must be time to blow this team up.

27. Golden State Warriors (7-16) (previous ranking: 26)- No true leader on this team since Stephen Jackson left. Curry’s a rookie and Ellis is nowhere near ready. Still a team that’s in disarray.

28. Philadelphia 76ers (5-18) (previous ranking: 28)- If the Nets or Wolves could string together some wins, the Sixers might be in the cellar. A.I. has not made much of a difference

29. Minnesota Timberwovles (3-21) (previous ranking: 29)- In reality they should be #30, but they did beat New Jersey on opening night. Have to keep them at #29.

30. New Jersey Nets (2-22) (previous ranking: 30)- Team’s getting it together. Still has a long way to go.

Power Rankings

1.)    Los Angeles Lakers- They have had a cupcake schedule so far with only 5 games on the road all season, but they have made the most of it and sit at the top of the rankings.

2.)    Boston Celtics- They have won 11 straight games and look unstoppable at the moment.

3.)    Denver Nuggets- They have one of the best players in the league and one of the best leaders in the league. When two of your five starters are superstars, you have a good chance to do well.

4.)    Atlanta Hawks- The Hawks have won 4 straight games. After a few games of weak play, they are back on track as one of the top teams in the East.

5.)    Orlando Magic- The Magic have gone through some team issues, with Lewis disobeying the coach and Howard telling him he needs to be more supportive, but the Magic need to start focusing on winning games, before they fall out of the elite class.

6.)    Cleveland Cavaliers- The Cavaliers are falling out of the elite class of teams and may start the playoffs as a 4 seed.

7.)    Dallas Mavericks- The Dallas defense has improved from years past and that is why they are a solid team this year.

8.)    Portland Trailblazers- Since Oden got injured this team hasn’t had the inside presence that wins games. They will miss him all year.

9.)    Phoenix Suns- All 8 of their losses have come on the road. So when they start playing at home their record will sky rocket, but at the moment they need to learn how to win on the road.

10.) Utah Jazz- Deron Williams is returning to elite status and the Jazz are starting to play really well.

11.) San Antonio Spurs- The Spurs are finally healthy and starting to click. They should make a good run here in the next month if they stay healthy.

12.) Oklahoma City Thunder- Their defense has remained solid and Harden is starting to improve. This team could make good playoff run in the West.

13.) Milwaukee Bucks- The Bucks are starting to falter losing 7 out of their last 10. They need to get back to early season form.

14.) Houston Rockets- The Rockets are just priming for the return of T-Mac. They could get into the playoffs if he returns at top form.

15.) Sacramento Kings- They need to improve their defense drastically. I think a trade for a top defender would work out well for the Kings.

16.) Miami Heat- They aren’t the team they were when they won the championship in 2006. They need to start playing better if they want to return to that form.

17.) Detroit Pistons- The Pistons have won five in a row and have almost returned to full health.

18.) Los Angeles Clippers- They are performing better than past years, but still have a lot of work to do.

19.) Toronto Raptors- The Raptors are very inconsistent to their lack of defense. They need to improve that before they can start winning games.

20.) Charlotte Bobcats- The ‘Cats are starting to click with Jackson in the lineup. He was a better trade than I originally thought.

21.) New Orleans Hornets- They were doing okay there for awhile, but have begun to falter again. They don’t have enough talent to go anywhere.

22.) Memphis Grizzlies- They are coming together as a team, but will finish where they have been the past few years.

23.) Indiana Pacers- They are starting to lose again after the loss of Granger and it will just get worse for Indiana fans.

24.) Washington Wizards- They have lost 5 in a row and look pathetic out there. Gilbert Arenas need to bring it every night.

25.) Chicago Bulls- They have lost 8 of their last 10 games and don’t look nearly the same as the playoff team they were last year.

26.) Golden State Warriors- This team has by far the worst defense in the league, and needs to improve that before they do anything else.

27.) New York Knicks- They have won 4 in a row, mainly on the improvement on the defensive end. They should be a model for all bad teams (WORK ON DEFENSE FIRST!).

28.) Philadelphia 76ers- They finally broke their losing streak and hope to start a winning streak. A.I. hasn’t made a huge impact, yet.

29.) Minnesota Timberwolves- They are starting to win more frequently and Jonny Flynn is really turning into an excellent player. Maybe next year Rubio comes over from Spain. They could have the best backcourt in the league if that happens.

30.) New Jersey Nets- Their 2 wins have come in the past 10 days and their new coach is starting to turn this team around.

PLAYOFF PREVIEW

Western Conference Finals: Lakers over Mavericks

Eastern Conference Finals: Hawks over Celtics

Despite a injured index finger, Bryant looks to lead the Lakers to another NBA title.

NBA Finals: Lakers over Hawks

Watch New Orleans Hornets VS Dallas Mavericks NBA LIVE  Streaming :

Tip Off Time: 8:30 PM ET
Home Team: Dallas Mavericks (17-7)
Away Team: New Orleans Hornets (10-12)
TV Channels: CST, KTXA, RTV
Radio Networks: KESN, KMEZ
Game Preview: Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs are itching and eager to get their hands on the Hornets. If you might still recall, the Hornets led by Chris Paul, defeated the Mavs early in the season. For the last 10 games, the Mavs are 7-3 while the Hornets went 6-4.

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After a solid road trip that had moments of inspired play, Miami came out flat from the layoff against Dallas but played good enough to win for the rest of the game. The lack of fire to begin the game, especially on defense is enough to kill any team and Miami never challenged after that. The team is at a point right now where it is starting to show some regression and worse of all… lack of fire (lol). At home.

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