Mavericks begin homestand against LeBron-less Heat

DALLAS MAVERICKS (4-2) vs MIAMI HEAT (4-2)- Nov. 9 @ 6:30 p.m.

The Dallas Mavericks return home after their first road back-to-back and with a 4-2 record, beginning a four-game homestand against Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat on Nov. 9.

Mix feelings after visiting Portland, where they entered the second half with the lead, but third-quarter woes continued as the Mavs were outscored 62-37 after halftime. Dallas got back on track behind Dirk Nowitzki’s 27 points in Utah on Nov. 7 as the Mavericks scored a season-high 26 third-quarter points which helped defeat the Jazz 105-82.

Dallas started off sluggish against the Blazers, but its defense showed promise, holding Portland to fewer points at the break before falling apart in the second half.

The Mavs got out to 24-17 lead after one against the Jazz and led by eight at halftime. Almost everyone expected their woes to arrive in the third, but Dallas outscored Utah 26-18 in the quarter to go up 16 entering the fourth.

Now the Mavericks return to the American Airlines Center, where they are 2-0 this season. Dallas defeated the Jazz in its home opener on Oct. 30 and defeated the Boston Celtics on Nov. 3, despite nearly blowing a 31-point lead.

For the Heat, Chris Bosh is off to a great start, taking over in the absence of one LeBron James. Miami beat Washington in its season opener and won three straight before dropping two in a row.

The Heat fell at home to the Houston Rockets 108-91 on Nov. 4 then fell in Charlotte to the Hornets 96-89 on Nov. 5.

Miami is 1-1 on the road. The Heat defeated the Sixers by 18 back on Nov. 1. They’ll be on a back-to-back after defeating Minnesota at home Saturday night.

SERIES HISTORY

Come on now, why would I include this – my shot to throw in 2011 in here because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love to read about the 2011 title team. Of course, the Mavericks defeated the Heat and their Big-3 in six games for their first championship in franchise history. Forever linked these two teams are in capturing first titles for both (2006, 2011), but from the 2011 finals, only seven players remain (Dirk, Tyson, J.J, Wade, Haslem, Bosh, Chalmers). In recent memory, the Heat swept the season series last year by a combine 17 points. Since losing in the 2011 finals to Dallas, the Heat are 6-0 against the Mavericks and have won by an average of 12 points per game.

FLIGHT OF WRIGHT

Brandan Wright is off to one of the best shooting starts in franchise history and maybe NBA history. The seventh-year man out of North Carolina continues to lead DeAndre Jordan for best field-goal percentage in the league. He is shooting 25-of-34 from the field (73.5 percent). Wright did start the season by making 16-of-18 (89 percent) before going 9-of-16 in his last two games (56.3 percent). Whoever said shooting 56 percent was a slump?

CHANDLER, STAY OFF THE ROAD

In four games on the road this year, Chandler Parsons is averaging a mediocre 10.3 points per game while shooting just 32 percent from the field. Is CP25 trying too hard? Luckily these next four home games could really get him going as he’s averaging 25 points in two home games this season while shooting 58 percent and has made FIVE 3-pointers inside the AAC compared to just THREE on the road.

TEXAS BIG MEN

We already know Dirk’s situation, but playing Chris Bosh will be the second time that the Mavericks will face a power forward from Dallas in the past three games. The Mavericks already played LaMarcus Aldridge two games ago and now will face Bosh, who is playing with a purpose and looking like his old Toronto days. In six games, Bosh has recorded three double-doubles while averaging nearly 25 points and 11 boards per game. He was rather quiet last season against the Mavs, where he averaged 18 points and 4.5 boards in two games.

THAT DUDE FROM THE G

Dirk Nowitzki is off to an excellent start in the team’s first six games. He has scored at least 17 points in every game this season while averaging 21.2, good for top-20 in the NBA. He’s topped 20 three times and 27 twice against Boston and Utah for his season-high. His first two games, he shot 67 percent from the field and on the season, he’s sitting at 54.3 percent (50-of-92). Threes also play a factor as he’s made 13 of them in six games, shooting 44.8 percent behind the arc. As for his milestones, we all know about career points as Dirk is just 34 points away from passing “The Dream” Hakeem Olajuwon for NINTH in NBA history. You can’t exclude that number against the Heat, but the more likely outcome would be against Sacramento on Nov. 11. It will take a couple more games, but Dirk is also on the verge of eclipsing 9,500 career field goals (9,457) and 1,500 career 3-pointers made (1,484). Against the Jazz, he broke a tie with hall-of-famer Alex English for games played and against the Kings, he will tie future hall-of-famer Dikembe Mutombo for 33rd most all time.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS (JAZZ)