Game 42, Dallas Mavericks visit Washington Wizards

Or, Game 1 of the J-Ho, Let's Go watch.

The word's just come down; Josh Howard will miss tonight's game with a case of the stomach flu. Assuming Coach will go back to Emergency Starting Lineup #1, which has JJ Barea starting at the 2 and Jason Terry coming off the bench. I have to do some shopping tonight, but the tape deck's locked and loaded.

Let's see, according to Yahoo! Sports, Washington averages 44.7% made field goals, including 35.1% threes, putting them 23rd and 16th in the league in those categories. They score 99.2 points per game and grab 42.3 boards, while allowing the opponents to score 102.7 and grab 43.4 boards. Franchise player Gilbert Arenas is out until the moon explodes after performing Stupid Gun Tricks--

Yeah, a quick thought on that. As Americans we have the right to arm ourselves in order to see to our own safety (up to a point, anyway). As a columnist with ESPN notes, though, there is a right way and a wrong way to own a weapon. The right way is filling out the forms, taking the safety classes, waiting whatever the legal waiting periods are in your area, making sure your weapon's secure at all times, and not carrying when and where it's prohibited to do so. Childishness can be charming when it's a matter of playing to the crowds at a basketball game, but it's not a good thing when you're pissed off and have a loaded weapon within easy reach. People die in situations like that.

To be edited later.

later

Another much tighter'n it should've been situation. Let's take a look at the figures:

FG% -- DAL 45.9% (20.0% 3pt), WAS 45.0% (38.5% 3pt)
Rebounds -- DAL 41, WAS 41

Split between Washington overperforming and the Mavs underperforming -- another game that should've been nowhere near as close as it was. Basically, we got a five-point lead after a quarter and spent the rest of the game just barely treading water. Coach started Jason Terry instead of JJ Barea. Given how JJ's been struggling with his shot I see why; 1-10 from the floor including el zilcho on threes.

This puts a dent in my theory about how the Mavericks' defensive struggles of late have had to do with Josh Howard's presence. I'm not sure how statistically significant 00.3% is when it comes to figuring defensive efficiency. I do know the Wizards were allowed to hit an awful lot of threes and I'd swear there were moments in the second half when they were getting a guided tour of the charity stripe -- our fault, the Mavs made some dumb ones inside leading to and-ones. Dirk would've had to eat a Crow Whopper if the Wizards had scored on the final possession and won the game -- his offensive foul gave the Wiz back the ball down one with 6.7 seconds left.

Thank God for the Matrix, who blocked the Wizards' last shot. Coach, kiss that man.

Final: 94-93, Mavericks
-BJ