Game 12, Dallas Mavericks visit Houston Rockets

Theme: Mindless Self Indulgence, "Revenge"
Game Info: Gothalicious with cheese

Luis Scola looks like he wears a wig. Totally irrelevent. But he does.

For last night's outing T-Mac was on the floor, but Ming The Merciless his ownself was out -- apparently the foot he broke last year started acting up. For our part, J-Ho rolled an ankle at the Bobcats game and it wasn't solid enough to play on. He's going to see the doctor today.

For now, our boys are home. And boy, isn't it a relief to come down off that ledge.

- The Jet's flying high! Second quarter, he was on fire, hit his first seven shots. For the game he was 13-21, including a couple of threes. Fucking sweet, dude!

- Shawne Williams wasn't any such of a much scoring wise. What he did do, as Coach Ortegel pointed out, was shut down T-Mac. McGrady came in in the fourth quarter, trying to bring some hardcore hero shit. And thanks to our newest FNG, he got nowhere.

- I wouldn't say Crazy Pills was successfully contained, but his effectiveness was more limited than perhaps the Rockets might've liked.

- The third quarter was like a bad dream. The Rockets didn't get shit done, but neither did the Mavs. I'm not sure where the offensive breakdown occured, on either side.

- It looked like the Rockets were going to rally, with three back-to-back-to-back threes. Give our guys credit, they had no intention of packing it in. Willams missed a three, Bass got the rebound and laid it in. Sweet.

- This is one I think I'm going to have framed; Dirk getting set for a shot, Scola knocked it away, Dirk stepped back to get it back. From that point he shot and hit. From behind the three-point line. So, Sr. Scola, not only did you fail to prevent Nowitzki from scoring, if you hadn't contested that shot it would've only been two points. Myah-nah!

- Memo to Bad Guys. Hacking Dirk's a decent strategy, when the refs have decided not to pay attention. When the refs start noticing, you should back off. Dirk's too good from the line.

- Memo to Dirk. When the guy trying to fuck your shit up's more than four inches shorter the fade-away works. Know it, own it, use it.

- JJ's getting aggressive, which I like. The blown layups? Not so much. He's doing what he's supposed to be doing, at least for now.

- Near the end. Dirk's got the rock, doesn't have a shot, jumps, instead of shooting whips it over to Jet, who catches and cans a three. Fucking beautiful.

In The Wash: Um, what was that about being an old team? Seriously, it's good that Coach's mission statement is about bringing up the younger guys. Dirk and Kidd are still playing 35 minutes plus per game, and that's about five minutes too many. The averages are coming down though, and should continue to do so throughout the season. The Mavs have said they don't need another backup point; I say bullhonkey, JJ's decent but not that good. Please God say they're not serious when they say they like Stephen Mayberry, pleasepleaseplease.

I'll take what I can get as far as wins. Fish pointed out there's a nice long homestand coming up the first part of December, which should help the standings somewhat. The lads have today free -- think they've earned a day off, Coach? -- and Friday the Grizzlies are in town. Oh joy, I'm going to have to listen to my mother make cute Jeremiah Johnson cracks all night. Robert Redford movie. Video proof that it is possible for Redford to turn in a bad performance.

Final: 96-86, Mavericks!
-BJ