Mavericks have a rare breather in blowout of Orlando Magic

It seems like light years ago that the Dallas Mavericks were 10-24 and hearing their fans screaming for them to tank the season away.

That was on Dec. 30.

Actually, the tanking talk started when the Mavs were 3-15. At the time, it was hard to argue.

But things have changed since then.

In a reversal of fortune, the Mavs have looked like a bona fide playoff contender while winning 11 of their last 16. Their latest victims, the Orlando Magic, got whacked 112-80 on Saturday before a sellout crowd of 20,052 at American Airlines Center.

It was a very efficient performance by the Mavs, who improved to 22-32 and climbed within two games of Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. In dominating the Magic, the Mavs shot 49.5 percent from the field, dispensed a season high 32 assists, converted 17-of-35 shots from 3-point range, won the rebounding battle by 11, and held the Magic to just three 3-pointers.

With a plethora of injuries at the crux of their early-season woes, the Mavs have been playing much better as their players have gotten healthier.

“We got dealt a tough hand to start the season, out with injuries and rotational stuff, and really trying to find how we’re going to play, find an identity,” said Wesley Matthews, who scored a game-high 20 points and buried 6-of-8 shots from 3-point territory. “I think once we found that, and once bodies started getting healthy again, I think we were able to show what we were capable of being this whole time.”

Point guard Deron Williams returned from the injured list Saturday, started the game, played only in the first half and contributed seven points, four assists and three steals in 15 flawless minutes.

“I like the way Deron played tonight,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “We elected to play him only in the first half, to play it safe, because he hasn’t played in a couple of weeks.”

Sidelined the previous seven games by a sprained left big toe, Williams replaced rookie sensation Yogi Ferrell in the starting lineup. Ferrell, however, still made a solid impact, scoring 10 points and distributing a game-high seven assists in 32 minutes.

Also, the Mavs got 14 points each from Dirk Nowitzki and Seth Curry, and rookie Nicolas Brussino lit up the scoreboard for 10 points and three assists – all in the fourth quarter and to the delight of his teammates.

Ironically, the Mavs didn’t need much from leading scorer Harrison Barnes – he finished with eight points on 4-of-13 shooting and was held under 10 points for just the second time this season.

“Everybody that played did a pretty good job,” Carlisle said. “We were doing a lot of things well tonight.”

This was one of those snowball kind of games for the Mavs. And once they got rolling, they couldn’t be stopped as they led late in the third quarter by as many as 37 points.

“I think the overall deficit takes the wind out of your sails,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “We’ve seen our guys give in – this group give in – in those situations this year.

“We did it tonight and it’s unacceptable. We’ve got to get back to the drawing board.”

Vogel credited the Mavs for playing stellar defense and for limiting his team to 39 percent shooting and three 3-point field goals in 23 attempts.

“They got red-hot from the 3-point line,” Vogel said. “Some were on clean looks, some were on well-defended plays, they knocked down threes, so credit them for playing a great game.”

Magic guard Evan Fournier was impressed with the torrid 3-point shooting from the Mavs, who lost at Orlando 95-87 on Nov. 19.

“They really had it by the end of the first quarter,” Fournier said. “They have very good spacing, good shooters.

“That’s how they do it and you have to be able to bounce back. It’s not about them making 3s, it’s what we do after – to bounce back offensively and adjust defensively – because they are going to make some.”

This was the 16th loss in the last 20 games for the Magic, who dropped to 20-36. In the meantime, that drawing board the Mavs have been using lately sure has produced some amazing results, including wins over San Antonio, Utah and the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers during a 12-day span.

The Mavs have another tough customer on their hands Monday when they complete this four-game homestand by hosting the Boston Celtics.

“It was a game that we had to have, and now we just have to focus on the next one,” Carlisle said. “It’s the No. 2 team in the East coming in here on Monday.

“It’s a meaningful game to them and a meaningful game to us.”

This story was originally published February 12, 2017 at 12:35 AM with the headline "Mavericks have a rare breather in blowout of Orlando Magic."