Mavericks notes: Tyson Chandler swatting shoe highlight of Mavs’ loss

Tyson Chandler admitted to trying to get a shoe up on the competition.

And he said it was all tactical.

Late in the third quarter of Saturday’s game between the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State, Warriors center Marreese Speights lost his left shoe. As play continued, the two teams went up the floor, and then came back down.

While play continued, Warriors guard Stephen Curry picked up Speights’ shoe and tried to toss it to him — some 10 feet away. Chandler, however, stepped in and angrily swatted it away while the American Airlines Center crowd roared its approval.

“I saw, I think it was Steph, trying to get it back to him and I thought if I could keep it away from him we could take advantage of him on the other end without his shoe, because you can’t run without one shoe,” Chandler said. “It was tactical, for sure.

“I’m for doing everything to try and win. I don’t care what it is. If it’s hitting a shoe or hitting whatever it is, I just want to win.”

Of Chandler’s heads-up play, forward Dirk Nowitzki smiled and called it “probably the best defensive play of the [game].”

After his team beat the Mavericks 105-98, Warriors coach Steve Kerr joked, “We need a new rule, like the Larry Bird Exception. We’re going to call it the Tyson Chandler rule.

“No deflecting shoes when they’re tossed off to the side.”

Chandler laughed when he heard about Kerr’s request.

“I don’t think it’s an illegal play,” Chandler said. “Not that I know of.

“I was hoping that we were able to get a quick stop and then run the other way with his shoe off, and then I was going to try to be involved in a pick and roll. You can’t run with a sock on.”

Felton gets work

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle spent about 45 minutes on the Mavericks’ practice court working with point guard Raymond Felton before Saturday’s game.

Felton has not played this season after suffering a high right ankle sprain during an Oct. 10 preseason game against Oklahoma City. But with starting point guard Jameer Nelson (shoulder) missing four of nine games before returning to play Saturday against Golden State, the Mavericks could use an extra body at point guard.

“He’s making progress and he’s working extremely hard,” Carlisle said. “With Nelson going out a few games here and there, and other things that can come up along the way, we’ve got to get Ray ready to play.”

There’s no timetable for Felton’s return, although owner Mark Cuban said he expects him to be ready before Christmas.

“It’s some time away,” Carlisle said. “We’re not there yet, but we’re getting warmer.”

Curry praises Ellis

Although they use to compete for playing time and shots while playing the same position, Stephen Curry can now appreciate how far Monta Ellis’ game has evolved.

Ellis and Curry were Golden State teammates from 2009 until the Warriors traded Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks on March 13, 2012. The trade was partly done because the Warriors envisioned Curry as the centerpiece of their future.

Curry, meanwhile, has watched from afar as Ellis has blossomed into one of the top shooting guards in the NBA.

“He’s been a guy that can get you 30 any given night and dominate a game, and now it’s leading to more wins with a solid team,” Curry said of Ellis. “He’s really enjoying his opportunity right now.

“He’s been playing well. What I’ve seen on film is he seems like a guy that’s explosive and can get to the basket and knock down shots and is a gamer.”

Curry scored 29 points on 9 of 22 shots Saturday, while Ellis had 24 points on 8 of 22 shots.

This story was originally published December 13, 2014 at 9:43 PM with the headline "Mavericks notes: Tyson Chandler swatting shoe highlight of Mavs’ loss."