Dirk’s late shot pulls Mavs to another victory in Orlando

There’s something about playing in Orlando that agrees with Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks.

Nowitzki’s game-winning bank shot with 5.9 seconds left powered the Mavericks to a wild 100-98 victory over Orlando for their sixth straight victory there.

In the process, the defending NBA champs battled back from a 15-point deficit to claim the victory. It was only their second victory in 21 games where they have won when trailing in the fourth quarter.

“We almost looked down a little bit,” Nowitzki told the Associated Press. “Guys were putting their heads down. But we’re a too good for that. We have to keep competing. I’m proud of the guys.”

STUDS

Dallas F Dirk Nowitzki: Notched a game-winning jumper with 5.9 seconds left, part of a 28-point effort that powered the Mavericks past Orlando. Nowitzki was plus-3 in the game.

Miami G Dwyane Wade: Went for 30 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals and was plus-16 in the Heat’s victory at Toronto. 

New Jersey F Gerald Wallace: Notched 24 points, 18 rebounds, six steals, five assists and was plus-3 in the Nets’ victory at Golden State.

Miami F Chris Bosh: Produced 30 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocks and was plus-17 in the Heat’s triumph at Toronto.

Milwaukee G Brandon Jennings: Went for 28 points, six assists, four steals and was plus-23 in the Bucks’ victory at Cleveland.

New Jersey G Deron Williams: Overcame a rough shooting night to dish off  20 assists and was plus-5 in the Nets’ victory at Golden State.

DUDS

Utah C Derrick Favors: Missed all 13 shots from the field in the Jazz’s loss to Sacramento.

Golden State F David Lee: Scored 27 points, but had seven turnovers and was minus-3 in the Warriors’ loss to New Jersey.

New Jersey G Anthony Morrow: Missed all six shots in the Nets’ victory at Golden State.

Cleveland F Luke Walton: Missed all five shots and was minus-16 in the Cavaliers’ loss to Milwaukee.

Orlando G J.J. Redick: Missed all six field goals with three turnovers and was minus-11 in the Magic’s loss to Dallas.

Rondo’s monster triple-double, Williams’ 57 pace Sunday’s S&Ds

It was a day for statistical milestones for point guards across the NBA on Sunday.

Rajon Rondo started the superlatives by ripping New York for 18 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists in Boston’s 115-111 overtime victory over New York. 

And Deron Williams eruputed for a franchise-record 57 points to lead New Jersey’s 104-101 triumph at Charlotte.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last player to record a triple-double with at least 17 in each category was Magic Johnson, who had 24 points, 17 assists and 17 rebounds on April 18, 1989. The last player to exceed Rondo’s performance in each category was Wilt Chamberlain, who had 22 points, 25 rebounds and 21 assists on Feb. 2, 1968.

It was Rondo’s second triple-double in the last three games and his NBA-leading fourth triple-double of the season.

“That’s the Rondo we like to see, playing with all that energy,” Boston forward Paul Pierce told the Associated Press after the game. “He got the guys the ball in open spots; he did everything for us tonight. He rebounded, he passed, he got the clutch rebound there in overtime and got the layup. That’s the Rondo I like to see.”

And Williams scored the most points in the NBA this season as he topped the previous New Jersey franchise single-game scoring record of 52 points shared by Ray Williams and Mike Newlin.

“You really don’t pay attention to it,” Deron Williams told the AP. “It’s just one of those games where you start feeling good and let it go.”

Both had monster games leading them to the top of Sunday’s Studs and Duds.

STUDS

New Jersey G Deron Williams: Erupted for a franchise-record 57 points, along with six rebounds, seven assists and was plus-11 in the Nets’ victory at Charlotte.

Boston G Rajon Rondo: Singed New York for 18 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists and was plus-5 to lead the Celtics’ overtime victory over  New York.

Chicago G Derrick Rose: Went for 35 points, four rebounds and eight assists and was a team-best plus-11 in the Bulls’ victory at Philadelphia.

Los Angeles Lakers G Kobe Bryant: Went for 33 points and was plus-8 in the Lakers’ victory over  Miami.  

Denver G Ty Lawson: Notched 22 points, nine rebounds, 11 assists and was a team-best plus-6 in the Nuggets’ victory at San Antonio.

DUDS

Miami G Dwyane Wade: His rematch with Bryant didn’t really materialize as he hit 7 of 17 from the field, had five turnovers and fouled out in the Heat’s loss at the Lakers.  

Toronto F Linas Kleiza: Went 2 of 9 from the field with two turnovers and was a team-worst minus-9  in the Raptors’ victory over Golden State.

Phoenix F Markieff Morris: Missed all seven shots with a turnover in the Suns’ victory over Sacramento.

Philadelphia G Lou Williams: Clanked  all seven field-goal attempts in the Sixers’ loss to Chicago.

Golden State F Dorrell Wright: Went 1 for 9 from the field with a turnover and was minus-3 in the Warriors’ loss at Toronto.

Spurs’ Neal looks for staying power

By Jeff McDonald

For Gary Neal, the idea is never to get too comfortable.

Though only in his second season, Neal is already an established NBA player, a fixture in Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s playing rotation and — thanks to a spectacular buzzer-beater against Memphis in last year’s playoffs — an everlasting part of Spurs lore.

In his mind, however, Neal has never stopped feeling like an undrafted rookie still scratching to make it.

“To be honest with you, I don’t feel like I’ve arrived,” the Spurs’ reserve guard said. “I had one good season. That’s it.”

True, that one good season was like a lightning bolt out of the blue. Neal came from nowhere, or at least the Italian League, to set Spurs rookie records for 3-point percentage (41.9) and 3-pointers made (129) and averaged 9.8 points.

He earned first-team NBA All-Rookie honors, becoming the second undrafted player in league history to earn such a designation.

As if to prove Neal’s hypothesis that one good season does not a career make, the other was Jorge Garbajosa, an All-Rookie first-teamer for Toronto in 2007 who lasted one more NBA season after that.

“My goal is to retire in the NBA,” said Neal, 27. “To be able to do that, you have to be productive year in and year out.”

If Neal ever requires an added reminder of his NBA station, he need only look at his bi-weekly paycheck. He is still being paid like an undrafted rookie.

No member of the Spurs’ permanent roster earns less than the $762,195 Neal will make this season. He is set to receive a modest bump to $854,389 next season, the final year of his original three-year deal with the Spurs, but Neal will have to wait until the 2013 free agency to cash in on his NBA accomplishments.

So far this season, Neal’s quest to build on his rookie campaign has been hampered by a series of bizarre medical issues.

Four days into training camp, Neal suffered an appendix inflammation that required the removal of the organ. He missed all of the preseason and the first five games of the regular season recuperating.

Then in January, Neal needed four staples in his head after bashing it on his medicine cabinet at home.

“I was starting to think I was cursed,” Neal said.

Heading into tonight’s game against lowly Charlotte, Neal is averaging 9.7 points and shooting 39.6 percent from 3-point range, numbers down slightly from his rookie year.

Yet the arrow is trending upward. In February, Neal averaged 11.2 points and shot 43.9 percent from the beyond the arc.

Neal is coming off his best game of the season, a 21-point affair in Wednesday’s loss to Chicago in which he kept the Bulls off balance with his developing dribble-drive game.

“Some (plays) are designed for him, and some are just him making an effort,” Popovich said of Neal’s season-high scoring night. “Mostly, it was him. He was amazing.”

In an effort to avoid becoming the next Garbajosa, Neal has shunned being pigeonholed as a 3-point specialist.

Part of that is out of necessity. After his stellar rookie season, Neal is no longer sneaking up on opponents.

“The scouting report is more detailed on me,” Neal said. “Some of the 3-point shots I got last year were wide open. I really haven’t had too many wide-open 3-pointers this year.”

When T.J. Ford went down with a torn hamstring in January, Neal was temporarily forced to add “backup point guard” to his job description.

“That’s the challenge, to continue to add something every year and continue to keep yourself relevant,” Neal said. “That’s how you stay in this league.”

For Neal, staying has always been the goal.

It took so much blood, sweat, tears and time for Neal to finally make the NBA. Now that he’s here, he figures he might as well stick around.

jmcdonald@express-news.net
Twitter: @JMcDonald_SAEN