The Mavs are 10-4 when Jason has a double-double, and with his 14th double-double of the season Saturday, night, Dallas easily put away the Sacramento Kings.

In a 116-95 laugher, J.Kidd led the 2nd quarter charge that clinched the game for the Mavs. In the 2nd, the Mavs shot 71.4 % from the floor and put up 40 points on the hapless Kings to give them a 20-point lead. Jason and Barea combined for 9 assists in a quarter that resembled a lay-up line for the Mavs.

Mike Fisher of Dallasbaketball.com described best what he called the “slam-dunkingest 7 minutes in franchise history”:

“In the final seven minutes of the second period, Kidd (11 assists, 11 points) set up alley-oop passes and the Mavs drove inside in a way that made the flat-footed Kings look like they were playing peach-basket-era ball.”

“The Mavs were up 40-33 with 7:00 left in the second when Kidd lobbed to Singleton for a dunk. Then came a Bass jumper (and Kidd’s second assist), a Wright layup, a Bass slam off a Wright assist, a Bass layup off a Barea assist, a Singleton layup off a Kidd assist, a Bass jumper off a Kidd assist, and in the final three minutes of the half, two Kidd jumpers and in the final 1:28, a trio of momentum-securing slams: Kidd’s oop to Singleton, a Wright steal in transition and another Kidd-to-Singleton oop with 27 seconds left, and then at the buzzer, once more with feeling, Kidd’s seventh assist of the first half on a feed to the flying Wright.”

“In seven minutes, the Mavs made 12 of 13 shots. Eight of those were layups or dunks. The 40 points in the quarter is big and the 70 points in the half is big but. … check this out: In that half-quarter, the Mavs scored 30 points.”

After the 2nd quarter assault, the Kings were never able to get back into the game. Therefore Jason, who finished with 11 points, 11 assists, 4 rebound, and a steal, got to cheerlead from the bench the entire 4th quarter.

ON CLOUD NINE
The mood in the locker room after the victory was understandably light, with players constantly cracking jokes at each other’s expense.

Jason was the victim of one such assault while trying to give a TV interview, as after he pulled on a dress shirt with blue paisley designs on it Nowitzki couldn’t contain himself.

As Hoopsworld described it, upon seeing J.Kidd’s shirt, Nowitzki yelled out:

“You can get away with that in New York, but this is Dallas, baby!”

MAVS FALL TO ROCKETS
The Mavs were unable to win their 5th in a row at the Toyota Center, but it wasn’t from a lack of effort.

J.Kidd and the rest of the team matched the hustle and toughness of the Rockets, but they were unable to come away with the victory as they fell 93-86. Friday night’s game was the first in a stretch of contests that sees the Mavs match up against foes who they are directly battling for playoff position.

No.2 got the Mavs going early with his three steals igniting the fast break to give them a quick 9-point advantage.

Making his first start at point guard for the Rockets, rookie Aaron Brook’s was abused early by the savvy play of Jason (3 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals). Aaron talked with Chron.com before the game about playing against J.Kidd:

“Jason Kidd’s one of the best point guards in the league, veteran, a big guy who is going to post up. All the stuff I need to work on, I’m going to get it this game.”

Unfortunately, the Mavs were unable to maintain their lead as some sloppy play in the 3rd, including 7 turnovers, gave the Rockets the momentum and the victory.

NEXT UP
It doesn’t get any easier for the Mavs as Tuesday night at 6:30 pm they play against their divisional foe and instate rival the San Antonio Spurs.

RELATED STORIES
Kings 95, Mavericks 116 (ESPN.com, Feb. 21st, 2009)
http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=290221006
Mavericks 86, Rockets 93 (ESPN.com, Feb. 20th, 2009)
http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=290220010
Donuts: The 30-Point Half-Quarter (Dallasbaketball.com, Feb. 23rd, 2009)
http://www.dallasbasketball.com/fullColumn.php?id=1364
Post-Game: Things get ugly in Dallas (Hoopsworld, Feb. 21st, 2009)
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Blogs/CourtsideBlog.asp?GAME_ID=29016&LEAGUE_CODE=NBA
A fast start for Howard and the Mavs (Mavs Blog, Feb. 20th, 2009)
http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/02/a-fast-start-for-howard-and-the-mavs.html
Rockets Notes: Artest where he feels he belongs (Chron.com, Feb. 21st, 2009)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6273922.html
Dallas Mavericks bench-press Kings (Star-Telegram, Feb. 22nd, 2009)
http://www.star-telegram.com/287/story/1217778.html