Jason and the Dallas Mavericks wrapped the 2008 portion of the 08-09 NBA season winning two of the year’s three final contests.
Friday’s tilt in Salt Lake City proved the only slip up in a three-game road trip, as No. 2 and Co. found themselves on the short end of a 97-88 loss to the Utah Jazz.
Dirk Nowitzki was ejected in the third quarter of the game, and afterward, Jason told the Dallas Morning News that Utah’s physical play makes matching up against them a mental challenge as well.
"They can get under your skin…They’re physical. And sometimes, they want you to react to them being physical. You just have to be mentally strong and not react."
Jason ended the night with seven points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
TWO STRAIGHT TO WRAP 08
Coming off the defeat to Utah, Dallas (19-12), responded as it has done ever since passing the .500 mark earlier in the year, and in two straight victories, put the league on notice to close the year.
Against the Los Angeles Clippers, Jason (five points, six assists, eight rebounds) had to do little more than sit back and watch his teammate, Josh Howard, go on a scoring spree, and the Mavericks emerging with a 98-76 win.
But it was against the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night that J-Kidd and the Mavs got their groove on.
Trailing 70-41 — a 29-point deficit for the mathematically challenged — Dallas outscored Minnesota 66-30 over the final 22 minutes of the game, and emerged with a shocking 107-100 win.
It was the largest comeback in franchise history, and it was Jason who brought Dallas even in its furious attempt to pull out the victory. As recounted by the Dallas Morning News:
By the midpoint of the fourth quarter, Jason Kidd hit a long jumper to make it 91-91. Terry was remarkable with his second-half shooting, making 9-of-13 shots for 24 points. The 3-pointers and long jumpers that helped them dig the 29-point hole suddenly began to fall and were a big part of the comeback.
"Luckily, we don’t have another game [today]," Kidd said of the clearly fatigued Mavericks. "We were down big and guys didn’t quit. We kept fighting. That’s what we needed to beat that team."
No. 2 finished with 14 points, a season-high 16 assists and seven rebounds.
RELATED STORIES
Sour note: Nowitzki ejected as Dallas Mavericks fall to Jazz (Dallas Morning News, Dec. 27, 2008)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/122708dnspomavslede.de3c574.html
Mavs beat Clippers 98-76 without Nowitzki (AP, Dec. 28, 2008)
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2008122812
Record rally: Down 29, Dallas Mavericks surge past Wolves (Dallas Morning News, Dec. 30, 2008)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/123108dnspomavslede.225a356e.html