--How badly do the Mavs rely on Dirk Nowitzki to score big every game? After he scored 17 points Friday at Utah, they fell to 1-5 when he scores less than 20 points. They're 15-7 when he scores more than 20.
Technically, the Mavs moved to 2-5 when he scores fewer than 20 after Sunday's win over the hapless Clippers. Nowitzki, serving a one-game suspension, did not play. --The Mavs are the No. 1 rebounding team in the league, averaging 45.3 a game. They were embarrassed Friday at Utah when the Jazz, playing without Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap and Mehmet Okur, their top three rebounders, beat them on the boards, 41-39, in the loss.
They made sure the Zach Randolph-less Clippers didn't repeat that feat Sunday. The Mavs, with five players securing eight or more rebounds, out-rebound the Clippers, 53-38.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm not a believer in getting them (technical fouls) just to get them, but we were battling to win and there was some emotional stuff going on." -- Rick Carlisle, on the Mavs picking up four technical fouls and two flagrant fouls on the three-game road trip.
