Despite Celtics' loss, Mavericks leave impressed

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/2015/11/bulpett_despite_celtics_loss_mavericks_leave_impressed




Bulpett: Despite Celtics' loss, Mavericks leave impressed


Steve Bulpett Thursday, November 19, 2015





Brad Stevens




For all of the first quarter, the Celtics messed with Texas. Here in their home, home in the North End, they had kicked the Mavericks upside the head.

Then, as if to add the frosting to the cannoli, Kelly Olynyk tried to out-Dirk his idol, Dirk Nowitzki. The third-year Celtic took the ball to the lane on the man 15 NBA years his senior. He faked and lofted a 13-foot fallaway off one foot, a shot you’ve seen a million times. From Nowitzki.

“Oh, man, that was cold-blooded,” Dirk said with a smile later. “I told their coach they’re going to run a 1-4 iso(lation) up top against me, so that hurt me a little bit. But it looked pretty good and almost went in. I was a little fortunate there.”

Said Olynyk: “It’s something I’d like to get to. It’s a good shot for me. I’ve been making it this year and with the (Canadian) national team this summer. I’ve been working on it a lot. I thought it was in. Unfortunately it just rolled out.”

After the buzzer sounded, Nowitzki had a word for Olynyk as the two passed on the way to their respective benches.

Dirk told him, “Don’t give me my own move.”

Following the game in which they came back from an 18-point deficit to score a 106-102 victory, the Mavericks were giving the Celts their due.

When someone said it became hairy at the end when the Celts had the ball down two in the last minute, Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said, “I thought it was hairy in the beginning too. I mean we were getting our (butt) kicked. . . .

“It’s a very good team, and it’s a contending team in the East — no question.

“We were well-prepared for the game, and yet, you know they still came at us harder than expected. You’ll be hard-pressed to find three better perimeter defenders on any one team in this league than (Avery) Bradley and (Jae) Crowder and (Marcus) Smart. I mean, these guys are great, and they play with a lot of force. We had to adjust to the game, and it was hard. It was hard.”

“This is a young, active group,” said Mavs guard Deron Williams. “This is a good group. They made things tough on us. But, you know, we were able to hit some baskets in the third and fourth quarter and get some confidence. I think we just turned up our energy levels on both ends of the floor in the second half.”




The Celtics had 12 steals and 14 offensive rebounds that they turned into 19 second-chance points. That helped the hosts keep things close despite a 35-24 deficit in free throws attempted.

“Their energy was great,” said Nowitzki. “In the first quarter, they were all over us. I think we weren’t quite ready for how intense they play, how they go for steals. I don’t think we got any good shots early. We made some mistakes. We made some bad turnovers. I think we adjusted a little better in the second quarter, got better shots, moved the ball better.”

The Celtics certainly let a win slip through their fingers, but their effort was enough to make the Mavs offer unprompted praise.

And Nowitzki was taken by Olynyk’s sincerest form of flattery.

“I guess it shows I’ve been around for a long, long time and did something right,” Nowitzki said. “It’s very humbling for guys to like my game or enjoy some of my stuff that I did over the last 17 or 18 years. It’s fun to still compete against these young guys.”



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