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The Dallas Mavericks are a better team than the New Orleans Hornets. Last year, they were a better team than the Golden State Warriors. The year before, Dallas was better than the Miami Heat...

Why the Dallas Mavericks Will Sweep the New Orleans Hornets

by Andy Simpson (Analyst)

14

1,176 reads

Preview/Prediction

April 18, 2008


The Dallas Mavericks are a better team than the New Orleans Hornets.

Last year, they were a better team than the Golden State Warriors.  The year before, Dallas was better than the Miami Heat.  So what's different in "Loserville" this year?  Why will the best team actually win this playoff series?

Let’s break it down and find out.

 

The Match-Ups

 

Chris Paul vs. Jason Kidd

Paul is averaging 26.5 points, 5.25 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3.75 steals in four games versus Dallas.

His stats were virtually the same with either Kidd or Devin Harris guarding him, with the exception of the 11-steal game the first game after the Kidd trade, but I don't think he will duplicate that. 

Kidd is averaging 16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in three games versus New Orleans.  Kidd is Dallas' leading rebounder against the Hornets, which was huge in the Mavs’ win Wednesday night.

But Paul is the dominant player in this series, so give this one to New Orleans.

 

Morris Peterson vs. Jason Terry

Peterson is averaging 5.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in four games versus Dallas, and I can't even remember a single moment he was involved in the other night.

Terry is averaging 22 points, 3.25 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals in four games against New Orleans.  He has been the Mavericks best player in the four games against the Hornets, and no one from the Hornets has been able to slow him down.

Give the Mavs a full two-point advantage in this landslide.

 

Tyson Chandler vs. Erick Dampier

Chandler is averaging 12.5 points and 10.25 rebounds in four games versus Dallas. His numbers have declined every single game against the Mavs, and he hasn't hit double digits against them since before Christmas.

Dampier is averaging 6.25 points and 5.25 rebounds in four games against the Hornets.  Dallas has a hard time keeping Dampier on the floor against Chandler and West, but he always has at least one decent game in each series.

Neither team has the advantage here because of how poor Chandler has been after Christmas and how much better Damp has been since Kidd started feeding him passes with a baby spoon.

But if it ends in a tie, this will be New Orleans’ tiebreaker.

 

Peja Stojakovic vs. Josh Howard

Peja is averaging 16.75 points and 5.75 rebounds against Dallas in four games, and he has significant experience against the Mavs in the playoffs from his Sacramento days. 

Howard is averaging 16.25 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in the four games against New Orleans.  He is not playing well down the stretch, but he was fine against the Hornets on Wednesday.  This one is a push also; I am taking away the tiebreaker New Orleans won above.

 

David West vs. Dirk Nowitzki

West is averaging 18 points, 10.75 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.75 blocks in the four games against Dallas this year.  No one in the Mavs starting lineup can guard him, and he's done a great job against Dirk this year.

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14 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Hank Boudreaux about 1 year ago

    This is a little far fetched, seeing how the Hornets split the season series with Dallas, and Dallas seems to be playing scared rather than inspired basketball. Hornets in 6.

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  2. Andy Simpson about 1 year ago

    I can't see the Hornets clinching in Dallas.

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  3. Rif Sunesara about 1 year ago

    So the team with homecourt advantage doesn't get a point for homecourt because NO doesn't have a homecourt feel to it? And you know/feel this because?...

    Last time I checked NBA was a team sport (especially when it comes to a playoff series). Its a synergy type game. By your matchup logic the Rockets should have utterly collapsed post-Yao injury.

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    • Andy Simpson about 1 year ago

      Flow isn't as important in the playoffs. Teams take away your best approaches, which naturally throws off any synergy. To me, that's why match-ups are so important because each team has to find a way to function without being allowed to play how they want to.

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    • Andy Simpson about 1 year ago

      Also, I thought the Rockets should have collapsed post-Yao, but I think more it proved that Yao isn't as valuable as everyone thinks. He slows them down on O and gets abused on D on the ball. He's just an average helpside defender who happens to be bigger than everyone else, so he gets lots of blocks.

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  4. PATRICK SCALES about 1 year ago

    YOU MUST BE DRINKING.

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  5. Sean about 1 year ago

    LOL...I want what the author is ON. That must be some good stuff. Absolutely the most unsound, unintelligent sports analysis I think I have ever read in my life. Not one thing on it makes a lick of sense. Nothing.

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    • Andy Simpson about 1 year ago

      Thanks for being a great contributor to the community here, and allow me to congratulate you on your fine appetite for journalism.

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  6. Mat Hanson about 1 year ago

    How does Dallas get a point for home court advantage, and have you ever been to a playoff game in New Orleans?

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  7. Andy Simpson about 1 year ago

    I still think Dallas is a much better home court from watching games at both places. And by the way, not many people have been to a playoff game in New Orleans, but lots have been to them in Dallas.

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  8. LSU Rocks about 1 year ago

    well, your prediction is already wrong. guess we'll find out just how wrong soon enough.

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  9. Sean about 1 year ago

    Well, 86% of teams that win game 1 and win it at home take the series. I don't know what the statistics are if they win game 2, but, the bottom line is this--the New Orleans Hornets are simply a better team than the Dallas Mavericks, this year. It is why they won yesterday. It is why they are the #2 seed and Dallas is the #7 seed and it is why New Orleans will WIN the series, leave Dallas in the dust, and preparing for the next opponent. Watch it unfold.

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    • Andy Simpson about 1 year ago

      Unfortunately, I can't disagree with you. I was laying out how it would unfold in a perfect world for Dallas, but obviously, the Mavs aren't in a perfect world.

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