Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Mavericks searching for offensive consistency

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November 7

Dallas Morning News

"Forward Shawn Marion is in his first season with the Mavericks, but he's been in the NBA long enough to easily identify a troublesome trend. Marion, who has helped the Mavericks improve defensively, said the team's offense has been sporadic. The consistency isn't there yet for a team that has added six new players, three of whom have already started. "Everybody hasn't clicked on all cylinders yet," said Marion, the 10th-year pro. "It's like one game it's one person and the next game it's somebody else. It's not all five or all 13 just yet. We're ready for that to start popping. Once that starts popping, it's going to be great." Take the last two games for example. On Tuesday in a 96-85 ..."

Remember Dallas Mavericks fans ... the beat writer is always right

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November 6

Dallas Morning News

columnist Eddie Sefko

"You might remember a week ago when somebody in this space said not to panic and wait at least another week or two before getting concerned about the Mavericks after their season-opening loss. We're not in the "told you so" business here, but let's just say you should always trust the beat writer. The Mavericks have reversed field nicely and are doing exactly what they need to do to keep the Western Conference big dogs within a leash's length. That's in spite of the meltdown/choke they suffered Wednesday night in New Orleans. Who knows, a month or two from now, we might be talking about the Mavericks with a bite that's as nasty as their bark. A full week-plus into the season, there ..."

A stinger: Dallas Mavericks let Hornets escape in OT

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November 5

Dallas Morning News

"In the space of 24 hours, the Mavericks saw it all. Good, bad, ugly - and a bit of a gag reflex. After a spirited win in which everything went right in the fourth quarter, they looked like they were ready for an encore Wednesday night at New Orleans Arena. And then, everything that could go wrong did. And the Mavericks had nobody to blame but themselves. When Peja Stojakovic - 0-for-7 to that point - flipped in a tying 3-pointer with 6.7 seconds to play, the Mavericks knew they'd botched a game they should have won. They proceeded to get drilled in overtime, dropping a 114-107 decision to the Hornets, ending a three-game winning streak. Against Utah on Tuesday? Dirk Nowitzki had 40 ..."

Dirk fouls out in encore

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November 5

Dallas Morning News

"The NBA is the ultimate what-have- you-done lately league. A day after Dirk Nowitzki's outrageous fourth quarter against Utah, everybody was still talking about it. Good thing. That way they didn't have to talk about his 4-for-15 shooting and his six personal fouls Wednesday night against New Orleans. Or his streak of 20-point games ending at 29. He finished with just a dozen, or 17 fewer than he had Tuesday - in the fourth quarter. But although Nowitzki was frustrated by the New Orleans defense, it still couldn't erase that crazy, 29-point fourth quarter he had Tuesday. Lost amid everybody trying to find adequate words to describe that game was that one of Nowitzki's new wrinkles in ..."

Nowitzki's huge fourth quarter rallies Dallas past Utah

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November 4

Salt Lake Tribune

"If it wasn't Dirk Nowitzki behind the history-making performance, maybe the Jazz would have greeted the one-man Texas twister that hit them in the fourth quarter Tuesday night with something resembling shock and awe. Instead, the Jazz seemed simply resigned to their fate as Nowitzki tore through American Airlines Center with a 29-point fourth-quarter spectacular, single-handedly erasing a 16-point deficit and sending the Mavericks to a 96-85 victory. Nowitzki scored 14 consecutive points during one stretch midway through the quarter and finished with 40 for the game. He hit 7 of 8 shots from the field in the fourth, including a three-pointer, and went 14 of 14 at the foul line against the ..."

Nowitzki destroys Jazz with fourth-quarter scoring explosion

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November 4

The Deseret News

"After they blew one game Tuesday night, the Jazz started playing another. It was shoulda, coulda, woulda, and every time they took a turn, Dirk Nowitzki kept coming up the winner. The NBA's 2007 MVP scored a Jordanesque 40 points, including a franchise-record 29 in the fourth quarter as Dallas overcame a 16-point Jazz lead in the final period and beat Utah 96-85 at American Airlines Center. It was the fourth straight time in Dallas that Nowitzki's scored 30-plus-points against the now 1-3 Jazz, and the 12th time in 13 tries — including five straight — that Utah has lost here. "Just another game, same story," said Jazz point guard Deron Williams, whose 22 points were a team-high. Asked if ..."

D-Will hopes to be All-Star in Dallas

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November 4

The Deseret News

"He was here Tuesday night, scoring a team-high 22 points in the Jazz's loss to the Dallas Mavericks, and he'll be back for another regular-season game Jan. 9. But point guard Deron Williams really would love to be in the Dallas area Feb. 14, when the NBA holds its 2010 All-Star Game at the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in nearby Arlington. "It would mean a lot," said Williams, who feels he belonged in the 2008 All-Star Game at New Orleans. "You know, I wish I would have had one by now," added Williams, who was Texas-raised and played high school ball locally at The Colony. "But it would be special to have the first one in Dallas. Hopefully, all my family can come see me play." Williams, ..."

Nowitzki leads Dallas Mavericks in fourth-quarter blitz to beat Utah

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November 4

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"On a drab, lifeless Tuesday night at American Airlines Center, everybody found out how quickly a dud can turn into a stud. It happened with Dirk Nowitzki. And it happened with a dull game that turned absolutely mesmerizing in the final minutes. The Mavericks looked completely dead for three quarters, and Nowitzki was searching for a pulse, too. Then the Mavericks flipped a switch and Nowitzki dominated the fourth quarter as the Mavs pulled off a 27-point fourth-quarter turnaround for a 96-85 victory over the Utah Jazz. Nowitzki had 29 points in the final quarter – including 23 of 25 at one point – smashing the franchise record for points in a quarter, formerly owned by Mark Aguirre, who ..."

Nowitzki leads Dallas Mavericks in fourth-quarter blitz to beat Utah

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November 4

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"On a drab, lifeless Tuesday night at American Airlines Center, everybody found out how quickly a dud can turn into a stud. It happened with Dirk Nowitzki. And it happened with a dull game that turned absolutely mesmerizing in the final minutes. The Mavericks looked completely dead for three quarters, and Nowitzki was searching for a pulse, too. Then the Mavericks flipped a switch and Nowitzki dominated the fourth quarter as the Mavs pulled off a 27-point fourth-quarter turnaround for a 96-85 victory over the Utah Jazz. Nowitzki had 29 points in the final quarter – including 23 of 25 at one point – smashing the franchise record for points in a quarter, formerly owned by Mark Aguirre, who ..."

Mavericks showed something by beating . . . the Clippers?

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November 4

Los Angeles Times

columnist Broderick Turner

"If you needed any proof that the Dallas Mavericks are going to be good this season, consider their impressive victory over the Lakers at Staples Center last Friday. And then instead of a letdown, the Mavericks went out the very next night and defeated the Clippers. Sure, it's the Clippers, but the Mavericks could have been satisfied after the big win over the Lakers. "I like the team, but it's on paper," Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle said. "It's a long haul and I do like the team and we're going to keep working at it." The addition of Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden gives the Mavericks more depth to help Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry. When Dallas gets Josh Howard and Tim Thomas back ..."

Mavericks remain mum on alleged slur by Gooden

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November 4

Dallas Morning News

"While the subject of an alleged homophobic slur by Drew Gooden continued to fan his own flames Tuesday, the Mavericks stayed silent, and the NBA opened a review of the situation, although it's difficult to see any substantial penalty forthcoming from the incident. Clippers fan Chris Wylde said in a YouTube video he posted that he and a friend were in a hallway at Staples Center after Saturday's game and that Gooden said to the people he was leaving the game with, "there's that other [slur]." Wylde added that "it wasn't hateful, but it's something that shouldn't be said." Gooden, owner Mark Cuban and all other Mavericks officials would not comment about the incident. A couple of players ..."

Dallas Mavericks hit from long range - finally

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November 4

Dallas Morning News

columnist Eddie Sefko

"The Mavericks hit four of eight 3-pointers in the second half of their remarkable win over Utah on Tuesday. It's about time. Four games into an NBA season isn't long enough to gauge any solid trends, but it's plenty of time for a snap judgment. And through 3 ½ of those games, the Mavericks' 3-point shooting stunk. Let's not hear any talk about new rims in NBA arenas having any impact whatsoever. That would be the flimsiest excuse of all. How many 3-pointers hit rim anyway? Most of them are swishes, or close to it. There doesn't seem to be any reasonable explanation for a team of sharpshooters slipping into the equivalent of a 3-point coma like the Mavericks did. At least Kidd did ..."

Fantastic 4th: Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks surge past Jazz in record fashion

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November 4

Dallas Morning News

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Challenges coming fast for Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd

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November 3

Dallas Morning News

"The Mavericks have entered the embryonic stage of forming a defensive presence.Now the hard part starts.Starting tonight against Utah's Deron Williams, they face the two toughest, most offensive-minded point guards in the league in a 24-hour span. On Wednesday, they visit Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets.Enter Jason Kidd. And Quinton Ross. And J.J. Barea. Maybe even Shawn Marion and Roddy Beaubois.Williams, who went to high school at The Colony, and Paul have pretty much incinerated the Mavericks every time they have played them. But this is a different Mavericks team defensively.They hope."For J-Kidd, the one thing I love about these two games is that he'll take the personal ..."

Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Popeye Jones faces drunken driving charge

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November 3

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Former Dallas Mavericks player and current assistant coach Ronald Jerome "Popeye" Jones was arrested Sunday evening in Richardson and accused of drunken driving. Jones, who played for the Mavericks from 1993 until 1996 and again in 2002-03, was bonded out of jail this morning at about 4 a.m., according to Richardson Police Department public information officer Jonathan Wakefield. At about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Richardson police received calls from other motorists, who reported that someone was driving erratically in a gray GMC Yukon. When police pulled Jones over in the 100 block of South Greenville Avenue, Jones declined a breathalyzer test and briefly resisted arrest, according to Wakefield. ..."

Mavericks forward Drew Gooden allegedly yelled homophobic slur

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November 3

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Heckling by Los Angeles Clippers fans may have led to the Mavericks' Drew Gooden saying some allegedly insensitive comments during the Mavericks' game at Staples Center on Saturday. Gooden did not play and was dressed in street clothes behind the bench. According to the Web site Outsports.com, Gooden yelled a homophobic slur at a pair of fans seated near the Mavericks bench. The Web site said Gooden yelled the slur at actor Chris Wylde, who is married and is not gay and was attending the game with a friend. Owner Mark Cuban would not comment, but e-mailed Wylde, according to the Web site, and said the team would deal with Gooden internally. He sent an e-mail to the Web site saying that ..."

Mavs' Gooden under duress after alleged insensitive remarks

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November 3

Dallas Morning News

"Heckling by Los Angeles Clippers fans may have led to the Mavericks' Drew Gooden making some allegedly insensitive comments during Saturday's game at Staples Center. Gooden did not play in the game and was dressed in street clothes behind the bench. According to Outsports.com, a Web site devoted to gay issues in sports, Gooden yelled a homophobic slur at a pair of fans seated near the Mavericks' bench. Gooden yelled the slur at actor Chris Wylde, who is not gay and was attending the game with a friend, the Web site reported. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would not comment, but according to the Web site, he told Wylde in an e-mail that the team would deal with Gooden internally. Cuban also ..."

Challenges coming fast for Dallas Mavericks' point guards

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November 3

Dallas Morning News

"The Mavericks have entered the embryonic stage of forming a defensive presence. Now the hard part starts. Starting tonight against Utah's Deron Williams, they face the two toughest, most offensive-minded point guards in the league in a 24-hour span. On Wednesday, they visit Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. Enter Jason Kidd. And Quinton Ross. And J.J. Barea. Maybe even Shawn Marion and Roddy Beaubois. Williams, who went to high school at The Colony, and Paul have pretty much incinerated the Mavericks every time they have played them. But this is a different Mavericks team defensively. They hope. "For J-Kidd, the one thing I love about these two games is that he'll take the ..."

Mavericks assistant coach Popeye Jones accused of drunken driving

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November 2

Dallas Morning News

"Former Dallas Mavericks player and current assistant coach Ronald Jerome "Popeye" Jones was arrested Sunday evening in Richardson and accused of drunken driving. Jones, who played for the Mavericks from 1993 until 1996 and again in 2002-03, was bonded out of jail this morning at about 4 a.m., according to Richardson Police Department public information officer Jonathan Wakefield. At about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Richardson police received calls from other motorists, who reported that someone was driving erratically in a gray GMC Yukon. When police pulled Jones over in the 100 block of South Greenville Avenue, Jones declined a breathalyzer test and briefly resisted arrest, according to ..."

Clippers go 0 for 4

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November 2

L.A. Daily News

"Dirk Nowitzki and his teammates were intent on not letting it happen again. Nowitzki had 24 points and nine rebounds, leading the Mavericks to a 93-84 victory Saturday night and handing the Clippers their fourth straight loss to start the season. Last year, the Clippers started out 0-6 before beating Dallas at Staples Center. "The Clippers are a much better team than their record reflects," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "We were in this exact situation last year - they were winless, but they got us and it sent us into a bad stretch. Tonight we were able to make the plays down the stretch to get it done." The Mavericks, coming off a victory over the NBA champion Lakers on Friday, could ..."

Even with sweep in LA, Dallas Mavericks have 'a long way to go'

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November 2

Dallas Morning News

"Amazing what a sweet sweep in Southern California can do for a team's spirit. Imagine what kind of strut the Mavericks will have when they actually win a home game. The NBA schedule says that they can't play all the time at Staples Center in Los Angeles, where they went 2-0 over the weekend. So the Mavericks came home on Sunday and vowed that the blip against Washington in the season opener was just that - an aberration not to be repeated. "We're the team we thought we were, but we still got a long way to go," Jason Terry said. "After that Washington game, people started to doubt us, question us. And then you come on the road and prove not only to yourself, but to everybody else, that, ..."

Lakers are pick-and-rolled to this loss

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November 1

Los Angeles Times

"The Lakers took it on the chin on defense Friday night, the Dallas Mavericks slicing them up with a steady diet of pick-and-rolls. At times last season, the Lakers had trouble with their pick-and-roll defense. All too often during Friday's 94-80 loss to the Mavericks at Staples Center, the Lakers were a step slow on defense, or were unable to recover, or simply left Dallas players wide open. "We let this team get back to the middle all the time and use screens all the time in situations where we could take them away from screens," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "That's really one of our major points of emphasis." The Lakers are supposed to have two of the best wing defenders in the NBA in ..."

Kareem Rush gets chance to contribute

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November 1

Los Angeles Times

"Kobe Bryant was front and center in the Clippers' locker room on Saturday night before their game against the Dallas Mavericks. Not literally, but you get the idea. The Clippers were watching the tape of the Mavericks' victory over the Lakers on Friday and a frustrated-looking Bryant loomed large. At the same time, new Clipper Kareem Rush was reminiscing about his former teammate, telling stories about Bryant's legendary work habits, including arriving at the gym at 6 a.m. His duties as a Lakers rookie once included taking care of Bryant's laundry, and staying out of his way as much as possible. Now about the present . . . "I just want to get in and contribute," Rush said. "If given the ..."

Clippers waste efforts of Chris Kaman

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November 1

Los Angeles Times

"Dirk and Friends barely hit the pause button. The Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki completed their two-night sweep through Staples Center, picking apart the Lakers via pick and roll and then bookending it with a 93-84 victory over the Clippers on Saturday night. No Halloween jokes are necessary here. The Clippers' early record speaks for itself, and they failed to score in the final 4:42 of the game. They are 0-4 and two losses from matching their woeful start of last season. They are the only team in the NBA with four losses. (The Knicks and Nets are both 0-3, which drives home the point that some pretty miserable basketball is being played in the New York metro area and not-so-great hoops is ..."

Dallas Mavericks making good use of depth

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November 1

Dallas Morning News

"Kris Humphries made a sweet move against the LA Clippers on Saturday night, giving a head fake and going around Craig Smith, who had no choice but to grab the Mavericks forward's arm as he raced by. If it wasn't clear at that point how important Humphries is going to be for the Mavericks this season, it certainly was on his massive two-handed slam moments later. Humphries is vital, just like J.J. Barea, Jason Terry, Drew Gooden and the other members of the MOB - Mavs Off the Bench. The Mavericks had 10 players who played at least eight minutes Friday against the Lakers. In the first half alone against the Clippers on Saturday, there were nine players asked to play meaningful minutes. ..."

Lakers get served a dose of reality

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October 31

L.A. Daily News

"So much for the afterglow. The glitz and glamour of opening night had faded into ancient history by the time the Lakers returned to Staples Center on Friday night. There was no chatter about championship rings or banners, only talk of missed chances and failed execution. The Dallas Mavericks punished the Lakers for their lackluster play, defeating them 94-80 and reminding them that opponents always seem to play with added emotion and efficiency when they meet the defending champs. After defeating the Clippers in their season opener Tuesday and celebrating their 2008-09 title for the last time, the Lakers went back to the mundane business of trying to win games. They learned what all ..."

Lakers are humbled at home by the Mavericks

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October 31

Los Angeles Times

"These guys are going to finish 73-9? The same ones who stood in the center ring of a circus of miscues and missed shots Friday in an embarrassing home loss to the Dallas Mavericks? No way, no how. The Lakers didn't just lose to Dallas as much as destroy a season-long story line. And it's only their second game. The Chicago Bulls can apparently rest easy after the Lakers' 94-80 loss. Their NBA-record 72-10 mark in the 1995-96 season looks safe, despite the fact some of the Lakers talked earlier this week about surpassing it. The Lakers are still favored to win a second consecutive championship, but nothing from Friday will be on their year-end highlight video. Kobe Bryant had an awful ..."

Mark Cuban has fun at Lakers' expense, then Mavericks do too

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October 31

Los Angeles Times

"Drat. There goes that 82-0 season. It was Game 2 of 82 Friday night. A Lakers team whose last season seemed to end yesterday was back in full swing. The Dallas Mavericks were in town, as was their energetic and entertaining owner, Mark Cuban, who can be more fun than the game. There are only a few things to look for in Lakerland this early in the season. The Lakers won it all last June, have 11 players back from that team, and are expected to do it again this season. Like the baseball fans in New York with the Yankees, Los Angeles pro basketball fans -- except for the seven who root for the Clippers -- have a sort of entitlement feeling about their Lakers and league championships. Staples ..."

Mavericks conquer their Kobe-phobia and get past Lakers

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October 31

Dallas Morning News

columnist Eddie Sefko

"The first step to beating the Lakers is getting over the fear factor. You know how it is. Like the TV show of the same name, you have to get over the phobia of eating a bug or being trapped under water. Call it Kobe-phobia. The Mavericks proved Friday night that, if they have any fear of the Lakers, they can overcome it. They may not always beat the Lakers. But they know now the kind of grit that's required to play with them. They played a first half exactly the way it must be played to have success against the Lakers. They ran extra defenders at Kobe Bryant. They rotated their defense to cover other players when Bryant passed the ball. And they moved the ball offensively the way a team ..."

Dallas Mavericks look for consistency on road trip

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October 31

Dallas Morning News

"It's a little early in the season for a reality check, but the Mavericks went through one before Game 2 Friday night. They knew after losing by 11 points at home to Washington on Tuesday that they shortchanged themselves, the franchise and the fans. Either that, or this team has way overestimated itself. They'll go with the former, not the latter. "After that game, everybody felt it and everybody's ready to gear it up a notch," Shawn Marion said Friday before playing the Lakers at Staples Center. "It means playing more consistent, harder and leaving it on the floor. Once you leave it on the floor, good things happen. You start getting consistency. And that's what we need right now." ..."

A word to Dallas Mavericks fans: Patience

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October 30

Dallas Morning News

"Welcome back to another season of Mavericks newsletters. And another season of basketball, too. Personally, I think they play the games simply to give us a reason to have a newsletter and get all these juicy questions about what's wrong with the Mavs. But before we get to the weekend and an 0-3 team (oops, did I write that out loud?), let me stress that you folks should not overreact to a crummy start to the season. Hey, everybody wants to start out 9-0. But reality intervenes. Last season, the Mavericks began 0-4 at home and 2-7 overall. They finished 50-32. They'd rather not put themselves in a similar hole this season, but if it happens, it's not the end of the season. What the ..."

LA-LA not likely to be sweet music for Dallas Mavericks

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October 30

Dallas Morning News

"The Mavericks have never come to the greater Los Angeles area and won back-to-back games against the LA teams. That would seem to make this rare set of games a bad place to start getting that awful stench left from the season-opening loss to Washington off the Mavericks. But they have no choice. The schedule puts them against the Lakers tonight and the Clippers on Saturday. The Mavericks may have to pay rent at Staples Center before the weekend is done. They'd gladly foot the bill if there were a couple of wins to be had. But in the eight trips Mavericks' teams have made to LA to play both the Lakers and Clips, they own a deplorable 3-13 record. They've done the LA-LA swing just twice ..."

It's one game ... no reason for full-court stress over Dallas Mavericks

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October 29

Dallas Morning News

"Let's not work ourselves into a frenzy over the Mavs' raggedy performance in their season opener against Washington. Trust me, it's not worth the stress. Not right now. This isn't the NFL, where our city's mood rises and falls with each Cowboys win or loss. This is the NBA, where the season doesn't really even start in earnest until after the All-Star break. Mark Cuban says this team has the potential to be better than the one that lost in the NBA Finals against Miami after taking a 2-0 series lead. He says it's even better than the 67-win team. Who knows? What we do know is that Rick Carlisle is a quality coach who will maximize this team's talent just like he did last year, when the ..."

Dallas Mavericks experiment with small ball out of necessity

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October 29

Dallas Morning News

"The Mavericks leaned heavily on small ball in the season opener, and the results matched the size of the team on the court. An 11-point loss to Washington at American Airlines Center was not the way anybody envisioned the Mavericks opening. It was dreadful, which might be too kind. The Mavericks, however, acknowledge that adding six new players - at least four of them, maybe five, expected to be starters or impact reserves - means patience will be required with this group. Tolerance from the masses also will be required because of frequent mixing and matching of players, something that will be ongoing out of necessity until Josh Howard returns from an ankle injury. "We're going to have ..."

Arenas, Wizards start off strong

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October 28

Washington Post

"Flip Saunders really had no idea what to expect before he coached his first game with the Washington Wizards. There were too many new pieces, too many unknowns. Gilbert Arenas, his best player, hadn't played in a season opener in two years. Antawn Jamison, his all-star power forward, was on the bench in a suit. And, Saunders hadn't announced his starting shooting guard and power forward until earlier in the day. Given that the Wizards were opening the year on the road against the Dallas Mavericks, a potential contender in the Western Conference, Saunders said he was just going to sit back, like an antsy fan, and see how everything played out. He had to be pleased with what transpired ..."

Mavericks have new cast, but the same bad old habits

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October 28

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

"Opening night at American Airlines Center. New super-high-definition video board. New concert-quality sound system. And eight new Dallas Mavericks. Clearly, some new things are easier on the eyes and ears than others. With eight new faces gracing their overall roster, the Mavericks succumbed to old bad habits Tuesday night. Poor shooting and sloppy defense dug the Mavericks into a first-half hole, and the Washington Wizards took it from there, winning the season opener 102-91. Granted, the Mavericks remain without one of their key pieces. Josh Howard may be three weeks or more away from returning from off-season ankle surgery. But Howard's contribution likely wouldn't have solved ..."

Marion can do more

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October 28

Dallas Morning News

"It took less than one game - three quarters was more than enough time - to learn that Shawn Marion's assimilation into the Mavericks will not always be smooth. And it certainly won't happen overnight. The Mavericks got 50 points from their forward tandem, but Dirk Nowitzki scored 34 of them and Marion's 16 came only in the first and fourth quarters. In between, he disappeared. Not that he had the market cornered in that department. To hang the season-opening loss on Marion would be totally unfair. This was a complete team effort, outside of Nowitzki, who was terrific. What we did see out of Marion, however, was evidence that the injury-marred preseason hurt him. He missed four games ..."

Same old problem for new-look Dallas Mavericks: Not enough 'D'

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October 28

Dallas Morning News

columnist Tim Cowlishaw

"A few off-season moves can dramatically alter an NBA team's ability to attack the basket. That's what the Mavericks were hoping this summer, and that's what we saw Tuesday night. Too bad the team that, for one night, made all the right moves was the Washington Wizards. There are at least two pieces of good news to be gained from a season-opening 102-91 loss at home to a team that lost 63 games last season. One is that the Mavericks now share the same record at home as the Cavaliers, and I'm pretty certain they haven't completely given up on a title run in Cleveland after Tuesday's loss to Boston. The other is that in my copious research for fantasy basketball, I purchased a magazine ..."

Mavericksopener

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October 28

Dallas Morning News

"Rick Carlisle turned 50 on Tuesday, and Dirk Nowitzki was the only Maverick who bothered to get his coach a decent present. He gift-wrapped a monster game in the season opener with 34 points and nine rebounds, but other than that, the birthday was pretty much a bummer. The Washington Wizards rolled out of town with a 102-91 victory at American Airlines Center, spoiling the debut of Shawn Marion and Drew Gooden, and conjuring up memories of last year's dreadful Mavericks start. Gilbert Arenas, coming back from a serious knee injury, whacked the Mavericks with 29 points and nine assists. The Wizards also got 20 points from Andray Blatche and 19 from Randy Foye, both off the bench, as they ..."

Mavericks hope supporting cast can ease Nowitzki's burden

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October 27

Dallas Morning News

"Mark Cuban made the proclamation on the first day of training camp that fans will see a different Dirk Nowitzki this season, and not just because he hasn't had a haircut since the Olympic rings were shaved into his scalp in Beijing. "I promise you Dirk's numbers willthis year," the owner said. "Dirk's numbers go down when he has confidence in the rest of his team and he doesn't have to score." Of all the things Nowitzki has done in his career, proving that less is more is still on the to-do list. History indicates it might be the best thing that could happen to him and the Mavericks. The last two NBA champions have featured superstars whose numbers dropped precipitously from previous ..."

Josh Howard's return date for Dallas Mavericks still uncertain

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October 27

Dallas Morning News

"The Mavericks did a lot of good things in the preseason, like prove that they can survive without Josh Howard. But, as coach Rick Carlisle said Monday, "All that stuff doesn't matter once you throw the ball up for the regular season. It's completely meaningless." So now, they find out for real how they can handle life without Howard, which could extend many games into the regular season. "We played seven games without him and we've become accustomed to it," Carlisle said. "It could be awhile. It could a few weeks. I don't know. We'll find a way without him. But we know we're better with him. When he comes back, we'll have to be ready to integrate him very quickly.""

Ankle, wrist injuries hampering Howard

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October 26

ESPN.com

"On the eve of the season opener, the Dallas Mavericks don't know when Josh Howard will be ready for game action. Howard, who underwent operations on his left ankle and wrist on May 22, wasn't cleared for any contact work until Oct. 14. He has yet to complete a full practice and will not dress out for Tuesday's opener against the Washington Wizards. While there is still some soreness in the wrist, the ankle is preventing Howard from playing. He had minor reconstructive surgery on the ankle, which had bothered him since his senior season at Wake Forest in 2002-03."

Mavericks' Carlisle is all talk (but in a good way)

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October 26

Dallas Morning News

"A year later, we're still getting to know Rick Carlisle. Unlike the last two coaches of the Mavericks, Don Nelson and Avery Johnson, Carlisle doesn't seem to easily fit into a category. Everybody knew Nellie was going to push the tempo, try to create a small-ball team that could win big with offense and pretty much rely on so-so defense. Johnson, on the other hand, was a strong-armed disciplinarian who stressed defense, but eventually wore down his players. Carlisle, in his third NBA coaching stop, is tougher to compartmentalize. If Nelson was the far left and Johnson the far right, Carlisle falls somewhere in between, although there's a wide gulf there. "I think that's what he's ..."

At 36, Dallas Mavericks' savvy Kidd can still steal the show

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October 25

Dallas Morning News

"If you were building the perfect basketball player, using parts from various NBA stars, you would do well to start with Jason Kidd's brain. You can get the legs and a few other body parts elsewhere. Even Kidd acknowledges that. But he's quick to add that there's no substitute for basketball smarts. "I'd rather lose a step and know what I know," Kidd says, "than have that step back and not know anything." There is plenty to back up that statement. The numbers, the career and the fact that he's regarded as perhaps the best leader in the game all speak to the success the Mavericks' point guard has had in a remarkable 15-year run that he wants everybody to know isn't over yet. In fact, this ..."

Nowitzki's durability a blessing for Dallas Mavericks

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October 25

Dallas Morning News

"Dirk Nowitzki has played 236 out of a possible 246 games the last three seasons. Yao Ming has played 180 out of 246. That's an average of nearly 19 more games per season that Nowitzki has been on the floor to help his team, a number that will grow substantially this year with Yao probably out for the season. Rest assured, the Mavericks know exactly how lucky they are to have a durable superstar rather than one who has had bad luck with injuries. And they know what a difference it makes. "Look, I've been there many times, with everything from multiple suspensions to multiple long-term serious injuries to All-Star players," coach Rick Carlisle said Friday. "It's a terrible situation to be ..."

Rockets lose to Mavericks 98-94 in preseason finale

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October 24

Houston Chronicle

"For all the trials and experiments of the preseason, the Rockets had not given themselves the test they needed most. That came Friday, They had won in routs and beaten backups. They had lost a few games that were decided before crowds could begin their escape to the exits. Never had they had the chance to test themselves down the stretch, against a good team playing to win. Then, with 3½ minutes left and the Dallas Mavericks leading by one, the Rockets had their chance. That's when they crashed, with the Mavericks pulling away to end the Rockets' preseason with a 98-94 loss and questions about their ability to win the sorts of games they know they must. "That's one area I know is a ..."

Nowitzki ejected as Dallas Mavericks win preseason finale

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October 24

Dallas Morning News

"It's unclear what the Mavericks are happier to see finished, the preseason or replacement refs. As best they could with a starter still missing, another returning for only one half and two players ejected (sort of), the Mavericks flashed their regular-season look Friday night in the exhibition finale. Based on the evidence, fans should not expect any instant gratification with this team. But the Mavericks did finish the preseason with a 98-94 victory over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Shawn Marion played the first half, and the Mavericks rode Dirk Nowitzki like he was Secretariat for 3½ quarters. The rotation seemed to be handled like it probably will be for Tuesday's ..."

Final tuneup

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October 23

Houston Chronicle

"The Dallas Mavericks are expected to play the majority of their regulars tonight after letting the bulk of their starters sit out this week's game against Cleveland in Pittsburgh. In addition to Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd playing, Shawn Marion is expected to return to the court after sitting out all but two of the preseason games. Josh Howard also has returned to practices. The last chance to play against a top team's regulars would seem to offer a good tuneup opportunity, but Rockets coach Rick Adelman said he is more concerned with how the Rockets execute than who they face. "I really don't care who they play," he said. "I'm more concerned that we're getting more ..."

Marion, Howard practice together for first time

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October 23

Dallas Morning News

"Shawn Marion and Josh Howard went through practice Thursday, the first time they've been on the court together in training camp. Whether one or both will play in the preseason finale tonight in Houston remains to be seen. But it was a welcomed sight for the Mavericks, who have not yet had their preferred starting lineup available. "Today was a beginning and we've got a long road ahead of us - a lot of games," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We've got to figure out a formula when that group does finally get on the floor in real games. Today was constructive." Marion has played just two preseason games and only one in its entirety. He had sat out the last 10 days of practice to let the calf ..."

Wolves trade for help up front

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October 21

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"The Timberwolves attempted to solve some depth issues with their front line Tuesday by acquiring 6-foot-10 forward Nathan Jawai in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks. Jawai, a native of Sydney, Australia, comes to the Wolves after forward Kevin Love was lost for six weeks with a broken bone in his left hand. Love underwent surgery Tuesday in New York. Forward Al Jefferson, recovering from major knee surgery in February, has been slowed by Achilles' tendinitis and did not play in the Wolves' exhibition game Tuesday night at Denver. Wolves president of basketball operations David Kahn had been working on a deal to acquire a big man before Love and Jefferson's injury concerns. "This move ..."

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