April 16
Dallas Morning News
columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor
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Seven months after the start of training camp, the Mavericks' fate remains in Josh Howard's hands. See, we know what Dirk Nowitzki will do when the playoffs start this weekend in San Antonio. And we know what Jason Terry and Jason Kidd will do. We have absolutely no idea what Howard will do. We think we know, but we're not positive about Howard, who averaged 18.1 points and 5.1 rebounds this season. Not after last year's performance against New Orleans, when he played poorly, and the Hornets booted the Mavs from the postseason in five games. And not after a regular season in which he played only 52 games, the fewest in his career, because of wrist and ankle injuries. The problem is we ..."
February 10
Dallas Morning News
columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor
"
The Dallas Mavericks will not make the playoffs if Josh Howard doesn't play his best basketball of the season while Jason Terry is out with a broken finger. This is not an overreaction to Terry's injury. Or an attempt to put more pressure on Howard to perform. It is simply reality. No one is asking Howard, in his sixth season, to do something he's not capable of achieving. The Mavs simply need Howard to do what he has done many times throughout his career. Howard has been solid – 17.8 points, 5.0 rebounds – when the injuries to his wrist have allowed him to play this season. No longer is that good enough. Not while Terry is out. Rick Carlisle needs Howard to be a difference-maker. The ..."
June 24
Dallas Morning News
columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor
"
Josh Howard's words - the foolish ones he uttered on the radio before Game 3 of the playoff series against New Orleans about smoking marijuana during the off-season - have tainted his reputation. But he refuses to run from his words. Or let them prevent him from being an asset to the communities in Dallas and his native North Carolina. Actually, he'll spend some more time dealing with the fallout from his words during the four-day basketball camp, which began Monday, that bears his name. You can't fool kids. They know what he said about smoking marijuana, whether they listened to it on the radio, read it or heard from their friends."