[mavErika]

Howard will sit vs. Bobcats

DALLAS -- Mavs swingman Josh Howard will rest Saturday night against the Charlotte Bobcats, a precautionary measure as he comes back from offseason surgery on his left ankle.

The Mavs didn't want Howard to try to play on back-to-back nights yet. He ended up sitting out 13 games after playing a back-to-back during his abbreviated return last month.

"We feel it's the right thing to do, managing the situation," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We don't have another back-to-back until [Dec. 26 and 27]. The hope is he'll be ready then to play a back-to-back, but we'll just have to see."

Some of Howard's minutes should go to Quinton Ross, who has missed the last nine games with lower back tightness.

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/mavericks