[mavsfan4life]

For 48 minutes, Antawn Jamison is in the game. And it doesn't matter if he's in the game or not.

The Mavericks' sixth man doesn't bide his time idly on the bench. There's no time to relax or cut up with the fellas. No, Jamison is observing intently from his plush sideline seat. He's not only going over the Mavs' offensive and defensive sets in his head; he's learning the nuances of his new teammates.

"You really have to pay attention," Jamison said. "You cannot sit there on the bench and joke around. You always have to be watching."

He'll likely be watching tonight's tipoff against Miami at American Airlines Center from a sitting position that's taking some adjustment. Not only did the former North Carolina star start all 82 games the previous three seasons for Golden State, but Jamison also started 41 of the 43 he played during the 1999-2000 season (he missed 39 games with an injury). He was also part of the first team for half of his games as a rookie.

When the Mavs traded for Jamison in mid-August, coach Don Nelson proclaimed his search for a starting small forward over. Not so fast. Antoine Walker arrived a week before the season, pushing Jamison into a new role. Nelson believes it's one in which Jamison can excel, given his age (27) and offensive skills.

"Takes a little getting used to," Nelson said. "It's always a mind thing instead of a physical thing. I always like my sixth man to be a young guy because young guys get loose quicker. He's got to be ready to roll."

The adjustment, Jamison admits, hasn't been easy. A fourth overall draft pick in 1998, Jamison averaged 20.2 points and 7.5 rebounds a game in five seasons with the Warriors. Over the past three seasons, he played 39.2 minutes a night.

"Coming off the bench is a whole different mind frame," said Jamison, who is averaging 13.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 27.3 minutes through three games. "For 4 1/2 years I've been so used to playing from the get-go. Now you have to watch what's going on from the bench, and, when it's time for you to go in, you have to be ready to go."

While coming off the bench requires attention to detail, the mental gymnastics don't end when he's on the court.

"Coach calls the play and you're out there wondering, 'Did I do it right?' " he said. "That will come as I get comfortable with the coaching staff and where I need to be on the offensive end. When you're thinking, your reaction is slowed down. You're not using your instincts.

"It's been different, but nothing negative. The most important thing is helping out this team."

Jamison did his part in Saturday's 127-102 win over Utah. He overcame a 0-for-6 start to finish with 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Jamison's offensive game got going with a three-point play just before the end of the first half. The 10-foot jumper and the free throw that rattled home broke his scoreless drought.

"A shot finally went in and even the free throw was kind of iffy," Jamison said. "It just shows you the type of first half that I had. That's the one thing about this game. You can play like I-don't-know-what the first half, and the second half is a different story."

It's just a matter of settling in, Nelson said.

"He needs to just relax and let the game come to him," Nelson said. "I thought the more he played the better he did that."

Jamison's 15 second-half points gave him a personal Mavs' high for points. (He had 17 in the opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.) Though the numbers were solid against the Jazz, Jamison said his game isn't close to where it needs to be.

"I feel a step slower; I don't feel comfortable," he acknowledged. "I hit the boards, I got to the free-throw line, and that kind of eased things up a little bit. I have a lot of room for improvement as far as helping out this team. I'm just trying to get acquainted with coming off the bench and getting used to that situation."

Whether he's in the game or not.

By Art Garcia
Star-Telegram Staff Writer