[vinnieponte]

This just in........

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News



Don Nelson has most things figured out about the Mavericks. But he admits there's one area where he's not completely sure how things are going to work.

He knows who's backing up Dirk Nowitzki (Alan Henderson), and he knows that Shawn Bradley is showing positive signs as Erick Dampier's backup. And the four players at the two midsized positions seem to be accepting the fact that in some games, they may not play a whole lot.

But one area remains uncertain in Nelson's head.

"I don't have an idea on the point guard minutes," he said Friday. "I have a pretty good idea on everybody else. But it really depends on who's playing well. If they're both playing well, it would be beautiful just to split it 24-24. But I like to go with the hot guy."

So far, that's been Devin Harris in the opener and backup Jason Terry in the second game.

Neither is immune to the quick hook. But the goal is that at least one of them will have a hot hand every game.

Not there yet: The coaching staff is stressing that nobody should get carried away yet. Avery Johnson uses Erick Dampier as a prime example. But he said nobody is above criticism.

"I can pick out about 10 things he needs to work on," Johnson said of Dampier. "But you know what, as a coach, I got about 10 things I need to work on. Nobody's arrived. The only one who has arrived is Nellie. He's been around longer than the rest of us put together."

Playing it safe: Don Nelson so far has rotated Josh Howard , Michael Finley, Jerry Stackhouse and Marquis Daniels at the small forward and shooting guard positions.

Part of the reason that has worked so well thus far is that Daniels still isn't ready to take on big minutes because of the sprained left ankle that cost him all of the preseason.

"We're being a little careful with that ankle," Nelson said. "As soon as he can play more, he'll play more. But I don't think he's ready to play a lot of minutes at this point."