Healthy Harris crucial - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

kriD · 04-19-2006, 04:37 AM

MAVERICKS NOTES

Healthy Harris crucial

By DWAIN PRICE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS - The health of backup point guard Devin Harris is critical to the Mavericks' long-range goal of winning the NBA title this season.

Harris has the ability to increase the tempo while allowing starting point guard Jason Terry to slide over and play the shooting guard spot. Also, Harris' explosiveness in attacking the basket puts pressure on the defense and gets his teammates in position for open looks.

But if Harris, who has missed 18 of the past 19 games with a strained left quadriceps, is unable to play, it will put a strain on the Mavs offensively and defensively.

"We'll miss his speed, his quickness and his ability to penetrate and break the defense down and create shots for others," Terry said. "And also, defensively, extending the court and being able to pick up and pressure full court."

Harris expects to test his quadriceps tonight and play 15-25 minutes when the Mavs host the Los Angeles Clippers in the regular-season finale for both teams.

He also said he plans to play in the first round of the playoffs, although he felt a pull during some of the transition drills Saturday at practice. That's why he sat out Sunday's game against Utah.

Harris said his main concern is "that we can have a reoccurrence and have the leg swell up again with fluid. But I don't think that's a possibility."

The Mavs have sorely missed Harris' up-tempo game, going 9-9 during his absence. Coach Avery Johnson said he "can go over 10 reasons why it is important" to have Harris back in the saddle.

"If we don't have him, we'll have to move forward like we've done all alone," Johnson said. "[Darrell] Armstrong and Marquis Daniels have given us some minutes at the backup point guard spot.

"[But] Devin takes a lot of pressure off of us in a lot of different ways."

No. 61 is on the way?

The Mavericks (60-21) can set a franchise record for season wins if they defeat the Clippers.

The Mavs also won 60 games during the 2002-03 season.

"We're going out and we'll shoot for it, and I know our fans want it," Jason Terry said. "I was at my radio show [Monday] night [on 103.3 FM] and all the fans were chanting 61 and MVP and championship.

"So everybody's psyched up, and it's a fun time to be a Maverick."

birdsanctuary · 04-19-2006, 08:03 AM

This team MUST have a healthy 95% Devin Harris to have a chance. Devin runs the team better than Jet, and is a quality scorer, perimeter defender, and steals guy. He is the Anti-Parkerginobli. However, I'm not so confident that the Spurs are going to get out of Arco in 5 games. I think that series is going to go 6 or 7.

If Devin can stay healthy I think the Mavs go all the way to the finals and win it. If he is not, then its gonna be a rocky playoffs like last year....

sixeightmkw · 04-19-2006, 08:57 AM

Yes. everyone on this board has already made that statement about 1 million times that Devin is necessary. It is getting quite boring now to go on this forum and see everyone saying the same damn thing over and over again. This same statement has been said I think at least 5 times in each thread.

It is like saying Dirk is a good jump shooter, or JHO is a good slasher and We need Dirk to play good in the playoffs. DUH>

NewMexiMav · 04-19-2006, 09:21 AM

I think we'll be okay in the playoffs because Dirk is a good jump shooter and JHo is a good slasher. However, it does bear repeating: Devin is necessary.

Drbio · 04-19-2006, 09:23 AM

Hey 6-8...did you know that Devin is necessary?

sixeightmkw · 04-19-2006, 09:26 AM

hahaha, boom
I just shot myself

sixeightmkw · 04-19-2006, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixeightmkw

hahaha, boom
I just shot myself

I was alredy dead and I just shot myself again
KABOOM

sike · 04-19-2006, 09:44 AM

"This team MUST have a healthy 95% Devin Harris to have a chance."

why 95%?

WraithXx · 04-19-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sike

"This team MUST have a healthy 95% Devin Harris to have a chance."

why 95%?

because it's better than 94%

Stitch Jones · 04-19-2006, 12:19 PM

I just find it kind of humorous how seemingly EVERYONE is saying how Devin is so critical to our Championship quest (to which I agree), and how he runs the team so much better than anyone else. I distinctly remember hearing ad nauseam, not so long ago, that he was positively a bust, being that he hadn't taken over the starting job from JT (which I always found rather funny, in that this is only his second season).

Funny the difference a season (more specifically, a couple of Spurs games) makes.

Go MAVS!

u2sarajevo · 04-19-2006, 01:03 PM

Know what I think? I think Devin is necessary and we need Dirk to play good.

sike · 04-19-2006, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

Know what I think? I think Devin is necessary and we need Dirk to play good.

I think they need to lace 'em up, give 110%, and take it one game at a time...

EricaLubarsky · 04-19-2006, 01:09 PM

play well, U2. Playing good is what a bad person would do if he wanted to seem like a good person.

Anyway, Griff and Harris healthy make this team an elite team. We continued to win after they went out, but they really add so much versatility, focus and oomph to this team. Griff is working his way back in and hopefully Harris can play some in the first round and be back to pester Parker in the second.

TheBlueVan · 04-19-2006, 01:35 PM

has anyone heard anthing more about harris' mri? like what the suspected problem was?

sixeightmkw · 04-19-2006, 01:38 PM

well, he had a full practice yesterday and is supposed to play limited minutes tongiht and throughout the 1st round. so I guess not too bad.

TheBlueVan · 04-19-2006, 07:51 PM

he's not playing tonight, but he looks in good spirits on the bench. if he doesnt play in the first round, i want an explanation. seriously, they never say anything about his injury

kriD · 04-20-2006, 04:45 AM

Harris' playoff status is up in air

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- Mavericks backup point guard Devin Harris doesn't apologize for being competitive.

He does admit his returns to the court from a strained thigh muscle might not have been the smartest course. With the first series against Memphis set to begin Sunday, the health of a key playoff piece remains in question.

"They've kind of got to hold me back to make sure it is healthy enough because this is the wrong time to have a reccurrence, especially late in the season," Harris said Wednesday before the Mavs' 85-71 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in the regular-season finale at American Airlines Center.

Mavs coach Avery Johnson is hopeful Harris is available at some point in the best-of-seven series against the Grizzlies but doesn't know when that might be. The team has three days off to rest and practice before the opener at 8:30 p.m. Sunday in Dallas.

"In a perfect world, he'll be ready to go Sunday, but we're not sure if that's going to happen," Johnson said.

Harris just can't seem to shake the strained left quadriceps he first injured Feb. 9. He missed 24 of the last 33 games, aborting comeback attempts three times after flare-ups.

After hurting the quad, Harris sat out only one game, then played in two games before the All-Star break, in the Rookie Challenge and in three games coming out of the break.

"That's probably when it got worse," he said.

Harris would miss four games before returning again. In the third game of Comeback II, the injury got the better of Harris after six minutes against Sacramento.

"It felt great, then, three games later, I'm back on the DL, so, obviously, it was too soon," he said.

That led to 17 games on the shelf. Johnson planned to have Harris available for the last two or three games, but after Harris logged seven minutes against Phoenix last week, soreness left him in street clothes for the last two games.

Harris' drive to return drove Johnson and the Mavs' training staff to take an ultra-conservative approach.

"Devin has had a lot of pressure on him," Johnson said. "Sometimes, when a player has a lot of pressure on him, sometimes you don't always get exactly how they're feeling because sometimes they want to tell you what you want to hear."

The team put Harris through a "battery of tests" to test the quad.

"He had pretty much the top-level strain, which is close to a pull and not a tear," Johnson said. "It's pretty serious, and, because of that, it's taken him longer, but, again, guys' bodies heal differently."

Harris has learned that the hard way.

Thespiralgoeson · 04-20-2006, 06:26 PM

Ugh...

V2M · 04-20-2006, 06:44 PM

I don't think we need him for the Grizzlies' series... let him take the next week or two off and get back 100% healthy for the SA series... we'll certainly need him there!

jleefilled · 04-21-2006, 09:34 PM

Fish's update on Harris:

DEVIN SAYS HE'S READY: Devin Harris went though a regular practice and, he says, along with the team medical staff, proclaimed himself ready for action.
"I got the OK from the doctors, so now it's up to the coach,'' said the backup point guard, considered key to the Mavs' postseason plans. "I will be in uniform.''
Harris' strained left quadriceps was first injured on Feb. 9. He missed 24 of the Mavs' last 33 games, despite -- or maybe because of -- repeated attempts to return.
"He was OK,'' coach Avery Johnson said, adding that the team will continue to take a wait-and-see approach to playing Harris in Game 1 against Memphis (8:30 p.m., Sunday).
433 pm April 21 06

dirno2000 · 04-21-2006, 09:55 PM

Avery said this was his best practice in two months.

TheBlueVan · 04-21-2006, 10:04 PM

i thought he looked pretty happy on the bench last game. he didnt look like a player whod been shelved for the season

nashtymavsfan13 · 04-21-2006, 10:53 PM

It sounds like he'll be ok, and its obvious we need him.

u2sarajevo · 04-21-2006, 11:06 PM

Did I mention that we need Dirk to play good and Harris is necessary?

DirkGoesNuclear · 04-22-2006, 08:03 PM

Does anyone think that Devin will come back with an improved jumpshot? Usually when a player is out that long, all they do is just shoot jumpers in practice.

nashtymavsfan13 · 04-22-2006, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirkGoesNuclear

Does anyone think that Devin will come back with an improved jumpshot? Usually when a player is out that long, all they do is just shoot jumpers in practice.

That sounds about right, but I'd expect Devin to keep doing what he's been doing.

kriD · 04-22-2006, 04:58 AM

MAVERICKS NOTES

Harris says he's ready for playoffs

By MERCEDES MAYER
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

DALLAS - Guard Devin Harris said with a smile Friday that his ongoing struggle with his left quadriceps injury might soon be over.

He's "pretty sure" he'll be able to play in the Mavericks' playoff opener against the Memphis Grizzlies at 8:30 p.m. Sunday at American Airlines Center.

Harris practiced Friday and said it went well. He said his playing time Sunday will probably be at a minimum, depending on how much coach Avery Johnson wants him to play.

"I did most of the stuff and made sure I didn't go too hard," Harris said. "In some of the drills [Johnson] had to tell me to slow down, but everything felt great. No setbacks or anything like that. I can still get to the rim. That's all that counts."

Johnson is waiting "to see what happens with his recovery and see if he can make it though another practice."

Lessons learned

Although the first-round series is a best-of-seven, Dirk Nowitzki was quick to point out that Game 1 is important.

"We don't want to get down on our home court and give it up ever again," Nowitzki said, referring to the 0-2 start the Mavs gave up at home last season against Houston in the first round of the playoffs.

"That was a position you never want to be in again."

Everyone from then-rookie coach Avery Johnson to the All-Star Nowitzki learned something from last year's postseason. But finally experiencing it might have provided the biggest lesson of all.

"It'll be a whole different ball game," guard Jason Terry said. "There won't be any feeling-out process. It's a tough fight. You can't just come into a game and think you're going to show up and win."

In good company

Dirk Nowitzki finished the regular season averaging 26.6 points a game and shooting 90.1 percent from the free-throw line.

Only two other players, Larry Bird and Rick Barry, have averaged more than 26 points and 90 percent or better from the foul line in NBA history.

"That's great, 90 percent is something I've always wanted to accomplish from the free-throw line," Nowitzki said. "The company I'm in with Larry Legend is great to be around. Hopefully I can make them in the playoffs, too."

Briefly

Josh Howard did not practice Friday because of a sore lower back but is expected to practice today.

Darrell Armstrong also didn't practice Friday after spraining his ankle Wednesday, but he should practice today.