DMN Notebook: You want stupid? Here's something stupid

[MavsFanFinley]

You want stupid? Here's something stupid

Dallas Morning News

Avery Johnson was surprised to hear that Erick Dampier had said Dirk Nowitzki was "totally stupid" to suggest that Dampier's performance was the reason the Mavericks played so poorly in Game 1.

He obviously didn't agree with the assessment.

"You know what's stupid?" Johnson said. "The way the Mavericks played the last game. That's stupid."

Eddie Sefko

The Z word not being uttered yet by Mavs

The Mavericks used a zone defense for about seven or eight possessions in Game 7 against Houston. It was a key juncture of the game and the Rockets scored only one time while the Mavericks were zoning them.

Avery Johnson is not fond of over-using zone defenses. But he may break it out at times against the Suns if the Mavericks continue having trouble stopping them.

Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni said his team has seen every defense there is this season. He would welcome a zone.

"I've never been a big zone guy," D'Antoni said Tuesday. "A zone will work if you don't knock down shots. Maybe they'll do it. We'll have to be ready for it. But when you got Steve Nash finding guys, I think we'll get shots."

Eddie Sefko

Bad news for Mavs: Amare's ankle is just fine

Amare Stoudemire emerged on the Suns' practice court Tuesday with an ice bag wrapped to his left ankle.

"It's nothing," he said. "I just tweaked the ankle. I'm cool."

The Suns have remained blessed on the injury front. They have virtually no depth, with only seven players seeing action in all five playoff games.

Eddie Sefko

Nowitzki: It's time to come back strong

The Mavericks admitted Tuesday that in Game 1 they were suffering from the mental and physical drain of their seven-game first-round series against Houston.

"Everybody talks about not having a letdown after an emotional seven-game series," Dirk Nowitzki said. "But it's easier said than done. We just weren't really ready to play.

"But now we're past that, and we have to come back and play like we know we can."

Jason Terry added: "It'll be a totally different game in Game 2."

Eddie Sefko

One Game 2 goal is to start finishing

The Mavericks didn't do a good job of attacking the basket in Game 1. The team was outscored in the paint, 54-42, and missed several easy shots when it did get to the rim.

"We just couldn't finish," Mavericks swingman Jerry Stackhouse said. "We were gun shy a little bit from having Yao [Ming] and Dikembe [Mutombo] in the first round. We were still looking for them at the basket, and they weren't there."

David Moore

No offense Mr. Smith, I mean Mr. Howard

Phoenix' Amare Stoudemire didn't do much wrong in Game 1. But he can do a better job of learning the Mavericks' names.

When Stoudemire talked about his defensive responsibilities Tuesday, he said he spent part of Game 1 "guarding Josh Smith."

That would be Josh Howard. Josh Smith plays in Atlanta and is not to be confused with New Orleansrookie J.R. Smith.

David Moore