Mavs' break a matter of rest vs. rust

[kriD]

Mavs' break a matter of rest vs. rust

Recent history indicates there's an upside to downtime

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

Bring on the rest.

That's Avery Johnson's battle cry, and he doesn't mean bring on the rest of the NBA.

He means bring on the downtime, which won't exactly be spent sipping wine spritzers and enjoying the good life while waiting for the second round of the playoffs.

Beyond the mental and physical rest that he wants his players to stock up on, Johnson and his team refuse to get caught up in rooting for San Antonio or Sacramento. The way he sees it, the Mavericks are in a win-win situation as they wait for the Spurs and Kings to settle their issue.

"Either way, it's good for us," Johnson said Tuesday. "Obviously, if we play San Antonio, the travel will be shorter for us.

"And if we play Sacramento, we'll have home-court advantage. So we're fortunate to be in the situation we're in."

That includes at least five full days of rest between their first-round sweep of Memphis and the start of the second round. Unlike the last three years, when the Mavericks have typically jumped out of one series and into another with minimal rest, time is on their side now. It's possible that they won't open the second round until Tuesday.

So they wait. And watch. And rest up for what promises to be a second-round series that will not be for the faint of heart.

"We'll sit back now and see what San Antonio and Sacramento do," Jason Terry said. "We handled our business."

Believe it or not, the Mavericks have the odds in their favor, no matter whether the Kings or the Spurs survive their first-round match – which San Antonio leads, 3-2, after a 109-98 win Tuesday night in San Antonio.

Since the playoffs went to the best-of-7 format in the first round in 2003, there have been nine occasions when one team had five or more full days off and their next-round opponent had three days or fewer to prepare. The rested teams are 8-1 in Game 1 of those series and 7-2 in the series.

The Mavericks opened a 2003 second-round series against Sacramento on one day of rest and lost Game 1 but outlasted the Kings in seven games. The only case of the team on short rest winning Game 1 and the series came when Miami had eight days off before last season's Eastern Conference finals and Detroit had three full days to rest. The Pistons won the series in seven games.

"All I can remember is how mentally and physically exhausted we were after that Houston series last year," Johnson said. "And then, we had to turn around and play with one day off.

"We'll take all the rest we can get. Give me a month off and I'll take it."

And yet, one of the first questions asked of Johnson after the Mavericks finished the sweep of Memphis was whether he was worried about a weeklong break between playoff games. It's not like the Mavericks won't be working. Johnson will see to that. The players got exactly one day – Tuesday – to recharge their batteries. Today, it's back to the practice court and the film room.

"The year we won the championship, we had two breaks," Johnson recalled about his experience with San Antonio. "After the second round, we waited eight days. Then going into the Finals we had 10 days, I think.

"I've been on both sides. Good rest and good practice, especially as much as we've been injured [is important]."

What the Mavericks don't know is whom they will be playing. The Spurs, of course, would provide the marquee series that everybody would like to see. It also would allow the Mavericks to avoid anybody suggesting that they were allowed to dodge the defending champions. The last thing they want is a cushy road to the NBA Finals. No asterisks here, please.

And there's nothing like knocking the crown off the kings – and we don't mean the Kings.

[kriD]

Mavs hope wait fuels Finals run

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

The Mavericks aren't used to sitting around waiting on a playoff opponent.

That's not to say they can't get used to it.

R&R, and a good bit of practice, are on the docket while they wait on San Antonio or Sacramento to emerge as the next opponent on the path to the NBA Finals.

Yes, the NBA Finals.

Avery Johnson has a special feeling about the team he's coaching, and special teams can do special things.

"I had that feeling when we lost three in a row," Johnson said Tuesday. "I had it when we won 13 in a row. I just had it.

"This is a situation where we can do something special. I've been telling them that all year. They have to believe it."

There wasn't much to doubt in a dominating first-round sweep of the Grizzlies, punctuated by Monday's 102-76 runaway in Memphis that moved the Mavs into the Western Conference semifinals for the second consecutive year under Johnson.

The playoff sweep, only the second in franchise history, leaves the Mavs in the unfamiliar position of watching the playoffs unfold. The Spurs-Kings series won't be done until Friday at the earliest or Sunday if it goes the distance.

Faced with possibly a week of down time -- the team took Tuesday off -- Johnson's staff mapped out a practice schedule taking into account whether San Antonio and Sacramento go six or seven games.

Johnson experienced breaks of eight and 10 days when he played with San Antonio en route to the 1999 title.

"It's time for us to try to get some rest, get some bodies healed and get back to practice because that's my favorite part of this whole deal," Johnson said.

Jerry Stackhouse called the break a just reward for maintaining a level of focus and consistency.

"We did a lot of things differently this year that we took advantage of with a good regular season," Jerry Stackhouse said. "We took care of our home-court advantage, we came on the road and continued to be a good road team like we've been all year.

"Now, we're kind of in the position Phoenix was last year, sitting and waiting for our opponent. Hopefully, it will bode for us like it did for them -- just being able to be rested, be sharp, be able to get in the gym at our own leisure and go from there."

After sweeping Memphis last year, the rested Suns opened the semis with a 127-102 rout of the Mavs in Phoenix on a Monday night. The Mavs' seven-game series against Houston had ended two days earlier.

The Mavs were spent just getting to Game 1.

"Last year, we came out of a series we were down really bad in," Johnson said of the 2-0 deficit against the Rockets. "It's still pretty miraculous to think about what we did.

"We put so much physical and mental energy in having to get back and then had to turn around in less than 48 hours and play Phoenix. I'd rather have it the other way."

Johnson credited his veterans -- namely Stackhouse, Darrell Armstrong, Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry -- for the businesslike approach in finishing off the Grizzlies.

"We've grown up a ton in this series," Terry said.

Added Johnson: "Internal leadership did that for us. The times that I did go crazy during the year, I was trying to get that to come to the forefront.

"We're pretty consistent there now. There are times during the game I don't have to say much because the guys are doing the talking. I can just coach."

[kriD]

MAVERICKS NOTES

Mavs sit as wildness ensues in wide-open West

By JEFF CAPLAN and MERCEDES MAYER
Star-Telegram Staff WriterS

The wild West is also the wide-open West.

Defending champion and top-seeded San Antonio is in a surprising dogfight with No. 8 Sacramento. No. 2 Phoenix was caught flat-footed by the No. 7 LA Lakers, who have suddenly become much more than just Kobe Bryant.

The No. 6 LA Clippers are in the second round for the first time since the 1970s, and the Mavericks, coming off a sweep of Memphis, appear as equipped as anyone to make a title run.

"We knew going in that it was wide open," point guard Jason Terry said. "This is the best basketball I've seen in years. I'm glad we took care of our business and now we can kind of watch and see what happens in those other series and prepare mentally and physically."

The Clippers dusted off Denver on Monday, and the Mavs are content to sit back this week and watch the Spurs and Kings battle in Game 6 on Friday and, the Mavs hope, in a Game 7 Sunday.

"It shows the balance of the powers," guard/forward Adrian Griffin said. "Every team is playing well, and that's kind of rare all at once."

Injury update

An MRI exam of Marquis Daniels' right hamstring came back negative Tuesday. Daniels missed Game 4 against Memphis but is expected to play in Game 1 of the second-round series.

Keith Van Horn, out of the first round with a broken hand, will have an X-ray taken today. Coach Avery Johnson said Van Horn could be ready early in the next series.

Bring 'em on

DeSagana Diop is new to the Mavs-Spurs rivalry, but after playing in four games this season -- which the teams split -- he said the recent hex the Spurs seem to have held over the Mavs should have no bearing if the division rivals meet in the second round.

"Look at the Red Sox, how many years before they won, 86?" Diop said, referencing Boston's long-awaited 2004 World Series title. "We've got a chance. That's all we want is a chance. If we go out and play hard, we can beat them.

"I don't think anybody in this room is scared of them."

No fouls, big harm

The numbers might not always show it, but Josh Howard, with his long wingspan and aggressive style, is always active.

Except when he's in foul trouble.

It was obvious that quick fouls in Game 1 altered Howard's ability to enforce his attacking game. He had only eight points and one rebound in 18 minutes.

"That's my whole problem," Howard said after Game 4. "The refs understand that I'm an aggressive player. But that's the whole part -- staying on the court."

Howard returned to his dynamic form in Games 2, 3 and 4, scoring 17, 16 and 24 points. In Game 4, he also had nine rebounds and hit 3-of-4 3-pointers.

"He was making shots and being aggressive, taking guys off the dribble," Dirk Nowitzki said. "He was everywhere on defense. He was great."

Not satisfied

After the Mavs defeated Memphis on Monday, owner Mark Cuban was asked if he's proud of Avery Johnson for winning Coach of the Year and guiding Dallas to a first-round sweep, a first for the franchise in a best-of-seven series.

"I'm always proud of Avery," Cuban said. "But how proud? Ask me in June and I'll tell you."

[kriD]

Rest is best, but Mavs still have to pass test

Spurs may be beaten up, but that alone won't beat 'em

[By David Moore / The Dallas Morning News]

All sorts of wild theories are hatched when people have too much time on their hands. Here's one beginning to emerge as the Mavericks wait for the second round, which should start before Memorial Day – or July Fourth at the latest.

The longer Sacramento keeps San Antonio in the vicinity of Bonzi Wells and Ron Artest, the better it will be for Dallas. The physical and emotional toll of that series will leave the Spurs lifeless, a shell of their former selves, primed to be exploited by the hard-charging Mavericks.

Somehow, people think the defending world champions are less of a threat because the Kings have challenged them in the first round while the Mavericks swept a Memphis team that has never won a playoff game.

Those same people are convinced we never landed on the moon.

First of all, let me say I believe we did land on the moon. Dennis Rodman is proof.

Secondly, I believe rest is good. That concept makes more sense to me with each passing year.

Third, I do think the Spurs are at a disadvantage if they win Friday night in Sacramento and are forced to turn around and play the Mavericks less than 48 hours later.

The disadvantage would be for Game 1, not the rest of the series. What if the Kings force a seventh game Sunday afternoon? I'd argue a series that starts on two or three days' rest for San Antonio – giving the Mavericks eight to nine days off – actually favors the Spurs in Game 1.

See what happens when you have too much time on your hands? You can argue anything and have it make sense.

San Antonio will beat Sacramento. It doesn't matter how many more points Wells scores – let's put the over-under at 50 – or what Artest does. The Spurs' talent and character is too strong to succumb to a Kings team that hasn't been together long and reverts to its poor defensive form in the clutch.

The Spurs did score on their final nine possessions to win Game 5 and take a 3-2 lead in the series.

Still, the Mavericks can thank the Kings for re-enforcing what they must do to beat San Antonio in the second round.

Sacramento has attacked the rim and exposed the Spurs' lack of interior defense beyond Tim Duncan. Nazr Mohammed started the series in the middle. He gave way to Rasho Nesterovic in Game 4. Robert Horry started Game 5.

The Kings outscored the Spurs in the paint, 142-126, in the middle three games of the series. Wells has overpowered Bruce Bowen and anyone else thrown in his way with 32 of his 47 field goals coming from point-blank range.

Scoring points in transition is the goal. But the Spurs aren't going to allow that to happen often. The key is to swing the ball in a half-court offense, find the opening, then penetrate. The Mavericks can't take too many quick shots or settle for jump shots. That feeds the Spurs' defense.

What Sacramento has done is move the ball on the perimeter then attack Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley, Brent Barry and Nick Van Exel. Tell me, which one of those four will consistently keep his man out of the lane? Tony Parker is blessed with remarkable quickness, yet he will have trouble keeping Jason Terry and Devin Harris in front of him.

Avery Johnson has improved the Mavericks' defense. But the key to beating the Spurs is what the Mavericks do on offense. Until then, all anyone can do is wait.

"I hope they keep beating each other up," Johnson said.

The Kings will soften the Spurs up. But they won't knock them out. The Mavericks will have to do that.

It won't be easy, no matter how many games San Antonio is forced to play.

[nashtymavsfan13]

Yeah, I was a little worried about this, but I know Avery will have the Mavs coming out ready to play!

[kriD]

Time is right for Mavs' spring break

RANDY GALLOWAY
In My Opinion
Star-Telegram

Admittedly, the NBA is an acquired taste, kind of like raw oysters.

For years, some of my college basketball-junkie friends have delighted in pointing out the league's biggest moment is also its worst.

That would be the playoffs, of course, when the games normally evolve into slow-mo, low-scoring sumo wrestling matches. Real boring stuff.

Rebuttal to that taunting has been difficult, particularly since coaches who want to put an entertaining product on the floor -- say, Big Nellie, or the guy with three first names, Mike Dan Tony, or, yes, Avery Johnson -- are routinely ridiculed at playoff time.

But are you currently paying attention?

Even as an NBA advocate, I've got to admit to being pleasantly shocked.

The first round of the playoffs has suddenly been transformed into the first round of March Madness.

This is fun, this is totally unpredictable, this is high-grade entertainment, and all this is working -- I think -- in favor of the Mavericks.

That's the irony, that the Mavs are not involved at the moment in providing the entertainment. It's a team that still does that with the best of 'em.

But the first-round kill of Memphis was so quick and clean, the Mavericks are now on the NBA version of spring break.

For all the deserved butt-patting of Avery for his commitment to an upgraded defensive product, this man still wants an offense that motors.

Ask anyone, or any local dog, within earshot of Avery's most constant high-pitched Cajun yelp on the sidelines during games.

"Push it. Push it."

But the NBA fun goes on this week without the Mavs.

They wait and watch, particularly the one ongoing matchup of local intrigue.

Down San Antonio way, the Spurs struggle and philosophize.

That's more than a first-round push the Sacramento Kings are giving the Spurs.

This is fear. Fear of being ousted in the first round. That was unthinkable a week ago.

Reading the San Antonio Express-News on Wednesday, there was Coach Pop, about as good as it gets in postseason competition, joking that his team would have been better off dumping games to get the No. 4 seed.

After what the No. 4-seeded Mavs did to Memphis, and how difficult the No. 8-seeded Kings have been for the Spurs, maybe Pop wasn't joking.

The Spurs had to stone-cold sweat out a Game 5 home-court win Tuesday night, taking a 3-2 series lead. But Game 6 is Friday night in Sacramento. No one, not even the Spurs, would be surprised to see a Game 7 on Sunday.

So the Mavericks might be waiting until Tuesday to make the short hop south to open the second round. Unless, of course, the unthinkable happened.

But this leads to the obvious question.

Is it best to be resting for a week between series, or as the Spurs are now trying to spin it, is it better to be pushed hard in the first round?

"This is making us dig deep, and these dig-down games can help you," said the Spurs' Bruce Bowen, following a standard theme in the locker room.

Of course, the players are being grilled on their situation as compared with the Mavs' R&R. Everyone in San Antonio is awaiting the second-round showdown with the Mavericks, so the worry factor is climbing rapidly.

But on Wednesday I went to Don Nelson with that "what's best" question, because through nearly five decades as a player and coach in the NBA, he was involved in every known playoff scenario.

When asked, Nelson hooted.

"It's not even close," he said. "Having some added time off this time of year is all good. It's nothing but good. That's what rest is all about in the playoffs.

"Almost every team that wins a championship has either had a sweep or the series only went five games in the first round. [Until recently, the first round was best-of-five.] You don't want it to go beyond five if you can help it, particularly with a lot of travel thrown in, and the Spurs are in a series with a lot of travel."

Nelson is careful when describing what he's seeing from the Spurs in this first round. It's a team coached by his close friend, Gregg Popovich.

"It's about the same as it was in the regular season," Nellie said. "Some options that Pop had in the past he doesn't have now because of injuries or other factors.

"Sacramento and Bonzi Wells are showing us some things about the Spurs' interior defense that we haven't seen in the past. And when the Spurs once needed 35 or 36 points from [Tim] Duncan, they could get it. I don't know about now, due to his health."

Meanwhile, the Mavs wait and watch.

Despite what's been heard from the Spurs, it sure seems like the best situation.

[kriD]

MAVERICKS NOTES

Nowitzki itching to play

By MERCEDES MAYER and ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff WriterS

DALLAS - Dirk Nowitzki is ready to bring on the Spurs. Perhaps more accurately, bring on the next round.

"It would be great if San Antonio can win it in six, and then we can start this weekend or sometime soon," Nowitzki said after practice on Wednesday at American Airlines Center.

"But if not, it's out of our control. We have to be ready...whoever it is, if it's Sac or San Antonio."

The Spurs have a 3-2 series lead and Game 6 is Friday in Sacramento. If the Spurs close it out, the Western Conference semifinals could begin as early as Sunday in San Antonio. If the Kings stretch the series to Game 7, the semis can't begin before Tuesday. The Mavs would have home-court advantage against Sacramento.

Nowitzki has already said he doesn't like all the time off. Coach Avery Johnson said he'll try to make sure Nowitzki doesn't lose any confidence after averaging 31.3 points and shooting 50.6 percent against the Grizzlies.

"We'll let him know that he's in a good enough rhythm now that if he took six days off, he'll be able to come out and perform," Johnson said.

Nowitzki offered an extra motivating factor in facing the defending champs.

"If you want to be the best, if you want to be the champion, you ultimately have to go through the best," he said.

Nowitzki fined

Dirk Nowitzki was fined $15,000 and assessed a flagrant 2 foul for making "unnecessary and excessive" contact against Memphis forward Pau Gasol in the second quarter of Game 4 on Monday.

With 6:11 left in the quarter, Nowitzki hit Gasol in the upper chest as he was jockeying for rebounding position.

The league has a point system for the level of the flagrant foul. Nowitzki has two points and would receive an automatic one-game suspension for exceeding three points.

Injury updates

Forward Keith Van Horn had his surgically repaired broken right hand re-evaluated and was cleared for shooting and non-contact activities.

Marquis Daniels (strained right hamstring) participated in the Mavs' light workout. And Avery Johnson said guard Devin Harris (quadriceps) is close to 100 percent.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by kriD

MAVERICKS NOTES

Nowitzki itching to play

By MERCEDES MAYER and ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff WriterS

The league has a point system for the level of the flagrant foul. Nowitzki has two points and would receive an automatic one-game suspension for exceeding three points.

Well that is some sorta stuff. If they are going to go back and assess flagrant 2's for games where flagrant 1's were not even called I sure would like to be reviewing tapes of ginobbli putting stitches in Artest and anything else. Hmm...

Still would like to see that one. So one more flagrant 1 and dirk sits a game. Nice..

[WraithXx]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Well that is some sorta stuff. If they are going to go back and assess flagrant 2's for games where flagrant 1's were not even called I sure would like to be reviewing tapes of ginobbli putting stitches in Artest and anything else. Hmm...

Still would like to see that one. So one more flagrant 1 and dirk sits a game. Nice..

Actually, 1 more Flagrant 2 or 2 more Flagrant 1's...

"exceeding" 3 points is a 1 game suspension

[Dtownsfinest]

Okay so he's allowed one more flagrant 1 and that's where it ends. Another flagrant 2 and he's out for a game.

[dude1394]

Pretty solid stuff here.

Extra rest doesn't make NBA playoff teams rusty
May 4, 2006

The Mavericks, naturally, are getting antsy. They're the only team to have swept away its first round opponent, disposing of the Grizzlies with a 26-point win Monday. With Sacramento putting up a devil of a fight against the Spurs in the West's 1 vs. 8 matchup, there remains the possibility that the Mavs won't play until next week -- possibly Tuesday.

Forward Dirk Nowitzki -- who was brilliant in the Memphis series, averaging 31.3 points on 50.6 percent shooting, with 3 assists per game -- told reporters he'd like to keep the momentum going. "It's a long time to sit around and kind of get ready," he said. "I'd like to move a little quicker than that."

Which brings us to a discussion that arises annually in playoff time. Inevitably, during the postseason, a team will win its series in four or five games, while the next round's opponent will find itself in a seven-game dogfight. The question arises: Does sitting around make a team well-rested, or just plain rusty?

The Mavericks, of all teams, should know the answer. Last year they were taken to the seven-game limit by Houston in the first round of the playoffs, while the Suns swept Memphis. Dallas came out in Game 1 of the second round and looked lethargic -- like a team that had just gotten out of a seven-game cement mixer. Phoenix won by 25, and the Mavs never really recovered, losing the series in six games.

In fact, take a look at the numbers, and it's obvious that teams don't really get rusty just because they have to wait to start their next series. In the last 15 postseasons, 28 teams have had significant waits between rounds -- significant wait meaning a two-game difference between length of series. So, a team that wins in five and waits for an opponent that wins in seven would be a significant wait. A team that sweeps and waits for an opponent that wins in six counts, too.

In those 28 instances, the team with the rest went 23-5 in Game 1.

That's good news for the Mavericks. If they play the Kings, who are now down, 3-2, they will have a team that pulled off the near-impossible -- a No. 8 seed beating a No. 1 seed. Hard to imagine the Kings having enough emotional fortitude to survive a series against both San Antonio and Dallas.

More likely, the Mavericks will play the Spurs. This is where there may be a bit of a glitch in the statistical advantage Dallas seems to hold. Rested teams dominate non-rested teams, but that is generally because the rested team is just so much better than the non-rested team. That's not the case with Dallas and San Antonio -- there are two evenly matched teams.

Typically, the rested team is one like the Pistons, who beat the Bucks in five games, and could face a second-round opponent -- Washington or Cleveland -- that needed seven games to emerge from its opening series. The Pistons are the No. 1 seed, the Wizards and Cavs are Nos. 5 and 4. Safe to say the Pistons would win a series against either of those opponents.

Still, the evidence shows that the Mavericks' time off gives them a clear advantage heading into the second round -- in a series that should be so closely matched, that even slight advantages should be significant.

As Mavs guard Jason Terry told reporters, "We can kind of watch what happens in those other series and prepare." That is a real bonus.

[rabbitproof]

I imagine there is a high level of correlation between higher-seeded teams and teams that sweep or have the 'extended layoff'. It makes sense as 1 vs 8's and 2 vs 7's are bound to finish faster then your 4 vs 5's and so there is not just a case of rested vs not rested, but also higher seed vs a lower seed. So in addition to the rest/lag time differential, there is a talent discrepancy and a HCA factor (being a only Game 1 stat).

That said, it's a very nice statistic and I hope we make it 24-5.

[dude1394]

I liked that column quite a bit. He researched a stat, analyzed it and then gave the other side of it.

As he says you would expect the higher seed to win more (HCA for instance) but there isn't much to suggest that rest is bad for you.

[kriD]

Mavs get back to business ... as best they can

Avery says scrimmage lets well-rested team 'get lungs blown out'

By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News

After a few days of light practices or no workouts, the Mavericks had a game Thursday afternoon.

Well, more like a scrimmage.

The Mavs had a hard practice followed by a 12-minute scrimmage that resembled game-like conditions. Coach Avery Johnson wants to keep the team sharp until the second round of the playoffs start.

"We've had two really good days here," he said. "I just wanted to let the guys blow it out because we haven't played a game since Monday. We needed to get our lungs blown out. We won't do much" today.

Forward Jerry Stackhouse said the scrimmage was good but a little ragged. Johnson said the players are a little restless and ready to get on with the next series.

And, it seems, so is Johnson.

"[Thursday] was a game day and we had the refs out, but you know they called some bad calls," Johnson joked. "I'm going to call the league on them."

Daniels practices, is ready for second round: Marquis Daniels, who missed Monday's game because of a hip injury, practiced for the second consecutive day. He said he felt fine during the scrimmage and said he's ready to participate in Game 1 of the next series.

"I'm ready to get back at this," he said. "The rest is good for my hip and my leg. I felt pretty good throughout the scrimmage."

The wait continues: The Mavs can't play another game until the Spurs-Kings series ends. The Spurs lead, 3-2, heading into tonight's Game 6. Should the series end tonight, Dallas could open the second round Sunday in San Antonio.

"We don't have a preference," Stackhouse said. "San Antonio is almost a carbon copy of what we do and what we try to do defensively in trying to attack the ball. It will be a lot like playing ourselves. If we play Sacramento, they play more of the Princeton offense with lots of movement. They both present their own problems."

Stackhouse needs to mix it up: Stackhouse is one of those rare scoring blends in the NBA who can score with the 3-pointer, with the mid-range game, by driving to the bucket or posting up. When he gets in an offensive rut, it's usually because he's relying too much on one of those assets, Johnson said.

"When he drives too much, it's not good, and when he shoots too much from the outside, it's not good," Johnson said. "What you saw in Game 4 – mixing it up, driving, in-between game, 3-ball – was a perfect mixture of what we want from Stack. And posting up, too – that's the big one."

Stackhouse scored 19 points in the series finale against the Grizzlies, and he also had five assists.

Briefly: The players seemed to be in a good mood. Reserve guard Darrell Armstrong held court after practice with reporters and told jokes for 10 minutes. ... Stackhouse joked that he fell asleep trying to watch some of the late playoff games. ... Keith Van Horn, out since March 31 with a broken hand, worked out with a basketball Thursday and could be ready for full practices next week.

Staff Writer Eddie Sefko contributed to this report

[kriD]

MAVERICKS NOTES

Johnson says Mavs are 'tired of resting'

By MERCEDES MAYER
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS - He didn't even realize the play on words, but Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said that he can tell his team is ready to play.

"At some point, you just get tired of resting," Johnson said.

In an effort to stay fresh but sharp, the Mavs had a hard practice Thursday at American Airlines Center, followed by a 12-minute scrimmage.

"We haven't played in a game since Monday, so we needed to get some of our lungs blown out," Johnson said. "Today was a game day."

Jerry Stackhouse said the scrimmaging was as mental as it was physical, and the Mavs were working on schemes they want to use in the next series against either Sacramento or San Antonio.

"We got up and down," Stackhouse said. "It was a little raggedy after not playing since Monday. It wasn't as sharp as we'd like to be, but hopefully when the series begins we'll be sharper."

Marquis Daniels (right hamstring) participated in all drills and the scrimmage, and he said he felt good afterward.

"I'm ready to get back at it, but the rest is also good for my hamstring," Daniels said. "Either way it goes, I'll be ready."

The Mavs will watch film today, and the weekend schedule will depend on when the Spurs-Kings series ends, which could be as early as tonight. San Antonio takes a 3-2 series lead into Sacramento at 9:30 p.m.

Van Horn progressing

Keith Van Horn's presence in Thursday's practice might have been limited, but it was welcome.

Van Horn (right hand) was cleared for shooting and noncontact activities Wednesday, and "he was at least able to grab a basketball [Thursday], which was a good sign," Avery Johnson said.

The Mavs hope Van Horn will be able to fully practice sometime next week.

"It's coming along and, boy, it's coming at the right time," Johnson said.

Game watching

The Mavs aren't getting together to watch tonight's San Antonio-Sacramento game, but they will definitely be tuning in.

Jason Terry said he thinks it's an advantage for the Mavs since they have more opportunities to analyze both teams. Terry is specifically watching both point guards, Sacramento's Mike Bibby and San Antonio's Tony Parker.

"I try to look at their weaknesses and their strengths," Terry said. "Then I watch how their defenses adjust to certain situations, like pick and roll."

Differences

The Mavs have focused on being a different, more defensive-oriented team this season, and Avery Johnson said he expects the same from the Sacramento Kings if the Mavs are to play them in the Western Conference semifinals.

Gone are the run-and-gun offensive teams. With Ron Artest leading the way, the Kings play at a slower pace and more in the half court than in the past.

"It is different because the old Sacramento would be trying to rip and run, but they don't run as much as they used to," Johnson said. "They're a different team now."

ABC schedule options

There are four scenarios for Sunday's NBA playoff schedule on ABC:

Sacramento at San Antonio at noon and Washington at Cleveland at 3:30; if both series go to Game 7.

Dallas at San Antonio at noon and Washington at Cleveland at 3:30; if Cleveland series goes seven but San Antonio's series doesn't.

Cleveland at Detroit at noon and Sacramento at San Antonio at 3:30; if San Antonio series goes seven but Cleveland series doesn't.

Dallas at San Antonio at noon and Cleveland at Detroit at 3:30; if no Game 7 needed in Cleveland or San Antonio series.

[WraithXx]

noon? are you freakin kidding me? so ghey.

[Julius]

noon? me as a german LOVE it! i can watch it live, no monday morning action.

[digit]

Originally Posted by Julius

noon? me as a german LOVE it! i can watch it live, no monday morning action.

As of now Premiere will probably show the first game of the Detroit-Cleveland series...

07.05.06
Live-Sendung 21:30 Uhr Live Basketball: NBA
Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals oder Semifinals
PREMIERE SPORTPORTAL

That would suck badly...still a possibility that they will change games.

[Julius]

That would be so aaaarghhh. Its soo hard to be a Mavs fan in germany. You wont believe it. And the only thing I can do is to shake my head.

[Winwall]

if they won't show the game on Premiere i'll go postal

[kriD]

Mavs prepare for tough road

By RACHEL COHEN / The Dallas Morning News

Jerry Stackhouse was describing the scene of Game 1 of the Mavericks' second-round playoff series. The opposing fans will be deafening, trying to make life difficult for the visiting team from Dallas. That's why the battle for home-court advantage during the regular season was so important, Stackhouse said.

There was only one problem with Stackhouse's matter-of-fact statements. It was Friday afternoon, and he had no idea whether the Mavericks would be playing at San Antonio or hosting Sacramento to open the next round.

But there was logic to Stackhouse seemingly assuming that the Spurs would be up next. The Mavericks knew the earliest the second round would start was Sunday. When San Antonio won Game 5 Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead, that meant the Spurs would be the foe if Dallas' next series began sooner rather than later.

So players had to think as though they were playing Game 1 Sunday in San Antonio, Stackhouse said.

"Either way, we're prepared mentally to face San Antonio," he said.

NBA sending message about hard fouls: In years past, hard fouls in the playoffs seemed to be the norm. But this season, numerous hard fouls have been called flagrant. Dirk Nowitzki was fined $15,000 by the NBA and assessed a flagrant foul for a hard hit on Memphis' Pau Gasol in Game 4.

"It seems as if a hard foul in the playoffs has a place," Stackhouse said. "For some reason, the league is trying not to go in that direction. They are trying to deter players from making hard fouls. Some things you can't control. You're going to the basket at full speed and somebody else is coming full speed, and bodies and body parts are going to collide."

Mavs establishing their style: Stackhouse knows that people associate Sacramento with ball movement and backdoor cuts. The Spurs are recognized for defense and Tim Duncan. The Mavericks?

"With us, we're kind of new," he said. "Our style and what we've been doing over the last year-and-a-half, we've been trying to establish that identity. Hopefully, we can go out and show we're the defensive team that we've been talking about all season."

Nowitzki cheering for Suns: Dirk Nowitzki enjoyed watching Thursday night's overtime game between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers. He was rooting for the Suns and good friend Steve Nash, of course. Nowitzki said he and Nash haven't gotten the chance to speak in a while but text message each other occasionally.

Briefly: Coach Avery Johnson said Keith Van Horn (broken hand) will play at some point during the second round. ... Johnson deemed Marquis Daniels (hip injury) 100 percent.

Staff Writer Calvin Watkins contributed to this report.

[kriD]

MAVERICKS NOTES

Mavs try to make idle time profitable

By Jeff Caplan
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS - Another day without a game, another day of answering questions about getting ready to play one.

"I'm ready to see no reporters," Dirk Nowitzki quipped sarcastically.

On Day 4 of not playing, the Mavericks had a relaxed film session Friday on the heels of a full-speed scrimmage Thursday that included referees. Waiting for an opponent has tested the theory of when rest becomes too much rest.

"It's natural to lose a little bit of your form from playing in that type of high-level competition," swingman Jerry Stackhouse said. "But, once you're out there, the fact that we have rest, once we get our legs up under us, it should be good for us. We're not worrying about the fact that we've been off."

There's no exact science to maintaining a physical and mental edge during the downtime, and even coach Avery Johnson, who's been through it as a player, said he's not sure how the Mavs will initially respond when game time finally arrives.

"It's different for every team," Johnson said. "That's why you can't really predict because you never really know. I don't know how we're going to respond, but once we get into it, I think we'll be fine."

Suns fan

Dirk Nowitzki said he's rooting for the Suns in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nowitzki's buddy and former teammate, Steve Nash, scored 32 points and had 13 assists in leading the Suns past the Lakers in overtime on Thursday to force Game 7 in Phoenix on Saturday.

"We've text-messaged a little bit," Nowitzki said when asked if he's talked with Nash much during the playoffs. "He had a great game [Thursday], so I'm expecting more in Game 7."

Dues paid

Dirk Nowitzki has not made it a secret that he expects to lead the team back to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2003. He said he and the team have paid their dues.

He called last season's second-round playoff loss to Phoenix his "low point."

"I would obviously like to take it deep into the playoffs again," Nowitzki said. "The last couple of years we fell short early. I'd like to be back in the Western Conference Finals, but ultimately we have a heck of a test here in the second round, so we'll see what happens."

Always the coach

Avery Johnson said he doesn't watch too many games as a fan, especially those that feature potential opponents.

"Now, when you watch some of the other series, maybe Washington and Cleveland, I may be looking at it from a different perspective," Johnson said. "Now, when I'm watching the game [Spurs-Kings on Friday night], everybody has their clipboard out."

Injury update

Avery Johnson reiterated that Marquis Daniels, who missed Game 4 against Memphis with a hamstring injury, is ready to play.

Keith Van Horn's broken hand continues to make progress. He's participating in shooting drills, and Johnson said Van Horn should be ready at some point during the second round.

[digit]

Originally Posted by digit

As of now Premiere will probably show the first game of the Detroit-Cleveland series...

07.05.06
Live-Sendung 21:30 Uhr Live Basketball: NBA
Playoffs: Conference Quarterfinals oder Semifinals
PREMIERE SPORTPORTAL

That would suck badly...still a possibility that they will change games.

Srew that...Germany will be watching the first game of the Spurs-Mavs series lalalalive...wohooo...

19:00 Uhr
Live Basketball: NBA
San Antonio Spurs - Dallas Mavericks, Playoffs: Western Conference Semifinals, Spiel 1