For Mavs, deadline's downtime

[kriD]

For Mavs, deadline's downtime

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DALLAS -- Today is the final day for NBA bargain hunters to make a deal.

Whether or not a flurry of moves is on the horizon around the league -- just check out what the New York Knicks have to work with -- the Mavericks, uncharacteristically, won't be in the middle of trade central.

"You didn't hear?" coach Avery Johnson joked Wednesday after practice. "I've been traded."

That's about the juiciest rumor out there. A tumbleweed might as well roll through American Airlines Center today. It's been that quiet.

"I don't think I've been involved in a trade deadline like this one," Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said less than 24 hours from today's 2 p.m. trade deadline.

The Mavs (42-11) are as close to 100 percent sure as they can be that the players who suited up for practice are the same that will suit up tonight at home against Memphis.

Again, there's always that 0.01 percent chance.

"Barring some incredible situation presenting itself, we like our team," Nelson said. "We like the direction. We want to give this group a chance to grow together. They've earned the right to see how far they can go."

The Mavs lead the Western Conference by one game over the San Antonio Spurs. Making a change now, Nelson said, could disrupt the balance of chemistry that's developed in the locker room.

Plus, he added, the team doesn't have an area of dire need.

"No team is perfect, but we're not looking to make any major changes," Nelson said. "You do your homework and you put yourself in position to know what's going on. I just don't think there are any reasons to change.

"The Mavericks' cannons are silent and probably will remain so."

The team fired off a significant blast a year ago, dealing for Keith Van Horn at the deadline. The Mavs haven't made a trade since.

The Mavs do have four expiring contracts in Van Horn ($15.7 million), Jason Terry ($7.5 million), Darrell Armstrong ($1.1 million) and DJ Mbenga ($880,000). Obviously, Van Horn and Terry are the most attractive financially to other teams looking to unload contracts, but both are vital to Johnson's rotation and the Mavs' success.

Under Johnson's direction, the Mavs have focused on developing from within. He has asked for more from Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Terry. DeSagana Diop and Adrian Griffin, a couple of seemingly minor but key free-agent additions, have also paid off.

"A lot of credit has to go to AJ," Nelson said. "What he's doing is nothing short of masterful. He's emphasizing the right things and putting his stamp on the team.

"He also makes everyone feel like a significant part of this thing, from Dirk on down to Rawle [Marshall] in the D-League."

The Mavs have made their share of calls, and have fielded inquiries from other teams. Nelson knows what's in play and those names either don't offer a "significant upgrade" or are players the Mavs don't have interest in.

"Avery likes our team, as do I, as does Mark [Cuban]," Nelson said. "I just don't see anything on the board that is much of a leap forward."

[orangedays]

I feel that this is truly a testament to how good of a job this Mavs team has done. We have the best record in the West, a significant shot at the title, but more importantly - the confidence in ourselves that our system is the best. It's no longer about "matching up" with other teams or "bringing in ***** to put us over the top". The belief, from the players to the front office, is that we are already there...all we need is time to prove it.

April can't come soon enough.

[alby]

You got noone to thank other than AJ.

[kriD]

MAVERICKS NOTES

Johnson stays put on trades

By DWAIN PRICE
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

DALLAS - The trade deadline came and went Thursday, and not a peep was heard from the Mavericks.

The last time the Mavs negotiated a trade was a year ago today when they acquired Keith Van Horn from the Milwaukee Bucks for Alan Henderson and Calvin Booth.

"I promised this team that I would do whatever it takes to put us in position to win a championship," coach Avery Johnson said. "And if there was a move out there that would have made us better, I wouldn't have blinked.

"But there was nothing out there. At the same time, part of why nothing was out there is because I like the team."

With the Mavs being two- or three-deep at every position with quality talent and a 42-11 record (at the time of the deadline), second best in the NBA, Johnson said he didn't see a need for any trades.

"Every good team I've been on in this league really has stayed together throughout the course of the year and given themselves the ability to grow up until the playoffs," Van Horn said. "I've been on a couple of teams where they made midseason trades and it disrupts the chemistry.

"Fortunately, last year when I came in I kind of fit in with the system very well, so it was an easy transition. But it still was a risk for this team in terms of chemistry. Thankfully, it worked out and hopefully we can keep this thing going and win a championship this year."

Howard hurt

Josh Howard sat out the second half after turning his right ankle, though X-rays performed after the game were negative. Howard stepped on Keith Van Horn's foot late in the first quarter and came back briefly in the second period.

"I tried to go, but when I got in back in the game I couldn't cut," said Howard, who scored seven points in 20 minutes. "We'll see how it feels [today]."

Rested Raptors

The Toronto Raptors expect to be well rested by the time they visit the Mavs on Saturday. The Raptors played at New York on Feb. 15, rested for the All-Star break, then played at Memphis on Tuesday. After that game, the Raptors flew to Dallas and took off Wednesday.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by alby

You got noone to thank other than AJ.

Actually, I think we should also thank Donnie for putting this team together, and Cuban for not blowing it up.

Seriously though, I think Cuban deserves some major credit for taking a chance on AJ. It was a pretty huge risk when you think about it, and it's obviously paid off so far.

[kriD]

Status quo suits Mavs fine

Trade deadline passes with front office barely lifting a finger

[By David Moore / The Dallas Morning News]

In one respect, this trade deadline was no different than all the others for Mark Cuban.

The Mavericks owner threw himself into the process, quizzing general manager Donnie Nelson on what was happening around the league, who was calling with offers, what trades were about to pop loose. Cuban was well into his inquisition before he realized something.

The Thursday afternoon deadline had passed hours earlier.

"That shows you how much I had been paying attention," Cuban said.

Management believes this team has a shot to win it all. Cuban, Nelson and coach Avery Johnson showed the force of their convictions by doing nothing.

Standing pat – something the team has done only once in the previous five seasons – was the right decision and an easy one. The tough decisions will come once the season is over.

But that is months away. These Mavericks value continuity over change. They draw their strength from the system rather than relying on the unknown.

"I promised this team that I would do whatever it takes to put us in position to win a championship," Johnson said. "If there was a move out there that made us better, I wouldn't have blinked. But there was nothing out there.

"At the same time, part of why nothing was out there was because I like the team."

What's not to like? The Mavericks were down by 19 points against Memphis and won by 10. The team has won a record 13 consecutive games at home and is tied with Detroit for the league's best road record.

The Mavericks play with a defensive intensity this franchise has never seen. They are the deepest team in the league and one of the most unselfish.

It doesn't show in the assist totals, but the Mavericks do a wonderful job of swinging the ball to find the open man. Key players who were the first or second option on previous teams – Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse and Keith Van Horn – have no problem being fourth or fifth in the offensive pecking order on any given night.

The players do more than accept their roles. They embrace them. Egos have been put aside.

"I believe that is what makes us a good team, makes us a better than good team," Terry said. "Guys who have been stars are able to sacrifice and come of the bench or take fewer shots or play defense.

"That's what it's all about, man."

No changes were dictated, because the Mavericks own the best record in the Western Conference. That's how Stackhouse views the club's vote of confidence.

Talk about role reversal. San Antonio was the team trying to make a move Thursday. The Spurs almost acquired guard J.R. Smith from New Orleans/Oklahoma City.

There was no such intrigue with the Mavericks.

"As long as we've got a team of guys that like being around each other, on and off the court, it's a good thing for us," forward Josh Howard said. "I mean, we can take this thing to another level."

Chemistry is elusive. The dynamic that makes the Mavericks so dangerous now will be impossible to duplicate moving into next season as Terry and Van Horn become free agents.

The message: Enjoy this while you can. Live in the moment.

That's what the Mavericks decided to do Thursday.

"They're not perfect, and neither am I," Johnson said of his team. "But coming out of last year, we have eight guys that were in our rotation in the playoffs. I think if we would have made a move and subtracted four of those guys or three and brought in somebody else, you just don't know.

"The competition is stiff, but we think this gives us our best chance."

[alby]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Actually, I think we should also thank Donnie for putting this team together, and Cuban for not blowing it up.

Seriously though, I think Cuban deserves some major credit for taking a chance on AJ. It was a pretty huge risk when you think about it, and it's obviously paid off so far.

and if AJ wasn't coach, we still might have tried to make some moves..