Mavs' attention shifts toward playoffs

[kriD]

Mavs' attention shifts toward playoffs

By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News

Avery Johnson has pushed and prodded and cajoled in his high-pitched Cajun accent all season.

He ripped his team after a loss to Golden State three days ago, saying it played with no emotion, lacked leadership and should consider giving owner Mark Cuban a rebate. Johnson then returned to the coach's office in the locker room, where he met with his assistants and Cuban. When the door opened 20 minutes later, the Mavericks had a new approach.

It was time to back off for the final week of the regular season.

The pursuit of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the Western Conference became less important than ensuring the mental and physical well-being of the team as it entered the playoffs.

The next afternoon, the players saw Johnson relaxing by the pool. Even after a loss in Phoenix to the Suns later that evening, Johnson and the players appeared unusually upbeat. Forward Dirk Nowitzki talked about the importance of every player feeling good about himself before the playoffs hit.

"It's Avery's call," Cuban said of what took place during that meeting. "I trust him completely. He wanted to give some guys a rest, others some time and most importantly, increase our practice time."

The players trust Johnson's judgment on these matters. Jerry Stackhouse called the coach the heartbeat of the team. Veteran Adrian Griffin praised Johnson's ability to gauge the mood of the team by reading body language.

"He's not just won a championship, but been a big part of one," Griffin said. "He knows what it takes to win. You just want to listen to the message."

The message now: Take a quick breath. The team was given Friday off. The pushing and prodding and cajoling will resume in a few days.

"Last year we went into the playoffs winning 16 of 18 and lost the first two games," Cuban said. "The year we lost in the first round to Sacramento, we had just won six straight [eight of final 10] and thought we got lucky by getting Sacramento. They won four of five.

"There is no template."

Back in action: Point guard Devin Harris played nearly 7 ½ minutes in Thursday night's loss to Phoenix. It was the first time he stepped onto the court for a game since aggravating an already strained left quadriceps March 11.

"The first trial was successful," said Harris, who had two points and one assist and moved well. "It was good to get out there, get my legs under me a little bit. I didn't get as fatigued as I thought I would. That explosion to the basket – I've got to get that."

Johnson will increase Harris' minutes over the final two games with the hope he can give the team 18-plus minutes in the playoffs.

Back in action II: Griffin also saw extended action for the first time since his return on Monday. He grabbed seven rebounds and blocked a shot in 20 minutes.

"There is no substitute for getting out there and moving your feet, getting down and gritty," said Griffin, who was out with a strained right hamstring. "That's the only thing you can do to get better."

[kriD]

Schedule suits Mavericks

By ART GARCIA
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

It'll be two days between games for the Mavericks when they face Utah at American Airlines Center on Sunday.

Another two-day break follows before the regular-season finale Wednesday, also at home, against the Los Angeles Clippers. At least another two days, and possibly three, are on tap before the Mavs open the playoffs with the first of two games at home.

For a team coming off a 1-2 road trip, the Mavs couldn't ask for smoother sailing.

"The schedule may actually be in our favor as far as preparing for the playoffs," said Jerry Stackhouse, one of two healthy scratches in Thursday's 117-104 loss at Phoenix.

During the next week, coach Avery Johnson can rest veterans such as Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry and have some valuable practice time without leaving Dallas. Johnson can also use the remaining two games to prepare a playoff rotation, while getting Devin Harris and Adrian Griffin back into game shape.

"I felt pretty good out there," Harris said after playing 7 1/2 minutes against the Suns in his first game since Feb. 15. "I got my legs under me a little bit. I didn't get as fatigued as I thought I would."

The Mavs (59-21) are probably headed into the playoffs as the Western Conference's fourth seed, as their chances of catching San Antonio in the Southwest Division are fading. The Grizzlies and Clippers are the likely first-round options, and they play each other Tuesday in Memphis.

"We're still a great team in a great position," Stackhouse said. "We still have a lot that we want to try to prove. Once the playoffs get here, it doesn't matter what seed we are or who we're playing."

While it appears the Mavs' personnel might match up better with Memphis -- even though they're 3-0 against the Clippers and 2-1 against the Grizzlies -- Johnson isn't predicting a trouble-free first round.

Especially if the Mavs defend as poorly as they did in the final two games of the road trip. Golden State, 114-102 winners Wednesday, and Phoenix are the first two teams to score more than 110 points in consecutive games against the Mavs since February of last season.

"All eight of these teams that are going to make the playoffs in the Western Conference are some pretty good basketball teams, and if you're not competing at a high level defensively, you'll be in trouble," Johnson said. "There is no favorable matchup. There's nobody in the West that's invincible."

Johnson did stress the defensive struggles of the past two games -- the first consecutive double-figure losses since 2004 -- aren't representative of the strides made this season. The Mavs are seventh in points allowed (93.15) and 10th in field-goal percentage defense (44.2).

Dampier fined

The NBA fined center Erick Dampier $5,000 and upgraded the flagrant foul he committed against Suns forward Shawn Marion in the third quarter of the Mavs' 117-104 loss at US Airways Center.

The blow was originally called a Flagrant 1 before being upgraded to a Flagrant 2 on Friday. Mavs owner Mark Cuban said the team will appeal the penalties.

Cuban will also ask the league to investigate the elbow from Suns guard Raja Bell against Marquis Daniels that was called a Flagrant 1. Cuban contends the blow should have led to an immediate ejection and should be upgraded.

Cuban did find some humor in the combined four flagrant fouls called Thursday against the Mavs and Suns.

"With all these flagrants going around lately," he said, "I guess we aren't soft anymore."

On board

Mark Cuban didn't have a problem with Avery Johnson's decision to rest Jerry Stackhouse and DeSagana Diop against Phoenix. With the Mavs trailing San Antonio by two games in the loss column before either team played Thursday night, Johnson had already decided to rest the two starters.

The Spurs did lose to Orlando during the Mavs-Suns game, briefly pulling the Mavs within one game of San Antonio.

"I was on board," Cuban said. "We had to turn in our roster long before we knew the Spurs' score. We wanted to win, but we wanted to keep the big picture in mind."