The Monday Morning Links

It wasn't easy, but the Mavs have won a game.  Thanks Dirk.

Coach Rick Carlisle said Nowitzki willed the team to the win.

"To a team that’s used to winning, it felt like we hadn’t won in two or three months," Nowitzki said. "We had to stop the bleeding. We’re happy to get this win and hopefully turn this thing around a little bit."

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Jason Terry on the final shot in regulation.

"I had the same shot two nights ago to send us into overtime and couldn't get it down.  I wasn't going to miss this one. I wanted to fly out of here like the Jet and hit the game-winner. But when it missed, I didn't put my head down. I told Dirty [Nowtizki] we needed him."

No word on if it was the play Carlise drew up, but I really hope it wasn't...

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Sefko writes about Stackhouse being inactive saying it "doesn't pass the smell test" but nobody is saying there are any internal problems.

"He was just inactive. I talked to him about it. I'm going to talk to him [today] and see about the next game. He's fine. It was matchups and some other stuff. But it's not a big deal."

Anyone want to set the odds that Stackhouse isn't a Mav at the end of the season?

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I don't know why, but this Barea story cracked me up.

J.J. Barea, struggling to earn trust and minutes, walked into coach Rick Carlisle's office the other day for a chat.

"I thought he was going to come in and ask about his playing time and he comes in and I said, 'What's going on?' and he said, 'I just want to talk to you, coach," Carlisle said.

"He goes, 'You OK?' I said, 'Yeah, I'm OK, you doing all right?' He said, 'I just want to tell you everything's going to be OK.' And that was it. He left."

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Cuban on the Kidd trade...

"It is what it is. Jason Kidd has been our best player by far. There’s no question about. It’s a win-win. J-Kidd has just been phenomenal, so it’s been a win-win trade."

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And finally, Newsday talked to Mark Cuban about Stephon Marbury.

"I'm a Stephon Marbury fan," Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said, placing himself in a realm in which he's quite comfortable - the fringe - but certainly not alone.

"Absolutely," Cuban said when asked if teams would be interested in Marbury once the Knicks bought him out or waived him. "I take that back. I'm not allowed to speak about players on other people's teams. So I have no idea."

The Marbury issue came up this offseason with 80% of you saying "no thanks." Has a 3-7 start changed your mind?