Two in a row, and a win over the Rockets tonight will make the bad start feel like a thing of the past (but not in the standings....).  Jason Kidd thinks the rough start might help the team in the long run.

"Sometimes you dream about starting off undefeated," Jason Kidd said. "But sometimes it's good to go through something that's going to test a team and see where our character is. Are we going to give into the slow start or fight our way out? And this is a group of guys that's going to fight their way out."

And now everyone is looking forward to the Houston rematch tonight.

"Anytime you lose to a team and you get to play them on a quick turnaround, you’re looking forward to it," Howard said. "We know they’re going to be ready to play, so we have to be ready to keep fighting."

--------------------

The other stuff out there is all about Jerry Stackhouse, with Mark Cuban saying yesterday he would not buy out his contract.

"I won't buy him out. I like having Stack around," Cuban said.

"Stack's an emotional guy, and I give him credit for doing what he thinks will help the team. He was honest with us. And the guy wants to play."

He's definitely on the trading block, but how much interest is out there?

"I’m a little surprised he thinks there’s a better situation out there," said an NBA front-office source. "I think he’s about to get a rude awakening."

---------------------

Mike Fisher looks ahead at the schedule and sees a great opportunity at the start of December.

while Dallas isn't subject to B-2-Bs in those first seven games in December, five of their seven opponents will be going through such a gauntlet.

-----------------

Yao and Artest will both play tonight, and T-Mac is a game time decision.