Coach Rick Carlisle had words fitting for Valentine's Day when it came to assessing Roddy Beaubois. "Look, we’re all excited," Carlisle said. "But, we have another two days before we get to the altar with this." Carlisle also added, "If he has another good day (Tuesday) then it’s conceivable he could play (Wednesday)." The means the door is still open for Roddy Beaubois to make his first appearance of the season on Wednesday night as the Mavericks host the Sacramento Kings. Carlisle mentioned that Beaubois continues to progress daily and that he is doing well in practice.
Monday's practiced was the first real participation in a scrimmage setting, his second official practice. It was his first full-length practice and Beaubois continues to feel good. Despite the positive signs, Beaubois is not ready to declare Wednesday or Thursday as his official return. "If I'm ready on Wednesday, if I feel good, I might play on Wednesday," Beaubois said. "Or, if not, my goal is really to at least after the All-Star break just be ready to play. Like I said, after practice, day after day I will be able to see where I am."
The signs continue to look good, but the coach understands that the bar has been set high from an outside perspective. "Expectations are going to be ridiculously unreasonable," Carlisle said. "I don’t think there is any doubt about that, but that’s just a fact of life." The coach continued to stress the point that he is not concerned about incorporating the French guard back in the rotation and how it could affect what JJ Barea and Jason Terry have done over the course of the season.
The belief is still there that Beaubois can be a dual-threat. "He’s a multi-position player," Carlisle said on Beaubois' ability to be either the point guard or shooting guard position. Carlisle recognized the flashes of brilliance that the guard showed over the course of the season (see March 27th, 2010 against the Golden State Warriors). He's also is cognizant of what Beaubois' greatest strength was during last season, Beaubois' performance at the shooting guard position and playing off of Jason Kidd. "That was the one consistent thing he established last year," Carlisle said. That could give an indication of where Beaubois might land when he comes back into the lineup.
Tyson Chandler did not have a chance to see Beaubois on the court last year as the two never crossed paths due to injuries and inconsistent playing time. The last two days of practice have given Chandler a first-hand look at the electric guard. "Watching this kid today in practice, it’s going to help us," Chandler said. "It was fun to watch." He was also impressed with Beaubois' wingspan. Chandler's assessment left him thinking that Beaubois' wingspan has him in the mold of a big man trapped in a guard's body, but he still has the speed and athleticism of a guard. I'm sure people would not scoff of the idea of having a mini-Chandler.
Beaubois did say that Monday's practice was a step in the right direction. "So far, so good," said Beaubois. "I pushed myself and it went well, it’s a good sign." He continued by saying that he was encouraged after the two practices and believes his speed and quickness are very close to where they were before the injury. The guard understands the expectations are high and that the fans love him and see him as a potential savior of the team. "That makes me want to work even more because they believe in me, so that just pushes me," Beaubois said. "I just want to help the team."
Jason Terry believes the fact that Beaubois' youth is going to work in his favor when it comes to recovering from the injury. "This kid is young," Terry said. "I think you put him out there and see what he’s got." The team has been built on sacrifice, so the team understands that bringing Beaubois back into the mix is another step in the process. "We're all about team. As long as it translates into wins for us, then we don't have a problem with it," said Terry. "It's a good problem to have."
Terry also was in a giving mood as he left the practice court. "In the spirit of Valentine’s Day we’re gonna say that Roddy Beaubois will be the Mavs fans' Valentine," Terry joked. "He’s gonna come back and he’s gonna provide a spark, energy, his ability to stretch the floor in transition and it’s gonna be great. And he looked real good in practice today."
MFFLs would not mind if they get to see their present in action on Wednesday.
Twitter? I don't even know her! Oh......
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