The Mavericks used Tuesday's quick practice as an opportunity to work on transition defense and start preparation for the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Plenty of players worked on individual drills as well as team drills. There were plenty of things going on over the course of practice for the Mavericks on Tuesday Afternoon. Here is a rundown of what happened:
- Dirk Nowitzki participated in practice and did additional cardio work practice was over. Nowitzki did have a tape-job done on his right wrist. He did not speak to the media, but Coach Rick Carlisle addressed how Nowitzki's wrist is feeling. "His wrist is sore but he went through practice today," Carlisle said. "The signs are positive that he's going to be OK." The extensive cardio work left Nowitzki drenched in sweat and taking deep breaths as he walked towards the locker room. That goes along the theme of what Mark Cuban mentioned the previous night. He mentioned that the training staff works players extensively and the players are dying to get back on the court because it is a reduced workload over the actual rehabilitation sessions.
- There was an interesting big-man drill going on in the paint. A jump-shot was attempted and each individual center: Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi had to go up amongst the assistant coaches and fellow players to battle for the offensive rebound and had to put the ball back in the basket. It was a good thing that refs were not on the court as players were roughing all of the centers up. Each center handled the drill well and threw down emphatic dunks. "Our center position is a three-man committee with Tyson, Brendan and Ian," said the coach. "(Monday) was Ian's night to step up and Brendan has got to be ready for the next game, Everybody has got to be on alert."
- Peja Stojakovic went through the full practice and said he was sore but that it was "a good sore." Coach Carlisle expects that Stojakovic will receive a warm welcome from his former team, Sacramento. "I know he's beloved there, his All-Star career began there," Carlisle said. The coach expect that the returning forward will receive a nice applause from the Kings crowd. Stojakovic did notice the ovation he got as he was introduced in the starting lineup on Monday. He mentioned that it was a nice feeling. Considering the fact that the Mavs and the Kings had some playoff battles, it was nice for him to feel welcomed to the team from the fans. It really appeared that Stojakovic looked comfortable on both sides of the floor with the Mavericks, "I don't expect there to be a long integration progress with Peja," Carlisle said. With the veteran leadership and the unselfishness of the team, it should be a match made in Heaven between Stojakovic and the Mavericks.
- Dominique Jones was NOT at practice. According to the Dallas Morning News, Dominique Jones suffered a foot injury that will sideline him for a significant period of time. Jones will not travel with the team and is seeing team doctor for further diagnosis. According to the Mavs PR Staff, there is no timetable for Jones' return.
- Roddy Beaubois DID go through his first practice of the season on Tuesday. "It is a big step. It had been a long time," Beaubois said. "Even though it was a short practice, it was good to be with the guys and practice. It is a really big step." Rick Carlisle said that Beaubois looked good but did not want to give any additional information about the injured guard. Carlisle did say that he is not expecting Beaubois to play any games on the upcoming road trip. "We have two practice days the following week then we'll see where we are," Carlisle said. "He's a ways away, but he continues to make progress. We're encouraged." The Mavericks PR staff did confirm that Roddy is not traveling with the team to Sacramento or Denver, but there is a chance that Beaubois could meet the team in Houston on Saturday Night. "Roddy looked good; Roddy's as quick as ever," Mavs guard Jason Terry said. "That's the thing that sets him apart from other guards in this league is speed and quickness. Add to the fact that he can shoot the ball with the best of them, hey, he's going to be a force. He's going to be a presence for us."
- Beaubois spent some extra time on the practice court as everyone left to get some extra shots in. The jumper looked solid and he shot comfortably from three-point range. He also got some extensive cardio work as practiced ended. "I have to work on my cardio, but I feel good," Beaubois said. "Just being with the guys, to be part of the practice even if it was a short one, it's always good." During the previous road trip, Beaubois stayed back with Peja Stojakovic and they worked extensively during double-sessions (two-a-days) with assistant coaches and trainers. They were in a full-court and half-court setting and the sessions went as short as an hour and as long as two hours. So what is Beaubois going to need to get closer to be back on the court, "At least I need a good week of practice," Beaubois said. "I cannot just jump from one-on-one situation to a game. I have to play five-on-five, get used to playing with my teammates, then I'll come back." After a couple of practice sessions, both Beaubois and the team will evaluate where things are.
To hear the full Roddy Audio From Tuesday's practice, tune in to the Mavericks Outsider Report from 6-8 pm CST today at http://www.highway377.com/mor
- The Dallas Mavericks are streaking and looking for their second double-digit winning streak of the season. Does the coach see any similarities between this current streak and the last big one, "I don't even remember that one," Carlisle said. "Right now, it's important for us to focus on the things that are really important for us to be successful, our core things: Defense, rebounding, efficiency and we need to keep working on our health."
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