Two days to the apocalypse. Hooray!

• Dallas won last night against the 76ers, but took some hits along the way: 59 year old point guard Derek Fisher hurt his knee, and Brandan Wright sprained his ankle, after getting a bump in minutes due to the absence of injured Elton Brand. Dirk Nowitzki returned to practice, and was probably wondering where everyone else was.
• Wait, wait, I buried the lead on that last one. Here, let me try again: Dirk returned to practice! It still looks like a January debut is most likely, though in talking about it Dirk left the door open for a possible 2012 return.
• Tim (S)Cowlishaw gave a chat for DMN readers, covering such happy topics as "why Dirk is too old to attract free agents" and "who had the worse offseason: the Mavericks or the Rangers?" Next week be sure to catch his answers on why Santa Clause is a lie and how New Years Eve isn't any fun at all because there are too many drunk drivers.
• Didn't know this: apparently, the Mavs will plant a tree for every three pointer made at home this year. Could that qualify O.J. Mayo for some sort of environmental award? Cause dude has been plantin' some serious trees this year...
• Neil Paine has an ESPN insider article on Shawn Marion's Hall of Fame candidacy, which seems especially fitting now after Marion went over 16,000 points for his career.
• Wait...Chris Kaman started a contest to give away autographed items...then fell asleep?
• Wages of Wins tackles the Mavs newbie duo of Mayo and Kaman.