Eddie Sefko has a short article about the new cardiac tests that all NBA players will be required to undergo for the first time this preseason. The NBA actually adopted the test from the Mavericks who have been performing them on players since 2003. You can thank the best owner in the NBA for that.
This screening shows some positive initiative on the NBA's part," Dr. Souryal said. "Prior to this, it was up to each individual team. I give Mark all the credit in the world because he was way ahead of his time with this.
"We wondered together whether we had a Reggie Lewis or a Hank Gathers among us. That's when we decided to do whatever we needed to do, and it was Mark who said money was not an issue."
--------------------"We wondered together whether we had a Reggie Lewis or a Hank Gathers among us. That's when we decided to do whatever we needed to do, and it was Mark who said money was not an issue."
Could Rawle Marshall or Josh Powell end up back in Dallas?
The Mavericks of course have brought in rookies to fight for the 15th spot during training camp, but that doesn't mean one of those four players is guaranteed to make the team. Thanks to True Hoop for pointing out that the Indiana Pacers will only be able to keep two of the following players: John Edwards, Snap Hunter, Josh Powell, Rawle Marshall, or Orien Greene.
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Mike Kahn at Foxsports.com has a list of the top ten small forwards in the NBA with Josh Howard coming in tenth.
"Everybody noticed how Howard stepped up his game in '04-05, but the 15.6 pts, 6.3 reb., 1.9 ast., 1.15 stl., and .471 field goal shooting last year didn't begin to tell the story of what he did to help get the Mavs to the conference finals. What he did was a little bit of everything at both ends of the floor -- most of all, he is their energizer. He struggled in the Finals, but it was his third season and he'll get better."
It's not the worst list I've ever seen, but I would rather have Josh Howard than Rashard Lewis. He also likes Richard Jefferson and Al Harrington a little too much.Kahn ranked point guards earlier in the week and had Jason Terry in the "Also receiving consideration" category. Can't say that I agree.
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Marty Burns at SI.com has a not so in-depth camp preview for the Southwest division.
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"Paul Mokeski, a player development coach and scout for the Mavericks, was named an assistant coach of the Fort Worth Flyers on Wednesday."
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Tracy McGrady thinks the Rockets are ready for the Mavericks and Spurs this season. The best part of the article is this excellent T-Mac quote which is even better out of context.
"If the two of us can be healthy, anything is possible."