Miami tomorrow - big game, but the Mavs are trying not to look at it that way.
"You don't avenge what happened in the Finals in a regular-season game," Jerry Stackhouse said. "We can't put too much into it because they're not who they are right now. Once Shaq gets back and they start to get their rhythm, maybe the second time we play them [in late February] will be a better indicator of where both teams are. But right now, it's just another regular-season game."
----------------------Eddie Sefko writes about Avery Johnson's midseason "state of the team address". The meeting focused on what still needs improving.
At the end of the article Sefko points out the highlights and lowlights of the first half.
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Art Garcia looks at how Dampier could be on the All-Star team.
Houston's Yao Ming will be voted in by the fans as the starting center for the West, but the Rockets have already said Yao will skip the All-Star Game while he continues rehabbing his left knee. That means Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire, who likely will be voted to the team as a reserve by the West coaches, would replace Yao in the starting lineup.
If another center is placed on the team to replace Yao, my money is on Mehmet Okur.---------------------
Video of Stack singing the National Anthem in case you missed it.
And Mercedes Mayer has a short article about it in the Star-Telegram today.
And this great quote from Stackhouse about the response he's received.
"We all look for approval and adoration from our peers," he said. "It's great to have women yelling out your name. When you got men yelling out your name, I don't know how flattering that is, but I'll take it."
---------------------Down in the D-League: Mensah-Bonsu led the team team in minutes with 40 and rebounds with eleven. He also scored 16 and had a steal, a block, and four turnovers. In eleven appearances for Fort Worth, Mensah-Bonsu has led the team rebounds ten times.
In his second D-League game Barea still did't get his double-double. He did however shoot 8-17 for 21 points and have seven assists to just two turnovers.
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Around the NBA: LeBron James recorded his first triple-double of the season.
And Kevin Garnett and Antonio McDyess kinda sorta almost got in a fight.