The Los Angeles Times surveys the possible destinations for Kobe Bryant and rules out Dallas unless Dirk and another starter are included in the deal. We all know the likelihood of that happening.
Josh Howard's website gets a re-design. Check it out at www.joshhoward5.com.
Art Garcia takes a look at Devin's improved outside shooting (5 of 8 from 3 pt. range during preseason), and pegs it to Harris correcting a flaw in his shooting mechanics and also focusing on the spots on the floor where he tends to make shots. Although, head coach Avery Johnson has a simpler explanation: "He's more confident."
Garcia also takes part in the NBA.com roundtable of Southwest Division team web page writers (minus a San Antonio contingent). It was nice to see that Dallas is considered the biggest rival for most of the other teams in the division.
Henry Abbott over at Truehoop sets up the Dallas-Cleveland season opener with a fictional LeBron James-Mark Cuban dance off. Head on over for some choice links to LeBron dance clips and the now ubiquitous Cuban dance numbers. Henry concludes that both dancers are "flawed." But who won, Henry? Who won?
The Salt Lake Tribune previews the upcoming season, and the Mavs feature prominently. They rate the number 1 game not to miss: The Nov. 8 Dallas at Golden State tilt. Dirk Nowitzki is given 5 to 1 odds to repeat as league MVP, and Avery Johnson is the No. 3 coach on the hot seat. The paper also takes a (probably deserved) shot at Jerry Stackhouse: "Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse on San Antonio's title run, which included beating Utah: 'They had . . . an easy road. Their main threat was Phoenix, who imploded and messed up their chances.' The 67-win Mavs also imploded. They lost to Golden State in the first round."
USA Today writer Jaime Aron outlines the ghosts the Mavs have to face this year in the wake of their first round loss to Golden State in last year's playoffs. Choice quote comes from Avery Johnson: "Some champion teams have to experience the agony of defeat to move forward."
Finally, Eddie Sefko has a fun piece about the shooting that was going on at the Mavericks season ticket holder appreciation night at Six Flags. Taking their chances against the the Six Flags basketball shooting game (it of the over-inflated balls and smaller rims), the players ranged from Dirk Nowitzki (tallying his own score at 0 for 20) to Trenton Hassell (sank his first two).