Good game yesterday (Box Score | Caplan Recap | Moore Recap | Garcia Recap), although not particularly exciting. The best thing was that Dallas walked over a team the way they should. That's only second time this season they have done that -- and the other time was the third game of the season.
The Mavs have now won four in a row and get two days off before their big game against Detroit on Wednesday. Everything is going well in 2008 except...
The way Mavericks coach Avery Johnson spoke, Dampier's ability to play against Detroit on Wednesday is also in question
"He didn't respond well after the Golden State game," Johnson said. "Swelling was there. He was limping pretty badly and couldn't practice. Yesterday [Saturday], he could hardly do anything.
"If he doesn't respond well [today], we're going to have to take a further look."
That further look would be an MRI.
And the knee injury that originally was cause for no concern is now leading to a probable third game missed and a potential MRI..."He didn't respond well after the Golden State game," Johnson said. "Swelling was there. He was limping pretty badly and couldn't practice. Yesterday [Saturday], he could hardly do anything.
"If he doesn't respond well [today], we're going to have to take a further look."
That further look would be an MRI.
If it is nothing too serious it actually came at decent time. The Mavs schedule is fairly easy right now, so Avery can afford to rest him.
The forthcoming schedule: On Sunday, at a Minnesota team still mourning the death of the KG Era; then a three-day break before getting tough Detroit at home on the 9th; another day off to travel to Seattle for a game on the 11th; a mild back-to-back challenge with a trip to see the crummy Clippers on the 12th; at Sacramento on the 14th with no Martin or Artest; a rematch with Seattle at Kevin Durant returns to Texas on the 19th; a visit to a Arenas-less Washington team on the 21st.
---------------------Sefko's statistical week in review
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Avery says Eddie Jones has been the teams best passer this season.
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This Day in Mavs History
2000 The NBA fined Don Nelson $10,000 and suspended him for 1 game for bumping the ref and his confrontation with Karl Malone following his ejection in the 1/6/00 game vs Utah where he was complaining about Malone kneeing Shawn Bradley. Malone was also fined $10,000 for the confrontation with Nelson and for throwing an elbow at Bradley earlier in the game.