Dallas and Cents: 12/12/12

The Dallas Mavericks, freshly over .500, look to stay hot tonight in Boston against former Maverick Jason Terry and the Celtics, who have not started the year as well as they likely hoped. Meanwhile, here's what's being said around the league about the Mavericks:

• Tim McMahon writes that we should expect some pregame hugs, but once the ball drops it's go time. Apparently there was a proposed trade that would have sent Terry, who struggled at the start of his first season, to the Utah Jazz for Raul Lopez? Yeah, I'd say turning that one down worked out. If you wanted an even longer breakdown of that trade that never was, here it was.
• Terry himself is downplaying the reunion, saying "it's the same name, but not the same team". Given that Monday's starting lineup consisted of four new faces and Brandan Wright, it's an understandable position.
• Of course, there will be one new face back in the lineup tonight, as the Matrix looks set to return. Now if we can just get the other starting forward back...!
• Shawn Marion's groin is OK, and, in case you were wondering, O.J Mayo's groin is alright, too.
• Speaking of Mayo and Terry, coach Rick Carlisle talked about the inevitable comparisons that may arise, saying that's "an apples and oranges" discussion.
• DeMarcus Cousins gets to sit on the bench and think about what he did.
• Aaron McGuire continues his never ending player capsule series with Mayo and the sadly non-Mav Delonte West.