Mavericks Practice Report (01/12/10)
This week has the potential to be both a pivotal and a historic one for the Dallas Mavericks.
Monday, the team acquired forward Eduardo Najera from the New Jersey Nets, sending big man Kris Humphries and forward Shawne Williams back in return. Tuesday Najera returned to Dallas for his second stint with the team, after suiting up for the Mavs from 2000-04.
Participating in about half of the team's Tuesday practice, the Chihuahua, Mexico native and former Oklahoma star returned to the place he affectionately calls "home," though he is quick to point out that a lot as changed since he left the team in the trade that brought center Erick Dampier to Dallas.
"When I left, I still came back and kept a home here," Najera said after Tuesday's practice. "I'm just happy, happy to be back.
"It's a different team, obviously," the newest Mav said. "Josh (Howard) and Dirk (Nowitzki) are they only guys that are left from the team that I played for back in the day. But you still have great basketball players -- great locker room."
Leaving a team in a rebuilding process, after setting an NBA record for the worst start in NBA history (0-17), the veteran is just happy to be back on a team that is capable of winning an NBA title.
"It's amazing how you can see the difference between a New Jersey Nets' team, just in their attitude, and you come in here and everybody is having a lot of fun. Winning has a big role in that," Najera said.
But the player, known for his hustle plays and sacrificial play, risking his body while diving for loose balls, knows he is not quite ready for game time just yet. Najera battled through nagging injuries while in New Jersey, so he admits he will first need a period of rehab to strengthen his lower back. Still, he is ready to lace them up whenever Mavs coach Rick Carlisle calls his name.
"We'll see. If they want me to play tomorrow, I'll be happy to do it. For this team, I can play on one leg, I don't care."
(Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Speaking us Wednesday, the Mavericks may need Najera as the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers head into the American Airlines Center. Playing the Lakers is a tough enough task, but doing so without Dampier and big man Tim Thomas could be what the Mavericks are faced with.
Dampier missed Tuesday's practice due to soreness after battling back from a left knee effusion. Thomas sat out the practice as well, due to a nagging Achilles injury. With a long and physical Lakers' frontline, the Mavs will need both big bodies come Wednesday night.
Dallas will especially need Dampier to bang with the Lakers' Andrew Bynum, who dominated the Mavericks with Dampier out in L.A.'s 131-96 home win on Jan. 3. Bynum was a perfect 8-for-8 from the field, scoring 19 points in the absence of the Mavericks' 7-footer.
"Damp was out and Bynum had a field day in the paint," Nowitzki said. "He's like 7-3, with a 7-8 wingspan. He's so long, it's unbelievable...We never really found an answer for him.
"We have to make sure we match up on the interior a little better. Hopefully we'll have Damp tomorrow."
Though the two teams are knotted at 1-1 in the season series, with both of the two games in L.A., Nowitzki and the Mavericks are out for revenge after that January poor showing. The Mavs' leading-scorer stopped just short of calling Wednesday's game a benchmark game.
"We want to see how good we are," Nowitzki said of the matchup. "I always said regular season games don't mean that much, but it's still a fun game. You can still see how good you are and how well you're playing."
(Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)
The game could be a historic night for Nowitzki, as No. 41 sits just 16 points from the 20,000-plateau. While 20,000 points is monumental for any player, for the few that have accomplished it, Nowitzki is more focused on leading his team to a championship.
"That's an unbelievable milestone. Looking back 11 years ago, I don't think any of you guys would have thought I would have scored 1,000, probably," Nowitzki told members of the media.
"It's pretty amazing how far I got in 12 years, but my main goal now is to win a championship. All of the individual goals will be nice once my career is over, I can look back -- hey, I scored 20,000 points, I got an MVP...All that is sweet, but it doesn't mean that much to me as of right now. I'm still trying to chase my dreams and that's winning a championship."
Nowitzki and the Mavericks continue their pursuit of a championship when they host the team that won last season's title. The Mavericks-Lakers matchup will air locally on KTXA 21 and KTXA HD at 7:30 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS.
Dallas and the NBA have introduced the official NBA All-Star game ballot, featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. For more on how to vote for your favorite Mavs for the All-Star game, to be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, visit Mavs.com.
Follow Mavs.com’s Earl K. Sneed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EarlKSneed.
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