Full-Court Press

Leftover line of the night

Before Friday's game, Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks was asked a curious question about Kevin Durant. It seems Durant had said he's enjoying this season even more because of all the people that ever doubted him.

Nobody could remember the 20-year-old ever being in a situation where people doubted his playing ability, least of all Brooks.

"I think all players have that competitive imagination sometimes that somebody is dogging him,'' Brooks said. "Nobody doubted Kevin.

"Me? Yes. But not Kevin.''

The 6-foot Brooks, of course, was an undersized point guard who carved out a nice NBA career with his ball-handling, his 3-point shot and his fadeaway shot in the paint that somehow he could always get over 7-footers.

He's also maybe the only pro who was ever both a Horned Frog (TCU) and an Anteater (UC-Irvine).

By the way, he deserves to have the "interim'' tag deleted from his job title.

--Eddie Sefko

Where do Mavs rank on confidence scale?

Let's look at this week for the Mavericks.

The team wasn't competitive on the road against a San Antonio team that was missing Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. It barely won at home against an Oklahoma City team that lost Kevin Durant to a sprained ankle in the first quarter.

The Mavericks finished the week with a 2-1 record. But I'd argue it wasn't a winning week in terms of confidence gained.

_ David Moore

Shaq goes for 45

Toronto's Chris Bosh had an explanation for how Shaquille O'Neal scored 45 points: He cheated.

"He was just camping down in the lane," Bosh said Friday night, after O'Neal's biggest scoring night in six years led Phoenix to a 133-113 victory over the Raptors in Phoenix. "I mean, if they're not calling three seconds — I thought it was a rule, but I guess not."

It was the 49th 40-point game of O'Neal's career and his highest-scoring game since he got 48 for the Los Angeles Lakers against Boston on March 21, 2003.

"It was cool," O'Neal said. "Guys were really looking for me. I've been saying all year if I can get those touches like that, I think I can do that every night."

A week shy of his 37th birthday, Shaq made 20 of 25 shots and grabbed 11 rebounds.

"He's just so strong and pushes guys right under the basket and gets inside," Toronto coach Jay Triano said. "We have no match for him."

O'Neal still insists no one can guard him one on one.

"I'm the only player," he said, "who looks at each and every center and says to myself, 'That's barbecued chicken down there.'"

-- The Associated Press

In praise of Dirk and Kidd

With the lateness of the overtime, most of the quality quotes about this playing-with-fire victory won't be in your morning newspaper.

But that's the beauty of the blog.

Rick Carlisle on Dirk Nowitzki, who had 41 points and 12 in the fourth quarter when the Mavericks overcame an 87-75 deficit in the final five minutes: "Dirk was sensational. He made play after play. He was scoring or making passes for shots.

"Look, we got out of here alive. It's pretty much that simple. There are some things we were guilty of that put us in a bad position in the game. We've got to continue to address those things. But I'm happy to win.''

Dirk Nowitzki on Kidd's two fourth-quarter 3-pointers: "It's funny. I said to him when we were both out of the game and were on the sidelines in the fourth quarter: Do you have one shot in you? He said: Yes, that's about all I've got tonight. I knew (Russell) Westbrook would leave him as soon as I turned my back, so I was able to deliver the ball to J-Kidd and he knocked it down. That's why he's a hall of famer for us.''

--Eddie Sefko

Mavericks survive in OT, 110-108

The NBA's old met the league's young Friday night. And let's just say the future looks a lot brighter for the kids than the geezers.

But when it came to making clutch plays in the here and now, the Mavericks found a way to pull out a game they probably deserved to lose.

Overcoming a 12-point deficit in the final five minutes regulation, then fending off an Oklahoma City rally, the Mavericks got heroic efforts from Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd to grind out a 110-108 victory over a game-but-shorthanded Thunder team that played most of the game without young star Kevin Durant.

Nowitzki made a 3-pointer with 1:39 to go in overtime to put the Mavericks up 103-99. Russell Westbrook, who had a stellar night for the Thunder, missed a trey but would later score on a nice drive to make it a two-point game.

That set up Kidd as Nowitzki found him with a nice pass in the corner and Kidd drilled a 3-pointer to seal it with 20.7 seconds left. The Mavericks made their free throws the rest of the way to keep the Thunder from ever having a chance to tie the game.

The Mavericks were 1-of-15 from 3-point range in regulation. They hit 3-of-6 in overtime.

The Mavericks had fumbled around for three and a half quarters, trailing 87-75 with five minutes left after the rookie guard Westbrook had run circles around them.

But Nowitzki converted a three-point play, the first of 16 consecutive points for the Mavericks that included a key offensive put-back by Singleton, who is quickly emerging as the Mavericks' most effective interior player.

The Thunder's Jeff Green hit a 3-pointer, but Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitzki scored and Jason Kidd stole the ball twice, and still the win wasn't sealed. Up 95-90, the Mavericks fouled Westbrook on a 3-point heave. He hit the first two free throws, then Nenad Krstic got the rebound and Westbrook nailed a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to tie the score.

The Thunder is considered one of the league's most promising young teams. They weren't bad on Friday, even with Durant out.

Durant is the league's fourth-leading scorer at better than 26 points per game. He apparently got legs tangled up with Erick Dampier and hobbled to the locker room with just over seven minutes gone in the game. He was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle. X-rays showed no structural damage.

There is no underestimating Durant's worth. He has emerged quickly as a star for the transplanted Seattle SuperSonics.

"He's a great young player, and I don't use the word great very frequently,'' Rick Carlisle said. "He's a guy who has great ability, great skill and as time has gone on, he's really playing the game the right way. He's gotten much more efficient. They're going to make progress very quickly.

"As difficult as it is, sometimes success isn't based purely on wins, it's based on progress. And they've made progress.''

Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks couldn't have agreed more. He said Durant's upbringing has more to do with his strong second season in the NBA.

"He was raised very well,'' Brooks said. "It's not because he was coached by me. He has a professionalism that is beyond his age. He strives to be great.

"I've been on teams where the best player wasn't the hardest worker and that kind of trickled down. The coach had trouble because you couldn't tell the best player what to do. But Kevin brings it every day. He's in the gym early and stays after.''

Terry cleared to practice: Jason Terry's got terrific news during his visit to team physician Dr. T.O. Souryal on Friday.

"I'm back on the runway,'' Terry said.

OK, maybe back on the tarmac might be more accurate, but Terry was cleared to resume practicing with the team.

The problem is that the Mavericks probably won't have a legitimate practice until next week. They are taking today off and have games on Sunday and Monday, although they may have an extended shootaround before the Toronto game on Sunday.

Coach Rick Carlisle said he wasn't anticipating Terry playing before Wednesday against San Antonio.

"I just don't know what the timetable is,'' he said. "It's certainly not going to be in the next three games, from what I understand.

"I just know we have every different kind of batting glove and gardening glove and padding device ever seen by man hanging around the training room. But when all that stuff gets put to use, I don't know.''

-Eddie Sefko

No brain power on display

The Mavericks started overtime wtih four consecutive 3-pointers. They missed three.

But who can blame them for shooting the threes.

They were really hot from long range during regulation, going 1-for-15.

They definitely deserve to lose this game.

--Eddie Sefko

On to overtime

The Mavericks' furious comeback was met head on by Russell Westbrook. Dirk Nowitzki led a 16-0 Maverick burst to go up 91-87.

Then Westbrook scored five points on one possession, including a 3-pointer with 17 seconds left to tie it.

Both James Singleton and Josh Howard were stripped of the ball in the final seconds, forcing overtime.

The Mavericks are playing with fire.

--Eddie Sefko

How 'bout some more?

Once again, it's been a while since we've had Mavs drama in this building. I'm sure the Mavs would've liked to avoid this, considering they had the five-point lead with 26.6 remaining.

Who would've thought that wouldn't be safe?

-- Tracey Myers

It's happy times again

That's what a 12-0 run will do for you... the Mavericks have tied this one up, courtesy of James Singleton's put-back just moments ago. Now it's the Thunder's turn to go cold.

-- Tracey Myers

Fans are a-groanin

Well, that was before Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha hit a 3-pointer. Now they're also a-booin...

The Mavericks have gone cold on their end (Brandon Bass had the last basket at the 8:50 mark this quarter). Meanwhile, the Thunder have outscored the Mavericks 14-2 since the 9:34 mark. And I'm sure the fans are well aware that there is no Kevin Durant, and hasn't been since the first quarter.

The fans are happier now because they're getting free T-shirts thrown their way.

-- Tracey Myers