Full-Court Press

Crowder looking to find his way in his rookie season

DALLAS -– Jae Crowder is finding out the hard way the trials and tribulations of an NBA rookie.

One minute Crowder was blazing such a fast trail during preseason that there’s was talk of him being in the conversation for NBA Rookie of the Year. That’s how polished Crowder looked during preseason.

But the regular season started and Crowder started, well, playing like a wet-behind-the-ears rookie. And his minutes reflected it.

During a Nov. 14 game against Washington, Crowder played 21 minutes and scored 12 points. Three games later against the Golden State Warriors, he didn’t ever get off coach Rick Carlisle’s bench.

Was it punishment for something Crowder did or didn’t do?

“He just didn’t get in,’’ Carlisle said after Saturday’s shoot around at American Airlines Center. “It wasn’t anything premeditated or anything like that.

“It was just how that particular game happened to go.’’

And it’s just how particular games happen to go for rookies. They, for the most part, are expendable, since most coaches don’t trust most of them when it comes time to trying to win games.

“I can’t sit here and say it’s not tough, but at the same time I kind of expected it being a rookie and I tried to prepare myself as much as possible,’’ Crowder said. “But it’s hard to prepare for it because you’ve never been through it.

“I’m going through it. I’ve got a lot of good vets around me and they keep me up and keep me looking forward to the next game.’’

For the Mavs, the next game is at 7:30 tonight at American Airlines Center against the Los Angeles Lakers (6-7).

For Crowder, he said Carlisle never told him if the reason he didn’t play against Golden State was because he did something particularly wrong. However, Crowder responded the very next game with 12 points and four rebound sin 21 minutes this past Wednesday against the New York Knicks.

Now, the rookie from Marquette hopes to build off the game against the Knicks when the Mavs entertain the Lakers.

“You’ve got to let it go,’’ Crowder said. “I watched film on it and see what I can do better and try to correct things I did wrong and try to build off it.

“That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to be consistent with my play.’’

Carlisle has no qualms with Crowder’s game preparations.

“He’s always going to be ready -- I think we all realize that at this point,’’ Carlisle said. “And because our lineup situation is so fluid due to game-to-game matchups, how guys are playing, particular needs that we may have with our lineups, everybody just has too be ready.

“What he did the other night in being ready and go in there and do a good job is key for us.’’

Almost a month into his rookie season, Crowder would like some more minutes coming his way. But he realizes the reality of the situation.

“I feel like I’m a very lucky rookie right now,’’ he said. “First, to get playing time and stuff like that.

“And just playing with these other guys and being in a great rhythm. So this opportunity is a great one for me.’’

It’s an opportunity that will test Crowder’s mental preparation to games.

“You never know what’s going to happen,’’ he said. “You never know if he’s going to start you that night, you never know if he’s not going to play you.

“So you have to be mentally tough and mentally prepared and know the game plan, for sure.’’

-- Dwain Price

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Carlisle notes that Collison is getting hurt on defense

DALLAS -- The one thing Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle would like is for point guard Darren Collison to be a well-rounded player.

Collison is averaging 13.8 points and 6.5 assists per game, and is shooting 46 percent from the field. That's not a problem, as far as Carlisle is concerned.

"Well, he’s scoring, but defensively he’s getting hurt,'' Carlisle said. "I’m  watching film with him every day.

"We know the areas where he has to get better.''

The Mavs just need some more gritty work from Collison, who, at 6-foot and 175 pounds, is not exactly a very big player.

"For a smaller guy he’s just got to make more of a stand,'' Carlisle said. "We’ve got to help him out in a lot of those situations.

"He’s making strides overall with what we want him to do offensively.''

-- Dwain Price

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D'Antoni's system is not that complicated, Carlisle said

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle doesn't believe there's anything magical about the system of Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni.

"His system is not that complicated -- never has been,'' Carlisle said after Friday's practice at American Airlines Center. "It’s just hard to guard because of the spacing, and he’s got good players.''

The Lakers lost Friday night in Memphis, 106-98, and will be playing their fourth game in five nights when they face the Mavs on Saturday night at 7:30 at American Airlines Center. The Mavs just may run and run, and run some more to test the weary legs of the Lakers.

"It’s going to be challenging,'' Carlisle said. "Show me a simple play with great players and I’ll show you a play that’s hard to guard.

"But Mike does a great job and we’ve got to be ready and we’ve got to hit them with a lot of energy because (the Lakers played Friday) tonight.''

-- Dwain Price

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Mavs know Lakers are a potent offensive machine

DALLAS -- Defense and rebounds are two of the areas the Dallas Mavericks they have to be on their P's and Q's with in order to win Saturday's home game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Mavs won the rebounding battle with the New York Knicks this past Wednesday, 42-37. If they're able to out-rebound the Lakers when the two clubs meet at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at American Airlines Center, the Mavs will be sporting a two-game winning streak going into Tuesday's game at Philadelphia.

"The Lakers are going to be a potent offensive team,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. "And they’re going to be big on the boards.

"Those are the areas we need to focus on. And then offensively, we’ve got to duplicate a lot of the
good things we did against the Knicks.''

-- Dwain Price

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Collison: "We can be an elite team"

DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks point guard Darren Collison learned a lot about his team after Wednesday's 114-111 upset victory over the highly-touted New York Knicks.

"That we can be an elite team if we really work at it,'' Collison said after Friday's practice. "It’s going to take some work.

"We’re not really where we want to be right now, but if we keep working at it I think we can be one of the elite teams in the league.''

The Mavs hope to prove their point again when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center. The Mavs opened the season with a 99-91 win over the Lakers in LA, and they're hoping for more of the same on Saturday.

"I think we put our own will upon them,'' Collison said of the opening-night victory against the Lakers. "I think we forced tempo.

"We controlled the game. Like coach said, we made them play our game. We made some plays down the stretch.''

-- Dwain Price

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Mavs' pick-and-roll defense needs upgrading

DALLAS -- Asked what he learned about his team during this past Wednesday's 114-111 victory over the New York Knicks, and Rick Carlisle didn't mince words.

"That our pick-and-roll defense was horrible,'' the Dallas Mavericks coach said. "That was the first thing.

"We’ve got to be better in that area. I like the way we hung in.''

The Mavs were down 10 late in the first quarter against the Knicks, then used a furious 29-10 rally and eventually went up by 12 (102-90) with six minutes left. But the Mavs watched in horror as the Knicks got within 112-111 and was shooting to win the game.

However, Shawn Marion's tough defense forced Carmelo Anthony into pump-faking and missing a 15-footer with 4.8 seconds remaining in the game.

"We  did some good things to get a lead, but we really just outscored them during that stretch,'' Carlisle said. "We just weren’t able to get much traction defensively.

"We did a lot of work on defense (in practice) today.''

-- Dwain Price

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Mavs beat the Knicks, 114-111

DALLAS -- The NBA's best team was in town Wednesday night. But that didn't seem to bother the Dallas Mavericks. 

The Mavs got 27 points from OJ Mayo and 25 from Vince Carter and went on to upset the powerful Knicks, 114-111, at American Airlines Center. Dallas is now 7-6 on the season and will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday before opening a two-game road trip Tuesday in Philadelphia.

On paper, the Knicks appeared to have an edge on the Mavs. The Knicks came in with the NBA's best record at 8-1, while the Mavs were losers in five of their last seven games.

But none of that mattered to the Mavs, who put on spirited show in the second half in chasing down the Knicks.

Down by just one point, New York had a chance to win it. But Carmelo Anthony missed a 17-footer over Shawn Marion with five seconds left.

Dahntay Jones grabbed the rebound and Anthony fouled out on the play. Jones buried the two free throws with 3.3 seconds left and Felton Spencer's wild halfcourt shot at the buzzer missed its mark.

The Mavs built a 12-point lead (102-90) with 5:59 left, only to see the Knicks rally and cut it to 112-111 on a pair of free throws by Jason Kidd with 1:15 left.

In additon to Mayo and Carter, the Mavs also got 19 points from Darren Collison and 12 from Jae Crowder.

Anthony led the Knicks with 23 points and Felton added 21 points and 11 assists. Also for the Knciks, Jaosn Kidd had 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals, and Tyson Chandler added 21 points and 13 rebounds.

The Knicks led 72-64 with 6:07 left in the third period following a three-point basket by Kidd. The Mavs called timeout and during the timeout some kid won a 60-inch TV when he buried a halfcourt shot.

That ignited the crowd and the Mavs, who woke up and immediately went on a 29-10 scoring spree to assume a 93-82 lead with 9:14 remaining in the game. The Knicks got within 102-95 when Kidd connected on yet another three-pointer with 5:12 left.

But in the end, the Mavs were able to hold off the Knicks.

-- Dwain Price

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Thomas has heard his share of old man jokes

DALLAS -- New York Knicks forward Kurt Thomas never thought he would last this long in the NBA.

A graduate of Dallas Hillcrest High School, Thomas is the oldest player in the league at age 40. The former TCU standout is in his 17th season and, of course, has heard more than his share of old man jokes, with many of them coming from teammate Jason Kidd.

"It changes every day,'' Thomas said before Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. "They have some great one-liners for me.

"Today (Kidd) introduced me as the youngest guy in the league, so that’s how funny it is around here. But I have a ball. We have a lot of fun with it.''

Thomas was the 10th overall pick in the 1995 draft and has played for nine different teams. He played five games for the Mavs during the 1997-'98 season and is in his second stint with the Knicks.  

The key to longevity in the NBA, Thomas said, is pretty obvious.

"Just continue to keep yourself in shape, continue to work on your game, and understand your strength and your weaknesses, '' Thomas said. 'And definitely try to avoid your weaknesses as much as possible.''

-- Dwain Price

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Cuban plans to keep on signing Nowitzki

DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks' 11-time All-Star, told the media Tuesday that he plans on playing two more years after his current contract expires following the 2013-’14 season.

That was news to owner Mark Cuban.

“I think it’s too early to start thinking about that,’’ Cuban said before Wednesday’s game against the New York Knicks. “Obviously I’ll keep on signing him.

“I think the limit is 73 years old. I think 74 is just beyond reach.’’

Nowitzki will collect $20.9 million this season and $22.7 million million next season before becoming a free agent in the summer of 2014 – unless he receives a contract extension before then.

"I don’t think that far ahead,'' Cuban said. "So we’ll deal with it when the time comes.''

-- Dwain Price

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Kidd received a nice ovation

DALLAS -- When New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd was introduced in the starting lineup tonight against the Dallas Mavericks, the crowd at American Airlines Center gave him a nice ovation.

There was some question on whether or not Kidd would get a positive reception. Kidd helped the Mavs win the 2011 NBA title and had verbally agreed to sign a three-year, $9 million contract when he became a free agent this past summer.

But Kidd surprised -- and upset -- a lot of folks associated with the Mavs when he changed his mind and decided to sign a three-year, $9 million contract with the Knicks. Mavs fans, though, put all that behind them and gave Kidd the quality ovation he deserved for what he brought to this organization.

-- Dwain Price

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@dwainprice