Magic 110, Mavs 105: Preseason-Opening Analysis

   The pregame pronouncements set up this exhibition opener as a Clash of the Preseason Self-Declared Titans. Magic GM Otis Smith talked of how Orlando has a “championship culture.’’ Mavs newcomer Drew Gooden talked of how Dallas is a “championship contender.’’

   But in the end, the only real “clash’’ came in the form of 64 fouls resulting in 92 free throws. And a game-ending “titan’’ was camp-body Jake Voskuhl. And the Mavs get to pick and choose what to like and what to ignore from a 110-105 loss at the AAC.

   Your All-Access Pass:

   THE STARTING LINEUP: I was told that Erick Dampier would start, so I went with that yesterday afternoon. But that’s about all I projected correctly in regard to Dallas’ first five, as coach Rick Carlisle demonstrated the meaninglessness of the outcome here by also starting Quentin Ross (at the 3) and Matt Carroll (at the 2).

   Josh Howard (ankle) wasn’t going to play, of course. And Shawn Marion is nursing a mild ……, so he didn’t go, either. But when JJ Barea wasn’t elevated to the 2-guard spot – something that certainly would’ve been the case had this been a real game – you knew that what it really was was simply another day of training camp.

   Orlando went the other way, unveiling one of its real starting-lineup options with newcomer Vince Carter joining Jameer Nelson, Dwight Howard, Mickael Pietrus, and Rashard Lewis.

    How did Damp fare?

    Well, D-Howard fouled out in 23 minutes, but not before contributing 17 points and 11 rebounds. In the first half alone, he had 12 points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots.

    Meanwhile, Damp fouled out in 15 minutes! Yeah, he did some of those “little things’’ along the way. But Drew Gooden did a lot of “BIG things’’ along the way.

    After one game, Advantage Mr. Gooden.

    MATT VS. MATT: The game’s most intense moment? In the third quarter, when officials had to issue double-technical fouls assessed to Orlando's Matt Barnes and Dallas' Matt Carroll to calm their jawing.

    Carroll looked more intimidating that he has in a week. But maybe that’s because the recent Lasik surgery patient played without the benefit of his “Revenge of the Nerds’’ protective eyewear.

    DIRK AT THE FAIR: When it’s a free-throw shooting contest, you know which kid is going to win the big stuffed animal at the fair, right?

    Dirk Nowitzki looked pretty crafty in earning himself 19 free throws in 29 minutes. He made 17 of them for 23 points.

    Overall, assistant coach Gary Boren has his boys in midseason (postseason?) form. Orlando shot 66.7 percent from the line, but the Mavs were good for 87.8 percent.

    JOSH’S TUX: Carlisle made official what we kind of already knew, that the team plans for J-Ho to make a preseason game appearance in the last week of the schedule.

   "The hope is that he can play toward the latter part of exhibition season,’’ said Carlisle. “(But) it's Mother Nature you're dealing with. He had a minor reconstruction of his left ankle. It's a significant procedure. And the prognosis is excellent. We just got to make sure we're following the right steps."

    Now, that’s a lot of medical jibber-jabber right there; It’s “minor’’ but it’s “reconstruction’’ but it’s “significant’ but it’s “an excellent prognosis.’’

    I can’t follow all that …maybe because I am still distracted by Josh’s suit coat, which looks exactly like a tuxedo jacket that I wore to my 1976 high-school prom.

    VINCE’S UNSEEN DEBUT: The boys at Third Quarter Collapse suggested coming in that Vince Carter might play with a certain freedom because his debut would not be televised back home to Orlando and …

    Wait … what?

    First, their prediction:

    “This is Carter's night. There's no pressure for him, as it's a preseason game, in the other team's arena, that hardly anyone will see live. The Daytona Beach native won't have to worry about pleasing his hometown crowd, as he might when he first sets foot on the Amway Arena parquet in Magic pinstripes. Yeah, he's a known commodity as an 11-year veteran and a household name, but let's admit that we're most curious as to how the biggest gamble Smith's ever made works out.’’

     They got it right. Carter – a guy Dallas twice in the last eight months considered acquiring before deciding Shawn Marion was a smarter “gamble’’-- scored 21 points on 18 shots … 12 of them 3-pointers!

    That’s a pressure-free linescore right there.

    But what’s this about no TV?

    It’s true. The Orlando Magic, the defending Eastern Conference champions, have no local telecasts of any of their preseason games.

     C’mon, people, this is the NBA!

     THE ANIMAL RETURNS: You know who looked pretty special … especially in the way he was still going a skillion-miles-per-hour even in the final meaningless moments?

     Brandon Bass.

     Bass converted on a three-point play with 1:17 left to put the Magic up 105-101. Also in the final moments, he executed a two-handed block of a JJ Barea drive. He played 22 minutes as the team’s seventh man and contributed 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

    I bet he gets some pregame chances to show he deserves a chance to start.

    In the meantime, his only uncomfortable moments came in being the visitor at the AAC.

    “It's a little awkward,’’ he said. “But business is business. Both teams made the decisions they thought were best."

     The Mavs weren’t willing to retain Bass at four years and $18 million, which is the deal he got from the Magic. So instead, we’re left with good memories of the self-made development of “The Animal,’’ as Avery once called him. Dirk says he’s like a “little brother,’’ Jason Terry keeps saying Bass owes him money, and the Mavs feel some pride in his burgeoning success.

   And hope they didn’t make a mistake.

    KICKED IN THE GORTATS: Did you see anything about Marcin Gortat’s game that gave you that feeling of Almost-Bought Remorse?

     The Mavs’ top target in free agency … who became a now-you-see-him/now-you-don’t Mav when Orlando surprised even him by opting to match and retain … was deep on Orlando’s bench, played 16 minutes, grabbed five rebounds and did little else.

    I’m not sour-grape’ing here; over the course of 82 games (not to mention 82 games times five years), Gortat would’ve been a weapon here. Mark Cuban is raving about Orlando’s depth chart at center for the foreseeable future and he’s so right.

     Just not on this night, is all.

    WHAT DREW GOODEN SAID ABOUT BEING A TITAN: "We are one of the teams that luckily can say we are competing for a Finals spot. Because let's be realistic: there's only six or seven teams that have a chance every year to do that. And I think we are one of those.''

    WHAT OTIS SMITH SAID ABOUT BEING A TITAN:  From the Orlando Sentinel "I think we're becoming (a franchise with a championship culture.) How you really test that is when guys walk in your door, how they feel. We're not the Patriots, we're not the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Celtics. But I think we're building a foundation to become an organization like those teams for years to come.’’

     BIG TALK, BUT … In the end, the team Dallas had on the floor to try to quash Orlando’s comeback was veteran center Jake Voskuhl, a non-guaranteed camp body who was no match for anybody else on the floor. His unimpressive presence serves as a reminder: Orlando and Dallas might be contenders. But not on Monday night. On Monday night, they were just practicing.

      FISHELLANEOUS: JJB had 13 points in the second quarter. Did I mention that had this been a real game, he would’ve started at the 2? … Marion expects to play Friday in Washington. … We question here whether Bass should ever play center – it’s what he often did last season for the Mavs despite being just 6-6 – but essentially that’s what he did down the stretch for Orlando. … I know we’re not supposed to get angry at the replacement refs. But in calling 64 fouls and awarding 92 free throws, we saw a game in which the first half lasted almost as long as we wish a full contest would last … Another reason Bass might get to begin the season as a starter: Rashard Lewis is subject to a10-game suspension to begin the regular season. … In 23 minutes, Ross contributed two points, two rebounds and two assists. … Drew Gooden (18 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes) provided exactly what the Mavs bargained for, a good thing. … Kris Humphries (10 points in 17 minutes continues to impress with his bullishness … I said before the game I’d pay to see rookie Roddy Beaubois in this environment. Well, I’m going to have to pay again. He played just nine minutes … Carroll, by the way, continues to shoot the ball well – just not well enough to be a starter in a game that matters! … The Mavs can comfort themselves by noting that they led 92-83 with 9:09 left to play. Or they can be uncomfortable with the knowledge that in the ensuing eight minutes, they were outscored 19-9. Their choice. … Said Kris Humphries of the loooong night: My butt was hurting from sitting so long. Don't (the refs) know that people want to go home?''