Mavs 123, Wiz 115: News, Views And Reviews

Notes and quotes, news and views from the Mavs’123-115 preseason win in Washington, appetizingly arranged on your plate in the form of Saturday Morning Donuts!

     DONUT 1: If I’m reading my own scribbles correctly, Shawn Marion scored 18 of his first 19 points from inside the paint, and made 11 of his 15 shots and all of those 11 were in the paint, shouldn’t be penalized for one long-range miss because it was a buzzer-desperation thing, and finished with three steals, five rebounds, two assists and 26 points.

    And get this: The Mavs ran only two plays for him.

   “He is a unique player," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "All of us have all really loved him from afar and are really happy to have him with us. He's going to bring a lot of good things to us on both ends."

   Dirk used the phrase “easy baskets’’ when describing the work of the newcomer in Marion’s first preseason game with the club after sitting out the opener with a calf injury. And it did all look so easy; easy for Marion to move to get open, easy for Jason Kidd and others to find him, easy for Dirk to benefit from the attention he eventually drew.

  In recent years, when Dirk wasn’t the Mavs’ leading scorer in a game, there seemed to be a cause for concern. Had he played poorly? Was Josh shooting too much? Was Avery trying to “re-program’’ people again?

   But now, we can fully expect Shawn Marion to occasionally be the best player on the floor – and to do it without even having his number called.

   DONUT 2: As is seemingly always the case with Carlisle, there is a plan.

   Roddy Beaubois started the second half, allowing him to play alongside the starters, and he elevated his game to the point he was pretty much the most effective player on the floor.

    He habitually sliced through double-teams. He gets into the lane at will. He showed no fear on launching open 3’s.  (He made two of four.) He demonstrated more of his ball-handling mastery. (His sloppy Summer League moments? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.) He guarded the point and he even guarded Gilbert Arenas – and once, when Arenas looked away from his own dribble for just a moment, Roddy pickpocketed him for one of his three steals in the quarter and darted the length of the floor for the slam.

   Beaubois finished with 14 points, 11 of those coming in that third quarter.

   "He was aggressive, but under control," Carlisle said. "He did a very nice job while he was out there. He’s got some things to learn defensively, but he had an impact.’’

    It’s so early … but there is no denying there are slivers of Parker and Paul and Rose in his promise.

   Slivers, I said.

   DONUT 3: Casual observers will take note of what seems to be Jason Kidd’s biggest contribution here: He shot 4-of-7 on 3’s and finished with 15 points and seven assists. But if you looked more closely, you saw Kidd fulfilling an equally important function: he is nurturing Beaubois at every turn, whispering to him, advising him, guiding him. … I lost count of the seemingly dozens of times Kidd gave Roddy a warm tap on the back of the head, J-Kidd’s sporting version of an Atta-Boy.

   And strategically? This must’ve happened a half-dozen times: Kidd was technically at the point, so after a made Washington basket, the ball was inbounded to him. But Kidd instantly relayed the ball upcourt to Roddy, allowing the rookie to probe for the opportunity for an early-offense/break-off-a-made-basket chance.

   The Mavs are spoon-feeding Beaubois his minutes. And Jason Kidd is carrying the spoon.

   The anticipation is fun, but so is watching the process. It makes me sad that some Mavs fans are so jaded that they are getting caught up in Cuban’s alleged “overselling’’ of the team’s chances or in “when Dirk’s window will close’’ or in whether Fish is a homer … let me say this again:

 The anticipation is fun, but so is watching the process.

  If you can’t see that, why are you even reading this?

   DONUT 4: The Mavs (1-1 in the preseason) returned home immediately after the game and now face the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday at 6 at American Airlines Center. No practice today.

   DONUT 5: Everything about basketball is like a chain-link fence: This link intersects with that one, which connects with that one, and on and on. It certainly works that way on defense, where Dallas has some concerns with how its bigs will protect the basket – but at the same time hopes improved perimeter defense will serve as the first wave.

   Dating all the way back to the starting backcourt of Steve Nash and Michael Finley, perimeter defense hasn’t been this franchise’s strong suit. Therefore it was compelling to watch the third-quarter threesome of Marion, Kidd and Beaubois work together with their vastly different defensive styles. Forget the final score (the 115 points allowed was more about pace than incompetence); frequently, one of those three would create defensive pressure that led to a steal or some other form of defensive success by a teammate.

    Kidd can guard most 2’s, Marion can guard most anybody, and French Cuffs is showing signs of being the waterbug defender. There is room for Quinton Ross somewhere out there, and of course, Josh Howard, too. But I can envision Kidd/Marion/Beaubois being part of the foundation of some of what Dallas does defensively this year.

   DONUT 6: Josh Howard’s timetable for his return is more vague that it was just days ago.

    There is nothing good about this, but I’ll go ahead and make lemonade: J-Ho, while you sit, and when you study film, watch what Shawn Marion did in Washington while on the offensive end. It was all about cutting and ball movement and positioning himself for entry passes on offense, with no shot-hunting, no one-on-one clear-out crap and nothing forced by the shot clock.

   If you’re gonna sit, you might as well sit and learn. 

   DONUT 7: Drew Gooden got the start, and so far through two games and a Blue-White Scrimmage, we have seen this: Even if he’s not playing well in this moment or that, he’s playing with a certain tenacity. (Gooden was a bit out of control here, and lost a few of those wrasslin’ matches at center.)

    In the second half, Kris Humphries entered the game, and was pretty much playing center, and he did the same thing in terms of tenacity. Humphries repeatedly made Washington center Fabio look like he couldn’t match Kris’ energy level, and in fact, Humphries drew three quick fouls on the veteran center.

    Humphries’ line: 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists.

    If somebody is playing center for the Mavs for 16-minute stint, how much does it matter than he is something less than a “traditional’’ center?

   I think most of us can agree that when the Mavs oppose a elite and at-least-semi-traditional centers, Dallas is going to need to win the battles at other four positions. I think we all agree that patchwork-quilting this thing together at center can work in the preseason, might work in the regular season and … well, we don’t even want to think about it for the postseason. At the same time, the NBA is full of centers like Fabio. … and the Mavs look able to go three-deep against the likes of him.

   I know, I know, in fairness to Washington, Brendan Haywood is the starting center and he left after four minutes with an ankle problem. Still, this is a league full of Fabios. Dallas can compete with that.

   DONUT 8: Eddie Sefko was at the game and notes that the crowd was way to close to non-existent, given the fact that this was the Washington preseason home opener (and only home game!), the re-debut of Gilbert Arenas, the debut of new coach Flip Saunders, the view (held by Rick Carlisle and others) that the Wizards will be the NBA’s most improved team, etc.

    On HDNet, I sure did notice a lot of empty seats, a lot of people wearing jerseys that weren’t Wiz jerseys, and a lot of hand-painted signs from fans expressing affection for Dirk and Marion.

    I do have a theory: While they’ve added Mike Miller and Randy Foye (two darn good adds), the vibe seems similar to the Wizards of the past. It’s an exciting team, a good offensive team … but personnel-wise, it seems poorly assembled for play on the defensive end.

   Maybe Saunders has more tricks up his sleeve. But when these two teams square off again in the regular-season opener at the AAC on Oct. 27, if the guy guarding Dirk is Jamison and the guy guarding Marion is Miller, Dallas might score another 123.

   DONUT 9: Of course, with that Wiz offense, Washington might score 123, too.

    DONUT 10: That will be largely determined by Gilbert Arenas, who, in more ways that one, can do as he pleases. When he decided to shoot, as was the case in the second half? He makes 6-of-6. When he decided not to shoot, as was the case in the first half? He didn’t shoot. He didn’t score. He sort of just stood around.

   “Colorful’’ is good. “Flaky,’’ not so much. If Arenas is able to revert back to being that 29-ppg guy from a few years ago, it would really help his club if he goes ahead and does that. Instead – again, observing from afar – it seemed like he was trying to prove some silly point, or trying to win a bar bet, or maybe he’s just not that into you.

     Flaky.

    DONUT 11: Dallas’ starting lineup? Along with Dirk, Gooden, Kidd and Marion, there was Matt Carroll, again starting at the 2 for the second straight preseason game.

   Carlisle said on Thursday that he would play with different combinations, and along with that Carroll has been terrific in practice. But the 3-point ace’s work did not translate here, as he was 1-of-7 from the floor.

    DONUT 12: Yesterday I noted that LeBron’s best friend’s first name is “Maverick.’’ Yeah. Dude’s name is “Maverick Carter.’’

    Today it is revealed that Mike Miller’s son’s name is “Maverick.’’ “Maverick Miller.’’

    Miller is a different cat, starting with the long hair. It was in a ponytail before the game, left loose and flowing during the game (except for that third-grade-girl-style headband string) … and it appeared to be dyed blond.

    Of course, now that Dirk’s going with the same sort of ‘do, I hate it less. Safer, really, to just focus on Dirk’s game.

    His jumper must’ve finally arrived on the boat from Germany. With Marion and others moving without the ball but with purpose, Dirk was more difficult to double-team when he was positioned in his sweet spots. From those spots, he shot 5-of-9 for 14 points.