Four Quick Questions With ... The Mavs' Erick Dampier

    I am in the workout area adjacent to the Mavs locker room, quizzing sweaty-and-Stairmastering owner Mark Cuban on personnel matters – including the health of sidelined center Erick Dampier.

  “I think he’s doing great,’’ Cuban says. “But why don’t you ask him yourself?’’

   And on cue, Dampier appears to straddles a workout machine. And while it is kinda against team rules to interview/bother players while they are working out … It is Cuban himself who directs me to the visit … so who around here is powerful enough to cite me for a violation?

   And with that, I fire Four Quick Questions at Erick Dampier … until media boss Sarah Melton approaches to end the visit (and to solve that “who is powerful enough?’’ puzzle.)

   Four Quick Questions with Erick Dampier …

   DAMP: “Something like (two weeks), that’s the plan. I’ve kept it wrapped for awhile and then I’ll try to practice with it, and make sure everything is close to normal. I’ll probably give it a couple of practices, a couple of tests, and then I’ll be ready to go. But when it’s really, I won’t need any padding or anything.’’

   2. In a way, does this injury come at a good time – if there is ever any such thing – because of how you were dragging around that one sore leg a bit?

   DAMP: “Did you think I was dragging it around (due to a balky knee)? I thought I was moving around just fine! No, I was ready to go full-out when (the finger injury happened). So that’s not an issue.’’

   3. One thing that is an issue, at least to observers: The acquisition of Brendan Haywood sets up an interesting battle for minutes when you do come back. He’s playing extremely well, at pretty much an 11/11 pace every night. … But the last time you got a challenge for your job, in training camp when Drew Gooden was talking about as a starter, you responded with some really good play and ended up starting every game (39 of them) you were available for. …

    DAMP: “Everyone wants to start. That’s part of the game. You take pride in that. But everybody in here wants the same thing. We (Haywood and Dampier) want the same thing. I think there will be enough minutes to go around. We just want to keep winning.’’
    4. I’m told Cuban was on the radio the other day joking about how you and Haywood could be on the floor at the same time. …

     DAMP: “Sure! Yeah, that’s a great idea. One of us at (power forward). In fact, why not let Dirk play there and let me play the 3? … No, actually, that’s not a good idea. I’ll stick with what I’m doing.’’