Category: Dallas Mavericks Blog

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting on Mavs rookie Justin Anderson, who has only been playing eight minutes per game this season, but is starting to get some attention:

After what he was able to accomplish against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, Justin Anderson is now on the NBA radar.

That means teams will start game-planning for the Dallas Mavericks rookie, will start getting more physical with him, and will start doing all those nuances to mentally get in his head and get him off his game.

“Look, this is where it gets more challenging because the next opponent looks at the film and then they feature you as part of the film,’’ coach Rick Carlisle said after Friday morning’s shootaround at American Airlines Center. “They’re going to pay more attention to him than the Clippers probably did, and he’s going to have to do the same things.

“Keep it simple, go hard and play within the system.’’

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting on the injury-filled reality of Mavericks point guard Deron Williams:

Because of multiple injuries he’s incurred over the past three years, Dallas Mavericks point guard Deron Williams has become reluctantly accustomed to not being able to shift his game into another gear.

It’s frustrating, to say the least. Especially for a player who earned All-Star credentials from 2010-’12.

“That’s kind of how it’s been for me the last four years,’’ Williams said of injuries that have ransacked his body in recent years. “So at least I’m use to it and I’m just trying to get through it.

“I know, at least this time, it’s nothing serious.’’

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting on the Mavericks, who are still in recovery mode as several key players Wes Matthews, Chandler Parsons, among others) are coming off injury and not quite themselves just yet:

Rick Carlisle received a five-year, $35 million contract extension Thursday, but the Dallas Mavericks’ coach probably had a difficult time celebrating the occasion.

The Charlotte Hornets feasted on Dallas’ porous defense all night en route to upending the Mavericks 108-94 in front of a sellout crowd of 19,635 at American Airlines Center.

With the loss, the Mavericks are 2-3 and have dropped both of their home games this season. They also are 0-2 on this homestand, which ends Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans before they hit the road to play the Pelicans again Tuesday in New Orleans.

Carlisle decided to rest small forward Chandler Parsons in the first half and make the unorthodox move of only playing him in the second half. It was a decision the Mavericks probably regretted.

Dallas was only down 54-53 at intermission, but with Parsons on the floor for 14 minutes in the second half, the Mavericks were outscored by 16 points and looked disjointed.

Chandler Parsons is back in action for the Dallas Mavericks. He played just 12 minutes in Sunday’s 103-98 Mavs win over the Lakers, shot just 1-of-6, but did have three rebounds, three assists and a steal. A good first step in his return. Parsons is an essential Mavs component, and his progress is worth monitoring. Here’s the Fort Worth Star Telegram reporting:

He launched a shoe line in Southern California on Friday night. But Chandler Parsons was more than happy when Sunday came around and he was able to do what he’s been anxiously waiting to do for a long, long time.

Re-launch his NBA career.

Playing for the first time since suffering the first major injury of his NBA career during last April’s first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, Parsons played 12 rusty minutes during Sunday’s 103-93 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers. But just the fact that he was able to play – six months to the day – since he had hybrid micro-fracture surgery to repair cartilage damage to his right knee, was good enough for Parsons.

“I’m so excited,’’ Parsons said. “I felt like it was my first game of my career, so that’s awesome just to be out there and compete and play.

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram blog reporting on new Mavericks center JaVale McGee, who isn’t ready to contribute just yet:

The Dallas Mavericks knew they were taking a roll of the dice when they signed JaVale McGee over the summer.

The erstwhile center had been recuperating from a stress fracture in his left tibia when the Mavs acquired him. And three weeks into training camp, McGee is still dealing with those same issues.

Thus, with the regular season set to start in nine days, the Mavs are unsure whether McGee will be ready for the opening tipoff against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 28.

“If you’re asking for a timetable (on McGee’s return), I don’t know,’’ coach Rick Carlisle said after Monday’s shootaround at Quicken Loans Arena. “If you’re asking whether he’s making progress, the answer is yes.

“Significant progress.’’

Here’s the Fort Worth Star-Telegram blog reporting on Mavs veteran Dirk Nowitzki, who finally participated in this year’s preseason action:

Dirk Nowitzki dusted off the cobwebs and played in his first preseason game Friday night for the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. The 18-year veteran punched the time clock for 19 minutes – all in the first half – and collected six points and seven rebounds during the Mavs’ 91-84 defeat at the hands of the Hawks.

The stats notwithstanding, Nowitzki was just elated to get up and down the floor and run the court with his Dallas teammates for the first time since Game 5 of the Mavs’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets last April.