Dallas Mavericks Blog – Page 74 – NBA Blog

Dirk Nowitzki thinks Mavs look old and slow

The question isn’t what ails the defending champion Dallas Mavericks, but can they fix it in time to make another run at the playoffs in this 66-game season?

Their offense showed signs of life Monday, then grew anemic after the first quarter, and the defense was uneven throughout the 115-93 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Denver guard Ty Lawson led all scorers with 27 points. “There are a bunch of good players on this team and I knew that we were going to come out strong,” Lawson said.

It was the second blowout loss in a row at home for the Mavericks, who fell 105-94 to the Miami Heat on Sunday. In that game, Dallas trailed by as many as 35 points.

“We look old, slow and out of shape,” Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki said. “I still think this team has a lot of potential. We just need to work. … We probably needed extra weeks of training camp. But we don’t have it so the young teams, the athletic teams, look better right now than we do.”

— Via J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today

Lamar Odom ejected from 1st game with Mavericks

Lamar Odom has been ejected from his first game with the Dallas Mavericks.

Given a standing ovation when he entered during the first quarter Sunday, Odom still had fans cheering him when he walked off shaking his head midway through the third.

Odom was called for charging and didn’t like the foul. Whatever he said about it was bad enough to draw a pair of technicals and an automatic ejection.

— Via the Associated Press

Shawn Marion breaks finger in loss to Heat

Shawn Marion suffered a broken left pinky in Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat, but said he doesn’t expect it to keep him out Monday against Denver.

“It hurts like hell,” he said. “But I’m a warrior.”

Marion said he hurt the finger – which already was mangled from previous injuries suffered in his career – during the third quarter when he was trying to make a defensive play.

— Via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News

David Stern hears boos at Dallas opener

NBA Commissioner David Stern opened his lockout-delayed season by hearing boos from Mavericks fans.

Stern was in Dallas for the NBA finals rematch between the Mavericks and Heat, and he was on the court for the start of the Mavs’ banner-raising ceremony honoring their first championship. The jeers came as soon as he started speaking, but he quickly turned them into cheers by offering his congratulations to team owner Mark Cuban.

Cuban’s often contentious relationship with Stern could’ve been as much of a reason for the boos as the lockout, which pushed the opener from Nov. 1 to Christmas and cut the season by 16 games.

Cuban and Miami’s Micky Arison were among five owners who voted against the labor deal. Stern said “it doesn’t send any signal whatsoever” that the two owners in the most recent finals were against the agreement.

— Via Jaime Aron of the Associated Press

New Jersey Nets sign guard DeShawn Stevenson

The New Jersey Nets have signed free agent guard DeShawn Stevenson, Nets General Manager Billy King announced today. It is reportedly a one-year deal for $2.5 million.

“DeShawn is a veteran NBA player who brings a championship pedigree to our roster,” said King. “He is a tough defender who can stretch the floor, and will bolster our backcourt rotation.”

Stevenson (6’5”/218), an 11-year veteran who has played with four teams, holds career averages of 7.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 23 minutes over 717 games, including 481 starts. The California native was selected by the Utah Jazz in the first round (23rd overall) in the 2000 NBA Draft out of Washington Union High School in Fresno, California. Last season with Dallas, Stevenson helped the Mavericks win their first NBA championship, appearing in 72 games, 54 starts, while averaging 5.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16 minutes per game.

In three plus seasons with Utah, Stevenson appeared in 222 games, 87 starts, while averaging 5.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 17 minutes. Midway through the 2003-04 campaign, Stevenson was traded to Orlando, where he spent the next two seasons. With the Magic, he appeared in 243 games, 211 starts, while averaging 10.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 29 minutes per game. Stevenson signed with Washington as a free agent before the 2006-07 season. In three plus seasons with the Wizards, he appeared in 236 games, 202 starts, while averaging 9.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 27.5 minutes. Midway through the 2009-10 campaign,Stevenson was traded to Dallas. Stevenson appeared in 96 games, 59 starts, with the Mavericks, averaging 4.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 15 minutes per game.

According to the New York Daily News blog, “Stevenson will join a crowded backcourt that includes rookie MarShon Brooks, but is versatile enough to play the 3. Famous for his feuds with LeBron James — and for playing a pivotal role in Game 6 of Dallas’ championship-clinching win over the Heat — Stevenson was once the subject of a diss record by Nets minority owner Jay Z, who used the song to praise LeBron.”

Dallas Mavericks sign forward Sean Williams

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed free agent forward/center Sean Williams. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, it is a two-year deal with the second season only partially guaranteed.

Williams (6-10, 235) was originally the first round pick (17th overall) of the New Jersey Nets in the 2007 NBA Draft. He spent three seasons in New Jersey and averaged 4.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 126 games as a Net.

Born in Arlington, Texas, Williams was a standout at Mansfield High School and attended Boston College. In his junior season at Boston College, Williams averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game. He set a school record when he recorded 13 blocked shots against Duquesne. Williams decided to forego his senior season and was an early entry candidate to the 2007 NBA Draft.

Williams spent last season in the NBA D-League where he was an All-Star and finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. In 49 games (46 starts) with the Texas Legends, Williams averaged 14.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per contest.

Dallas Mavericks waive guard Andy Rautins

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have waived guard Andy Rautins.

Rautins was acquired on Dec. 10, 2011 from New York along with a protected 2012 second round draft pick from Washington. In exchange, New York received center Tyson Chandler, the draft rights to Ahmad Nivins and Giorgos Printezis from Dallas while Washington recieved forward Ronny Turiaf, a 2013 second round pick and cash considerations from New York and a 2012 second round pick from Dallas.

Timberwolves sign Jose Juan Barea

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed free-agent guard José Juan Barea. The deal is reportedly for four years, $19 million.

“We are excited to add J.J. Barea to our team,” said David Kahn, Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations. “His experience, leadership capabilities and all-around play should help us immensely this coming season and beyond.”

Barea, 27, played in 81 games for Dallas in 2010-11, averaging 9.5 points and 3.9 assists in 20.5 minutes per contest. The 6-0 guard also appeared in 21 playoff games for the World Champion Mavericks, averaging 8.9 points and 3.4 assists in 18.6 minutes. Barea tallied 22 points and eight assists in the Mavs’ 2011 Western Conference Semifinals-clinching win over the Los Angeles Lakers. He started the final three games of the 2011 NBA Finals vs. Miami, scoring 17 points in Game 4 and 15 points (on 7-for-12 shooting) in the deciding Game 5.

Barea has played five seasons in the NBA, all with Dallas, and owns career averages of 7.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 315 games.

A native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, Barea attended Northeastern University from 2002-06, averaging 20.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists over his four-year collegiate career. He was not drafted by an NBA team and signed as a free agent with Dallas in August of 2006. He also spent time with the NBA D-League Fort Worth Flyers in 2006-07.

Mavs trade Rudy Fernandez, Corey Brewer to Nuggets

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have traded guard Rudy Fernandez and forward Corey Brewer to the Denver Nuggets for a 2016 second round pick that originally belonged to Memphis.

Fernandez (6-6, 185) was acquired by the Mavericks from Portland in a three-way trade on draft night (June 23, 2011).

Brewer (6-9, 188) was signed as a free agent mid-season last year on March 3, 2011 and was a member of the 2011 NBA Championship team averaging 5.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 13 regular season games (2 starts).

Dallas Mavericks sign guard Delonte West

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed free agent guard Delonte West. The deal is reportedly for one year and the league veteran’s minimum.

West (6-3, 180) is a seven-year veteran who owns career averages of 9.7 points, 3.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 388 games (225 starts) for Boston, Seattle and Cleveland. In 2008-09, West played alongside LeBron James in Cleveland and started each of his 64 games and averaged 11.7 points, 3.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the foul line.

Originally the first round draft pick (24th overall) of the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA Draft, West played in just 39 games his rookie season before becoming the starting shooting guard in his second year. That season, West started each of his 71 contests for the Celtics and averaged 11.8 points, 4.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 34.1 minutes per game.

The Washington D.C., native attended St. Joseph’s University where, as a junior, he teamed with Jameer Nelson to lead his school to an undefeated 27-0 regular season and an Elite Eight appearance. He was named Honorable Mention All-America by Associated Press and All-Atlantic 10 First Team.