Dallas Mavericks Blog – Page 89 – NBA Blog

Corey Brewer and Jason Terry had a close encounter last year

Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (via blog):

It was a year ago today when Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Corey Brewer had an up close and personal meeting.

Terry was amazingly whistled for a foul on a play in which he received an elbow in the nose from Brewer. Blood was spewing from Terry’s nose as he laid sprawled on his back on the floor.

Terry went to the locker room and was back in the game about three minutes later with cotton sticking from his left nostril. And he wound up scoring a game-high 26 points as the Mavs edged the T-Wolves, 112-109.

After an examination, it was revealed that Terry had to undergo facial surgery after he fractured his left orbital bone. The surgery, ironcially, occurred Mar. 5, which is Brewer’s birthday.

Celtics sign Sasha Pavlovic

By Jeff Lenchiner

The Boston Celtics aren’t playing around. They keep doing what any team with championship aspirations should be trying to do and padding their roster with as many proven veterans as possible. Thursday morning they took another positive step by signing guard/forward Sasha Pavlovic. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it was presumably a pro-rated, league minimum signing.

Pavlovic, a 6’7” guard/forward, has posted career averages of 5.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 466 career games with stops in Utah, Cleveland, Minnesota, New Orleans and Dallas.

The native of Bar, Montenegro was a part of the 2006-07 Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers and was a starter in each game on their run to the Finals. During that 2006-07 regular season he posted a career-high average of 9.0 points per game and shot 40.5% from three-point range in 67 games.

Pavlovic also shot a career-high 41.0% from three-point territory during the 2008-09 season.

He has played in 10 games so far this season split between Dallas and New Orleans was a starter in seven of those contests. He has averaged 4.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and shot 50.0% from the three point line in 17.9 minutes per game in those starts.

Pistons reject Mavs offer for Tayshaun Prince

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports:

Pistons reject Mavericks offer for Tayshaun Prince

The Detroit Pistons have spurned the Dallas Mavericks’ efforts to acquire small forward Tayshaun Prince — at least for now.

The Mavs offered the Pistons swingman Caron Butler and a 2011 first-round pick for Prince before today’s 3 p.m. deadline, according to a person close to the situation.

Butler is out for the season with an injury, but he has an expiring deal, so the trade, basically, would be Prince for the pick. Prince also has an expiring contract.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban jokes about wanting to sign Justin Bieber

Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports:

“If I signed Dennis Rodman, I’m not above signing Justin Bieber — if he’s old enough to play,’’ owner Mark Cuban said Wednesday night. “I don’t know if he’s eligible.

“Could you check on that for me, because I’ll sign him. We can ask for an exception for Bieber Fever. Get the Bieber Fever NBA exception.’’

Bieber, who turns 17 on Tuesday, was voted the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Celebrity All-Star game last Friday in Los Angeles. He scored eight points and distributed four assists, but his East team lost to the West, 54-45.

“That guy can play,’’ Cuban said. “If we’re down a man, he’s the one I’ll sign.

“You’re talking about selling tickets.’’

Peja Stojakovic hits four threes, scores 22 as Mavs beat Rockets

By Jeff Lenchiner

Back 800 years ago, a guy by the name of Peja Stojakovic was a flame-thrower for the Sacramento Kings, ripping the net every night and showing perfect form with one of the league’s best-looking outside shots. Never a great all-around player, Stojakovic was a scorer, and he did it well.

Mostly forgotten about in the past few years, Stojakvoic recently became a member of the Dallas Mavericks, where at least a partial revival was expected. The team has a pretty stacked roster, and all Peja is expected to do is stand outside and hit open shots. Which he was quite good at on Saturday.The AP reports:

Peja Stojakovic is settling in with his new team, adding a valuable dimension to the Dallas Mavericks’ offense.

Stojakovic scored 22 points and broke a tie with Dale Ellis for fourth place in career 3-pointers as the Mavericks beat the Houston Rockets 106-102 on Saturday night.

Dallas acquired Stojakovic on Jan. 24, and the 3-time All-Star wasn’t in playing shape because he’d been sitting out since November. He went 1-for-11 from long range in his first three games before rediscovering his touch on Saturday night and going 4 for 6.

“I was getting good looks in the last couple of games, too, it was just that the shots wouldn’t go,” Stojakovic said. “It’s easy to play with the guys. I get so many good looks because they draw so much attention. Tonight (Saturday), I was able make them.”

Stojakovic now has 1,723 career 3s and trails only teammate Jason Kidd (1,756), Reggie Miller (2,560) and Ray Allen (2,562) in NBA history. Allen passed Miller for the lead Thursday, and Kidd wouldn’t mind at all if Stojakovic eventually leapfrogs him.

The Mavs are without Caron Butler, normally a starter. It’ll be interesting to see how effective Stojakovic remains over the course of the season, both before and after Butler’s eventual return.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

Caron Butler`s Valentine`s Day tips

Dallas Mavericks forward Caron Butler presents five ways to impress your girl on Valentine’s Day:

1. Take Her To The Spa: It is a relaxing way to enjoy the day together, and you know she’ll love it.

2. A Romantic Dinner: You probably should have reservations at a restaurant by now. If you don’t, then think about staying in and cooking for her. She’ll be impressed.

3. Roses: Do not mess that up. A must on Valentine’s Day.

4. Jewelry: All women love jewelry. Need I say more?

5. Take her to a play: It will show your sensitive side and is sure to score you some points.

6. Bonus-Romantic getaway: Instead of going home that evening, take her to spend the night at a bed and breakfast or hotel.

Mavs guard Dominique Jones has foot surgery

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that guard Dominique Jones underwent surgery to address a stress fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his right foot. The surgery was performed by Dr. T.O. Souryal of Texas Sports Medicine. No timetable has been set for his return.

Jones (6-5, 215) was originally the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. The Mavericks acquired his rights from Memphis in exchange for cash considerations in a draft day trade. Jones has seen action in 18 games for the Mavericks this season and holds averages of 2.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 7.5 minutes per game.

Opinion: Halfway through season, LeBron playing like MVP

At the start of the season, many in the basketball world figured that with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade playing on the same team, neither one would have a real shot at winning the 2010-11 NBA MVP award because their stats would be lowered. Chris Bosh being on the Heat as well factors into it as well, of course.

Yet now, in early February, LeBron is steadily emerging as the league favorite to capture the award again.

Chris Perkins of Fox Sports Florida reports:

Miami (38-14) is winning. That’s the biggest requirement for the MVP. The Heat is only a half-game behind Boston (38-13), which is almost the unanimous pick to win the Eastern Conference.

And James is producing. He’s averaging 26.4 points per game (second in the NBA), 7.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists. For his career he averages 27.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.0 assists. So there’s been no big statistical sacrifice by joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to form Miami’s Big Three.

Plus, James has already won the Eastern Conference Player of the Month Award twice (actually, he shared it with Wade in January), and he has the NBA’s highest-scoring game of the season with his 51-point outburst at Orlando. James has made the Heat better and he’s made his teammates better.

The other MVP candidates? Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, the league’s leading scorer at 29 ppg, is probably the favorite. Durant also averages 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

If I had to vote today, I’d go with LeBron for sure, especially the way he’s on fire over his last 10 games.

Hornets sign Sasha Pavlovic to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Hornets announced today that they have signed forward Sasha Pavlovic to a 10-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In 462 career games (133 starts) over eight NBA seasons, Pavlovic holds career averages of 5.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 16.5 minutes. Pavlovic (6-8, 235) was most recently with the Dallas Mavericks with whom he signed back-to-back 10-day contracts beginning Jan. 10. He appeared in 10 games, marking six starts and scoring 4.1 points per contest.

Pavlovic began his NBA career with the Utah Jazz as the 19th overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Following a solid rookie season in Salt Lake City, Pavlovic was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004 expansion draft and later traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he played for the next five seasons, including an appearance in the 2007 NBA Finals. Last season, the Bar, Montenegro native played for the Minnesota Timberwolves before becoming a free agent this summer.

The Hornets roster now stands at 15.

Tyson Chandler feels he is best center in West

By Jeff Lenchiner

After the Dallas Mavericks whopped the Knicks 113-97 in New York last night (despite the score, it was actually a thrilling game that featured several promising Knicks runs), I caught up with Mavs center Tyson Chandler, who said the following to me and a few other reporters:

Chandler: “When you look at it as a center standpoint, I feel like I’m the best center in the West.”

To which I followed up and, knowing full well that Chandler could handle this sort of question, jokingly asked: “How do you feel your season compares to Yao Ming’s season?”

Chandler: (Laughs) “I love Yao, and he’s injured so I hate to go there. But I feel like the centers that are playing in the West, I’ve had the best year. And I’ve had the most impact.”

In 45 games this season, Chandler is averaging 10.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per outing, shooting a terrific 66.2 percent from the field. He’s been a defensive anchor for the 33-15 Mavs, who boast the sixth best winning percentage in the league and are currently on a six-game winning streak.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.