- No Devin Harris means more jump shots, more standing around, no one attacking the rim, and allowing little rat spares like Rajon Rondo dominate you with 12 rebounds, including a late back breaking rebound and put back. And I now have another team I hate. My disdain for Boston sports grows by the day.
Dallas Mavericks blow it in Boston, 96-90
12:58 AM CST on Friday, February 1, 2008 By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News esefko@dallasnews.com
BOSTON – Missing vital pieces, but not a drop of passion, the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics showed how much fun two great sports teams from the Dallas area and New England can have together.
We'll never know if the Cowboys could have supplied this kind of drama and entertainment had they not fallen short of the Super Bowl and the New England Patriots.
But the Mavericks and Celtics delivered. In one of the season's best shows thus far, the Celtics scored the last six points for a 96-90 victory Thursday night at TD Banknorth Garden.
The Mavericks' winning streak ended at four, and the loss ensured Avery Johnson will not be coaching the Western Conference squad in his hometown of New Orleans at the All-Star Game on Feb. 17.
That honor was clinched by New Orleans Hornets coach Byron Scott with the Mavericks' loss.
But of the Mavericks' 14 losses this season (against 31 wins) this was one of their best efforts. They were missing Devin Harris and Jerry Stackhouse – and it showed at times, like a crucial turnover by Jason Terry in the final seconds.
The Celtics were without Kevin Garnett – who along with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce form the so-called Boston "Three Party."
So down the stretch, it was a gritty play by unheralded guard Rajon Rondo that would spring the Celtics.
Tied 90-90, the Mavericks stopped Boston, as Pierce, who had 26 points, missed a jumper. But as Dirk Nowitzki tried to clutch the rebound, the 6-1 Rondo was sneaking through the trees on the baseline.
"It was a well-fought game, and neither team gave the other team much," Nowitzki said. "I had the rebound in my hand when it was a tie game, and Rondo came out of nowhere. I didn't even see him, and he snuck it up to the basket before I could react."
That put the Celtics ahead for good. Nowitzki and Terry missed drives to the basket, the second of which led to James Posey's free throws with 10 seconds left. Terry, who would normally have been spotting up instead of handling the ball if Harris was healthy, threw a bad pass to Nowitzki to extinguish any last hope for the Mavericks.
The Mavericks pointed to a key officiating call with three minutes to go when Devean George was called for a blocking foul. Pierce hit both free throws to make it 90-88.
"It's dangerous taking that kind of chance at the end," George said. "More times than not, it's not going to go in your favor. I felt 100 percent positive like I was right in front of him."
The Mavericks had other problems, however. They were terrible from long range, yet they shot 22 3-pointers, making only four.
"Too many jump shots," Johnson said. "When we go 4-for-22 from 3, that's not a good night. We just weren't as persistent as we have been."
The Celtics' defense had something to do with that. They allow an NBA-low 88.2 points per game, and the Mavericks struggled to score, which is why they started settling for jumpers.
But both teams unleashed some defensive grit throughout the night. In the final five minutes, the score was tied 86-86, 88-88 and, finally, 90-90, when Nowitzki hit two free throws with 58.4 seconds left. Many failed possessions for both sides during that stretch were caused by sticky defense.
Nowitzki single-handedly kept the Mavericks close in the second half, when he scored 24 of his game-high 31 points.
But he had precious little help as Josh Howard had just two of his 19 points after halftime, and the Celtics got key contributions from Rondo, who picked off a game-best 12 rebounds.
- Lick a dong Laura Miller. Victory Park has come up with another great event.
About MystiQal
MystiQal is all about the true New Orleans Mardi Gras with a Quick twist in Victory Park. MystiQal will be a night parade with beads and baubles featuring pre- and post-parties along the parade route, live music and loads of fun activities with food and drink that celebrate everything that is Mardi Gras.
All activities will kick off at 5pm with the opening of the street festival, located on High Market between Victory and Houston Streets, in the heart of Victory Park. The Mardi Gras Run will begin at Houston Street and Continental. The Grand Parade will begin at 7:30pm, so pick your spot behind the barricades, anywhere along Victory and Houston Streets, and get ready to catch beads and baubles. Live entertainment on the stage and street festival activities will continue until 11pm.
We are not planning any children's activities as MystiQal will be an authentic Mardi Gras experience in Dallas on Saturday, February 2, 2008. Now is the time to book your babysitter and join us at MystiQal.
All content contained on this website is for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice, so please check back for updates.
02.02.2008 Victory Park transforms into New Orleans during Mardi Gras- complete with a nighttime parade, outdoor cafes, street vendors and live music and entertainment. MystiQal will rival the most authentic Mardi Gras experience without ever leaving Dallas.
MystiQal, the first night parade in Dallas in over a decade, will feature beads and baubles, parties along the parade route, live music and loads of fun activities with the food and drink that celebrate Mardi Gras. So, start thinking Mardi Gras in Dallas…. MystiQal …? Yes! Thousands of people lining the streets, partying? Yes! Beads? Yes! Floats? Yes! Fun? Oh, heck yes!
In New Orleans?
- A dude you can really get behind. What a guy.
Family matters most to Dallas Cowboys' Jason Witten
09:59 PM CST on Thursday, January 31, 2008 By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News tarcher@dallasnews.com
SOUTHLAKE – As you walk into Jason Witten's home, you soak in the spoils of his fame and fortune as a four-time Pro Bowl tight end for the Cowboys.
There is an understated country feel to the home tucked away in a Southlake neighborhood. Beyond the pool, there is a pond where he can fish. Upstairs is a media room, complete with his jerseys from high school to college to the Cowboys and other autographed photos and helmets.
But look closely at the walls in the family room. Look at the pictures on the end table. Or in the kitchen. Around the media center. Above the fireplace.
They are all of Witten, his wife Michelle, and their 1-year-old son, C.J.
You can feel the warmth, the love, the devotion, the faith. One day not too long ago, Witten playfully tossed C.J. in the air, catching him with the softest hands as they exchanged the same wide smile.
"He's wanted to give his son the perfect family, whatever that is, that he never had," Michelle said. "He wants C.J. to have the things he felt like he never could have."
Today in Phoenix, Witten will be honored as one of the four finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
The other finalists are Miami's Jason Taylor, Pittsburgh's Hines Ward and Kansas City's Brian Waters, the Waxahachie native and former University of North Texas standout, whose 54 Foundation benefits underprivileged families in low-income areas in his hometown, Dallas and Kansas City.
The winner will be announced Sunday before New England plays the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
"If there's a guy the NFL could look at and say, 'We want every player to be like this,' then that's Walter Payton," Witten said. "He stood for everything the league is about. Not just on the field but off the field as well. I know what he did, and it encourages me to do more to be like Walter Payton."
Witten was named Cowboys Man of the Year for his off-the-field work. He is heavily involved in all of the team's charitable functions, such as the Salvation Army. He has been part of the "Take a Player to School," program since his rookie year.
The NFL asked Witten to be a part of its "Play 60" initiative that asks kids to exercise for at least 60 minutes a day to fight obesity. He also runs a football camp in Elizabethton, Tenn., his hometown, for more than 900 kids and hopes to start a camp locally this year.
But his passion is The Jason Witten SCORE Foundation, which supports families affected by domestic violence. SCORE stands for Support, Community, Overcome, Rebuild, Educate.
To understand why Witten gives so much of himself, you have to go to a place inside his soul, a place he does not talk about much.
Not yet a teenager, Witten was living outside Washington D.C. with his mother, Kim, father, Eddie, and older brothers Ryan and Shawn, when he witnessed the verbal and physical violence his father inflicted on the family.
"Those heartaches, those cries in your life that you go through, I thought that every kid goes through them," Witten said. "I knew I didn't have much, but I didn't know there was another side out there. I thought one present for Christmas was the way it is."
But at 11 years old, Witten's life changed. Witten, his mother and brothers left the father and moved to Elizabethton to live with their grandfather, Dave Rider. He was not only Witten's football coach at Elizabethton High School, but became the male influence Witten lacked.
"I learned quick to say, 'Yes sir. No sir. Yes ma'am. No ma'am,' " Witten said.
Witten learned about football, but he also saw his grandfather open the car door for his grandmother. When he skipped school once to get a haircut, his hands trembled when his grandfather met him at the school entrance and demanded his car keys. A month went by before he got them back.
When Witten was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2004, the first person he called was his grandfather, and he struggled getting the words out.
"He was a role model for how to treat other people, how to treat your wife," Michelle said. "It was a respect factor his grandfather put in him. It was how to love other people and do things the right way."
In December, the Wittens launched the foundation and the first event benefited 30 families from The Family Place, the largest family violence service provider in the Dallas area.
The stories, like the one of an 18-month-old who was given Kool-Aid and noodles to eat twice a day, made Witten shudder and wanting to help more.
"I remember those feelings and those times, and I see kids now, and I can't really relate my level to theirs," Witten said, "but I know what my feelings were and they'll be there the rest of my life."
Witten has intermittent contact with his father, but he holds no grudge. He wants his father to know C.J. and the couple's next son who is scheduled to arrive in April.
In fact, Witten wonders where he would be if not for what happened earlier in his life. To this day, it drives him on the field, and it drives him off the field with his foundation.
"Our first goal with the foundation was leaving a legacy," Witten said. "We all have an opportunity to make an impact while you're playing. I want to use that to set a standard for long after that. When I'm done playing football 10, 15 years down the road, the foundation is still impacting the youth."
JASON WITTEN NFL experience: Five seasons
College: Tennessee
On the field: Will play in his fourth straight Pro Bowl next week after catching a career-high 96 passes, most in team history by a tight end, for 1,145 yards. ... With 348 catches, he has the most in team history by a tight end and is seventh all time among Cowboys receivers ... He is one of eight tight ends in NFL history to have four straight 60-catch seasons. ... Missed only one game in his career because of a broken jaw but returned the next week. ... Third-round draft pick in 2003.
Off the field: Finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. ... Started the Jason Witten SCORE Foundation, which benefits families of domestic violence. ... Runs a football camp in Elizabethton, Tenn., for more than 900 kids. ... Has taken part in the NFL's Take a Player to School Program since his rookie year and is a spokesman for the league's Play 60 initiative ... Wife, Michelle, son, C.J. ... Expected to graduate from the University of Tennessee in May. ... For more information on his foundation visit jasonwitten82.com.
FINAL FOUR
The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for off-the-field contributions will be announced Sunday. The finalists: Player Team Jason Taylor Miami Hines Ward Pittsburgh Brian Waters Kansas City Jason Witten Dallas
- According to Razor, it was -40 last night in Edmonton. Stars continue a road trip that I want to go on one day. The 3 game Western Canada swing.
Cold medicine: Dallas Stars welcome Alberta trip
Forget cold weather; Dallas will feel heat against Oilers, Flames
01:20 AM CST on Friday, February 1, 2008 By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News mheika@dallasnews.com
EDMONTON, Alberta – So this is what it's like when heaven freezes over.
Well, it is if you're a hockey fan.
The Stars were greeted by temperatures of minus-18 as they flew into Edmonton on Thursday for a weekend series in Alberta. They play the Oilers tonight and the Flames in Calgary on Saturday.
To some, it was the perfect environment to enjoy the perfect sport.
"I personally think it's exactly how it should be," said Andy Moog, the Stars' player development coach and a former Oilers standout. "It's a hard winter sport, and it's a hard winter city. There's a reason hockey is so popular, because that's all there is to do when it's this cold."
The run through Alberta is one of the most popular on the Stars' schedule, because players get to immerse themselves in the culture of hockey. The sport is on television all the time, it leads the sports coverage in newspapers and on radio, and the players are the top celebrities in town, hawking everything from soup to doughnuts to tires.
"I grew up in it, so it's obviously home to me," said forward Stu Barnes, who was born and raised in Edmonton. "But after you leave for a while and come back, it really is something to see. It's everything to them."
Stars analyst Daryl Reaugh worked the broadcast of Tuesday's Oilers game against the Sharks on Versus. Also a former Oilers goalie, Reaugh said he was impressed with the fan support in temperatures that were reported as cold as minus-40 (F).
"That's as cold as I've ever been in my life, and it was just one of those nights when it would have been really easy to stay home and watch the game on television," Reaugh said. "But that just wouldn't work up here. The place was full, the crowd was wild, and they were ready for a great hockey game."
As much as it would seem this has been going on for 100 years, the Oilers-Flames rivalry is fairly new. The Oilers started as a World Hockey Association franchise and joined the NHL in 1979. The Flames moved from Atlanta in 1980.
"I think it's definitely one of the best rivalries in hockey, if not the best," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "For those first 10 years or so, there were some great battles there, with big, strong, fast hockey teams. I don't think you can really know the perspective of that until you've been in it."
The cities have distinctive personalities. It's a three-hour drive north from Calgary to Edmonton, across flat prairie land where the wind blows cold.
Much of the production work in the petroleum industry comes through Edmonton. Calgary has more scenic surroundings, with the Canadian Rockies in the distance, and houses management companies for many oil firms.
"The two cities have their own identities, and they argue about everything from provincial politics to the sports teams," Reaugh said. "So that sets up the rivalry pretty well."
There is no arguing the importance of hockey. The Oilers' fans pack 16,839-seat Rexall Place every game and create one of the noisiest environments in hockey.
Flames fans showed in 2004 they can be just as wild and crazy. During a run to the Stanley Cup Finals, a stretch of restaurants and bars known as "The Red Mile" hosted as many as 35,000 fans before, during and after games.
"I don't know how to compare it to the Cowboys, but I think that in some ways, it's even bigger and more intense," Moog said. "So much of the identity of the people is tied to hockey. It's just a huge part of life in all of Canada."
The Stars say that drives them to play better. Since Tippett has been coaching the Stars, they are 14-7-5 in games at Calgary and Edmonton.
"It goes both ways," Stars captain Brenden Morrow said. "The home team feeds off it, but we get a lot of energy from that type of atmosphere, too."
- The new staff starts the long road back to getting the walk on program back to normal. Another Makovicka will play at Nebraska. Check out Jeff, a freak who could block like a fullback, catch like a receiver, and run like an I-Back. Fast forward to 1:15.
Youngest Makovicka to walk on at NU
BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star Friday, Feb 01, 2008 - 12:34:59 am CST The Makovicka assembly line has produced one more.
Jordan Makovicka will keep up the tradition and become the fourth Makovicka brother to walk on to the Husker football program.
The list of walk-on commitments in Nebraska’s current recruiting class has now reached two dozen.
It wasn’t an easy decision for Makovicka. The East Butler senior had a baseball scholarship offer from Creighton on the table.
But Husker football is not an easy thing for a kid who grew up in Nebraska to just push away, whatever your last name.
The hiring of coach Bo Pelini went a long way in helping Makovicka decide.
“This past season it was always crossing my mind that maybe I didn’t want to give (football) up yet,” he said. “After Coach Pelini was hired, I was about 90 percent sure that’s what I wanted to do, and then last week after I was up there and met with the whole staff, that clinched my decision.”
Husker coaches want to start Makovicka out at I-back. He could also potentially be a safety. Makovicka said he’s not currently entertaining ideas of also trying to play baseball at NU.
His older brothers, Jeff and Joel, played fullback for Nebraska during the program’s glory years in the ’90s, competing in a hard-nosed manner that elevated them from walk-ons to scholarship players and household names across the state.
Joel was a two-year starter, finishing his career in 1998 third on the school’s career list for rushing yards (1,447) by a fullback. Jeff was a backup to Cory Schlesinger in 1994 when NU captured its first national crown of the decade, and was a starter in 1995 when the Huskers repeated.
Joel went on to play in the NFL for the Arizona Cardinals from 1999-2002.
After Jeff and Joel, there’s Justin, who walked on in 2006 and redshirted. Justin will be a sophomore next season.
As good as the older Makovickas were, Joel said: “I think both of the younger ones were better than we ever were.”
Despite the history of the Makovicka name at NU, Jordan’s older brothers never put any pressure on him to play football.
More of the pressure came from fans, hoping to see another Makovicka playing for Nebraska.
“I’ve dealt with the pressure, the hype of playing behind them all of my life,” Jordan said. “I’ve learned to deal with it, almost to ignore it and just do what I can do on the field.”
Joel expects his brother will bring the same fire the rest of them did — with a “chip on his shoulder” to try to show he’s worthy of a scholarship.
Such was the motivating power of the Husker walk-on program when Jeff and Joel played. Joel senses it might be coming back.
“Jordan kind of grew up in a time when Nebraska was Nebraska,” Joel said. “Coach Osborne was there. You had guys like Coach (Frank) Solich, Coach (Ron) Brown. He grew up watching us with that type of atmosphere. Now, it seems like that’s what they’re getting back to and he wanted to be a part of it.”
- The Ticket press conference moments.
- Super Bowl
- Neutral field with 72 degree temperatures. Randy Moss finally being unleashed in the playoffs. Eli keeping it close against Brady? Doubt it. - Remember, New England scored at will in week 17. Moss went off. And NY only managed 1 sack. - The clock strikes midnight for NY.
- Would be the worst move made in the organization in a long time.
- For a rising Devin Harris, the nutsack of your team (Stackhouse), and the 1st athletic Dirk-backup you've ever had (Bass).......you get a 35 year old past his prime PG who can't shoot, will shorten your window to 2 years, and will cost you $21 mil and whatever else in luxury tax.
- No need to make this deal. Stand pat, get healthy, get bench players minutes so they're ready for the playoffs, get your rotation set, and roll with this team.
- San Antonio is struggling and getting older. Phoenix is a broken chemistry set who routinely gives up 110 points. And New Orleans is in no way as good as their record suggests. The West is there. This team has proven it can win the West, leave it alone.
Kidd trade doesn't add up for Dallas Mavericks
Talks have cooled for now, source says; Stack, Harris rumored in deal
11:36 PM CST on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News esefko@dallasnews.com
BOSTON – Officials from the Mavericks and New Jersey have been in contact, just like the Nets and just about every other NBA team have had conversations since it became public knowledge that Jason Kidd has requested a trade.
An NBA source said that, while the Mavericks and Nets have talked, none of the scenarios have been to the Mavs' liking.
As it stands, all trade talks involving the Mavericks are dead, although the source said it's possible things could rekindle quickly.
The hottest rumor Wednesday involved the Mavericks, Nets and Portland Trail Blazers and would have sent Devin Harris to the Blazers and Jerry Stackhouse and others to the Nets, along with several players from the Blazers going to the Nets.
Several aspects of that proposal, including a possible buyout of the remainder of Stackhouse's three-year $21 million contract he signed in the summer, would make that deal problematic, to say the least.
Several NBA executives said Wednesday that they expect this process to drag on, although the Nets apparently are working feverishly to make something happen quickly.
- ESPN.com
Obstacles in way of deal that sends Kidd back to Dallas
By Marc Stein ESPN.com
Updated: January 31, 2008, 10:25 AM ET
The growing feeling among league executives that the Dallas Mavericks are the most likely winners in the Jason Kidd trade sweepstakes is even stronger now.
Reason being: Within 24 hours of Kidd saying that it's time for him and the New Jersey Nets "all to move on" in separate directions, New Jersey and Dallas engaged in advanced trade discussions with Portland on a three-way deal that would land Kidd back with the team that drafted him in 1994.
Such a trade would involve at least a dozen players, cash sweeteners and future draft picks. In a breakdown of the most noteworthy principles, Portland would land Mavericks guard Devin Harris and possibly Mavs forward Brandon Bass, New Jersey would receive draft and financial considerations, Dallas' Jerry Stackhouse and a trio of young prospects from Portland (Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye and Jarrett Jack) while the Mavericks would score Kidd.
The talks were very active Tuesday, as reported Tuesday night on ESPN2's "NBA Coast to Coast" by ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard. But dialogue between the three clubs had cooled Wednesday to the point that sources close to the situation described them as "pretty much dead."
But another source insisted that the deal still has life and noted that the "pretty much" disclaimer leaves open the possibility that the dialogue can be reheated to Tuesday's levels, especially since the league's Feb. 21 trading deadline is still three weeks away. And what most observers considered to be one of the biggest obstacles for New Jersey and Dallas to either moving or acquiring Kidd -- finding the third team they needed to broaden the deal -- might be less of an impediment than anticipated if Portland could be recruited so quickly.
Some reluctance from the Blazers, sources said, is one of the factors that has stalled the talks. In addition to the short-term concerns about the ankle injury that has sidelined Harris, Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard told The Oregonian newspaper last week that "we're not making any trades" to break up a roster of youngsters that rebounded from Greg Oden's season-ending injury to rank as the biggest surprise team so far in a league filled with surprise teams. Sources say Portland has been shopping Jack on his own, but parting with three or four players is something else, with guard Sergio Rodriguez also potentially involved. Outlaw's development, furthermore, is one of the stories of the Blazers' season.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, might also have some hesitation, even knowing that Kidd has made it clear behind the scenes that a return to Dallas and the opportunity to play alongside Dirk Nowitzki is his preferred outcome, ahead of a move to Cleveland to play with Team USA teammate and close friend LeBron James.
Sources say Dallas is resigned to the fact that it won't be able to reacquire Kidd -- 1994-95's co-Rookie of the Year with Grant Hill as a Mav but who left town in acrimonious circumstances less than two seasons later -- without parting with Harris, who's a fan and Mark Cuban favorite as well as a 24-year-old point guard having by far his best season.
The initial scenarios discussed by the teams, however, also would require Dallas to part with either Bass or center DeSagana Diop. Both are critical role players in the Mavericks' system. Bass ranks as the most effective backup Nowitzki has ever had and Diop operates as one half of the center tandem with Erick Dampier that has been successful against San Antonio and Tim Duncan.
The Mavs, if the deal goes through, would be undertaking the aggressive renovation that many critics have been calling for since they followed up a 67-win regular season with a first-round exit to Golden State last season. Although there would obviously be some risk giving Harris' job to a quarterback who will be 35 in March, Dallas is undoubtedly seduced by the idea of enhancing the scoring abilities of Nowitzki and Josh Howard. Kidd's arrival would likewise address Dallas' team IQ and mental toughness issues after back-to-back epic collapses in the playoffs, first to Miami in the 2006 NBA Finals and then to Golden State.
Yet another potential snag here is that the Nets naturally hope to come out of a Kidd deal with at least one young star. The closest thing to a young star in the scenarios discussed so far -- Harris -- would be going to Portland.
But Outlaw is on the rise, too. Outlaw and Frye, furthermore, are athletic prospects who come with salary cap-friendly contracts in addition to the two future first-round draft picks New Jersey would also likely receive. It's believed that the Nets would immediately buy out Stackhouse and release him if the proposed deal wound up going through.
Yet it seems safe to expect that a Kidd deal involving these three teams will likely happen quickly or fade to all the way dead sooner rather than later. New Jersey has been dealing with speculation about Kidd's future dating to last February's trade deadline, when Kidd was nearly dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers. "But Dallas and Portland," said one source, "won't want this [trade speculation] to linger because then it starts affecting their teams."
- Big one tonight. Leave it to Eddie Sefko to pull a Laura Miller-parade route column out of his ass.
Dallas Mavericks might be gazing into Finals crystal ball
Three-game trip vs. East's three beasts just may offer hint of June
01:26 AM CST on Thursday, January 31, 2008 By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News esefko@dallasnews.com
BOSTON – Jump forward, for a moment, to June. The Mavericks already are champions of the Western Conference and are preparing for the NBA Finals.
Hey, it's a hypothetical. Work with us here.
It's not a mortal lock, but there's a major chance that the team they will line up against is one they will see on the rest of this disjointed road trip. They visit Boston tonight, and the Celtics lead the Atlantic Division with the NBA's best record. After this, it's on to Detroit and Orlando, who lead the other Eastern Conference divisions.
Call this trip the NBA Finals test drive.
Washington or Cleveland or maybe even Toronto or Chicago could still shock everybody in the East. But the smart money says the division leaders are the favorites to represent the conference.
These are the heavyweights, and the Mavericks will get a great gauge on just how tough their future NBA Finals opponent will be.
Like we said, it's a hypothetical.
"It's great," coach Avery Johnson said. "They could be heavyweights, lightweights, middleweights, any weights. We just need to get back on the floor after two days off. It's good to get back, and it should be some exciting games.
"Going on the road is a tough test for us no matter who we're playing."
That much is true, although things have started to turn around. The Mavericks don't have to apologize for anything lately as they have won 12 of their last 14 games and are 5-2 on the road in that stretch.
They may not have completely fixed their road woes of earlier in the season. But they have improved. And Johnson hit on a crucial point after a lively practice Wednesday.
The Mavericks, he said, aren't the only team having problems on the road this season. Their 11-10 record away from home is indicative of how tough it is to win away from home. That links with other problems that have surfaced away from home.
"First of all, teams are playing better at home," Johnson said. "A lot of teams that have struggled at home in previous years, they've been playing pretty good at home.
"And for us, we tend to be more of a jump-shooting team on the road. I think our offense has just as much to do with our defense as our defense itself. We tend to be a little less aggressive.
"But we've played a little better recently, because we're much more aggressive, we attack the basket more and we defend the paint better, and that's what you've got to do on the road."
Boston coach Doc Rivers has turned back the clock to the Larry Bird '80s with the addition of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Along with Paul Pierce, they have dominated the East. Unknown is whether Garnett or Allen will play tonight. Both missed the Celtics' easy win in Miami on Tuesday.
When whole, however, the Celtics are the team everybody is watching in the East, not that the Mavs are overly fixated on them.
"It's a great test," Dirk Nowitzki said. "That's all it is, a great regular-season road trip. There are some good teams out there. But I focus more on the Western Conference."
Added Jason Terry: "All these games are critical. We're all battling to position ourselves for home-court advantage. Each game is critical, whether it's an East or West team."
Nevertheless, it's hard to look at the Celtics and not be impressed.
"They jumped out pretty hard, set a great tone," Johnson said. "They've had a solid year. Doc's always been a terrific coach. He was a great coach in Orlando, and he was a great coach before Garnett and Allen got there. Now he has more talent to work with."
Mavericks (31-13) at Boston Celtics (35-8), 7 p.m. today (Ch. 21/TNT; ESPN-FM 103.3, KFLC-AM 1270 in Spanish)
SIZING THEM UP Staff writer Eddie Sefko evaluates the Mavericks' best advantages and biggest shortcoming against the three Eastern Conference divisional leaders they will see on this road trip.
Boston (tonight) Advantage: Solid matchups at each position vs. the Celtics' Big Three, including Kevin Garnett.
Shortcoming: Celts' D would snuff out Dirk. Anybody else stepping up?
Detroit (Sunday) Advantage: Nowitzki always comes up huge against them.
Shortcoming: In a long series, can any Mav stay with Chauncey Billups?
Orlando (Monday) Advantage: Mavs have the experience of having been to the Finals.
Shortcoming: Magic has Dwight Howard, the new beast of the East.
- Ranger's 2008 starting rotation preview.
Around the Horn: Starting rotation Pitching staff looks to rebound behind healthy Millwood
ARLINGTON -- Rangers pitcher Kevin Millwood, a golfing fanatic, has a new hobby.
Kickboxing.
"I started out doing it for fun, but it's an unbelievable workout," Millwood said. "I really enjoy it."
The Rangers need him to do more than just enjoy his offseason workouts. They need him to get the most of those workouts, report to training camp in the best possible shape and assume the role of staff ace.
He wasn't in the best possible shape in 2007 and the results were obvious. Millwood, after winning a club-high 16 games in 2006, was 10-13 with a 5.16 ERA while missing most of May with a strained left hamstring.
"I just want to be in the best possible shape I can be so nobody can say that I wasn't in shape," Millwood said. "If I stink, then I stink, but I don't want people to say that I wasn't in shape."
Rangers manager Ron Washington said he has noticed a significant difference.
"He looks strong," Washington said. "He looks very strong. His demeanor is different. He has a look about him. He's working hard."
Conditioning and health is going to be huge all through the Rangers rotation this season, after the disaster that collectively befell that group in 2007. By every measure the 2007 was a horrible year for the Rangers starting staff, as they finished last in the American League in wins (42), innings (838) and ERA (5.50).
Injuries played a significant role in their problems as Millwood, Vicente Padilla and Brandon McCarthy all spent time on the disabled list because of injuries. Rookie left-hander Kason Gabbard, acquired from the Boston Red Sox on July 31, didn't go on the disabled list, but he was shut down at the end of the season because of a tired arm.
The Rangers only added to their health concerns this offseason by trading pitcher Edinson Volquez to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Josh Hamilton and then replacing him by signing free-agent pitcher Jason Jennings. A native of Dallas, Jennings is coming off right elbow surgery after going 2-9 with a 6.45 ERA with the Houston Astros.
"Health is going to be a big factor," Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. "I feel like a broken record, but if all those guys stay healthy, they have a chance to go deep in the game every night and give us a chance to win. So far, we've had positive reports on everybody."
The three veterans -- Millwood, Padilla and Jennings -- all struggled in 2007, but were solid in 2006. Millwood was 16-12 with a 4.62 ERA, Padilla was 15-10 with a 4.50 ERA and Jennings was 9-13, but had a 3.78 ERA in 212 innings for the Colorado Rockies in 2006.
That at least gives the Rangers some hope that their rotation could be significantly improved in 2007. McCarthy (5-10, 4.87) and Gabbard (6-1, 4.65) had their moments, but need to show they can put together a full season of 160-180 innings.
McCarthy had blister problems and a stress fracture in his right shoulder blade last season that limited him to 22 starts. Gabbard made 29 starts with a career-high 156 1/3 innings between the Red Sox, Rangers and Triple-A Pawtucket.
Both are healthy and should be ready at the beginning of Spring Training. McCarthy has added 15 pounds to his lanky body, with the idea of increasing much-needed endurance. Offseason workouts are much different than regular-season grind, however.
"I think we'll be a stronger club," Millwood said. "Our defense will be better, but we'll go only as far as our pitching takes us. That's no different than any other year. Our pitching can be better."
The rotation does appear set with Millwood, Padilla, Jennings, McCarthy and Gabbard. The Rangers insist there will be competition in Spring Training and health issues could change that scenario. Bullpen candidates Kameron Loe, Jason Davis, Robinson Tejeda and Jamey Wright all have started at the Major League level and the Rangers figure to take a look in Spring Training at two of their top prospects: right-handers Eric Hurley and Luis Mendoza.
Hurley was 11-9 with a 4.00 ERA in 28 games, including 27 starts, at Triple-A Oklahoma and Double-A Frisco in 2007, while Mendoza was 15-4 with a 3.93 ERA at Frisco.
The possibility exists that one or both of those guys could create some excitement in Spring Training and create the impression that the rotation is not quite as locked in place as it appears to be at the end of January.
Those two could also be part of another rarity: an all-prospect rotation at Oklahoma. The RedHawks rotation could consist not only of Hurley and Mendoza, but also A.J. Murray, Thomas Diamond, Matt Harrison and/or Doug Mathis.
Murray pitched in relief most of last year and appeared in 14 games for the Rangers. But the Rangers see him better suited to starting, and want him to build up arm strength and endurance as a starter at Oklahoma. Diamond needs to do the same after missing all of last year, because of Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery on his right arm.
Mathis was 11-7 with a 3.76 ERA in 22 starts at Frisco while Harrison was 5-7 with a 3.39 ERA in 20 starts for Double-A Mississippi before being one of five players acquired from the Atlanta Braves in the Mark Teixeira trade. A problem with turf toe and shoulder tightness kept him from pitching for the Rangers after the trade, but he was 5-0 with a 2.00 ERA in the Arizona Fall League.
Beyond that upper tier of prospects come the "kids" that have the Rangers so excited: a deep list of young arms at the Class A and short-season levels that have everybody excited, but still need substantial development and experience before they get anywhere near Arlington.
The list includes Kasey Kiker (7-4, 2.90 in 2007), Omar Poveda (12-6, 3.22), Zach Phillips (11-7, 2.91), Michael Schlact (8-10, 5.62), Neftali Feliz (2-2, 2.55), Fabio Castillo (3-5, 5.92), Beau Jones (9-1, 4.01), Wilmer Font (2-3, 4.53) and Jacob Brigham (5-4, 3.16). There is also the four first-or-supplemental round picks from the June First-Year Player Draft: Blake Beavan, Michael Main, Tommy Hunter and Neil Ramirez.
It's one of the best groups of young arms the Rangers have ever assembled. But they are years away. The Rangers have enough arms at the big league level right now. What they desperately need is a group of healthy arms and not what they had last year.
- What a concept, recruit high school player, teach and develop player, and not treat player like a spare part to be plugged into some almighty system.
Mitch Sherman: Pelini won't rely on jucos
BY MITCH SHERMAN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
LINCOLN — Amid the ugliness of the final months of the Bill Callahan era, this comment from the fired Nebraska coach slipped through the cracks: "We really didn't feel like we could bring a guy in at a young age and wait . . . to develop them."
Callahan said it at one of those tense Tuesday press conferences during the Huskers' historic five-game skid. He was defending his practice of recruiting junior college players by the bushel.
"You've got to win," he said. "You've got to win right away."
Callahan signed 29 juco players in four recruiting classes, including 11 in his touted 2005 group.
Somewhere along the way, he determined it more important to "win now" than to develop young talent.
You'll hear no such talk from Bo Pelini and his staff. Nebraska has barely sniffed the junior college ranks since Pelini was hired Dec. 2.
Yes, NU unsuccessfully tried to retain the oral commitments of three California junior college players. And yes, the Huskers signed tight end Tyson Hetzer out of Citrus (Calif.) College in December. They're also expected Wednesday to sign former Omaha Burke lineman Ricky Henry, who now attends the North Dakota State College of Science.
But Hetzer and Henry committed long before Pelini was hired.
Nine players, all high school seniors, have joined the Nebraska class during the past two months.
Jeff Jamrog, NU director of football operations, broke it down Wednesday like this: The Huskers focus first on recruiting Nebraska high schools, then canvass the area within a 500-mile radius of Lincoln. The next focus is national recruiting.
"And then, if we do go the junior college route," Jamrog said, "it's going to be for a specific need. It'll probably be a situation where we're counting on someone coming in right away to play. If it's all equal, we'll tend to probably go toward the high school player just because he has five years to play four."
Junior college players make up an important part of NU history. Think Mike Rozier. Jamrog referenced Demorrio Williams, too. There have been many others, but never in the numbers that Callahan brought.
"Different people subscribe to different ideas about junior college players," said Jeremy Crabtree, recruiting editor for rivals.com. "Some believe that it's a no-no. Some people, you should go heavy. Others think the junior college players can complement a class."
There's always a sense of urgency to win at Nebraska. That hasn't changed.
"This time, I think there's a sense of urgency not to try to find the quick fix," Crabtree said. "I think (Pelini) wants to win for a long time. It looks like they're in this for the long haul."
More planning to be walk-ons
Almost every day, there's word of another Nebraska high school senior who's planning to walk on next year in Lincoln.
Omaha Creighton Prep coach Tom Jaworski on Wednesday said twin defenders Colin McDermott, a linebacker, and defensive end Conor McDermott, have pledged to walk on next season at NU. They visited Lincoln last week with Prep's Matt Manninger and Omaha Bryan's Jeremy Wallace, both of whom are also on board.
"They feel like they'd be shortchanging themselves if they didn't give it a chance," Jaworski said.
If you don't know someone involved in this resurgence of the NU walk-on program, well, you're just not getting out enough. The class of committed walk-ons is up to 23 and may grow by a few more.
The interest has surprised even Jamrog, a former Nebraska walk-on turned starting outside linebacker and assistant coach.
"What we found out is that the percentage we've targeted has been extremely high," he said.
Jamrog is the chief organizer of the walk-on bonanza.
He compiled an impressive list of 28 former Nebraska walk-ons who graduated to the NFL. The collection includes Jimmy Williams, Joel Makovicka, Adam Treu, Jared Tomich and John Parrella, who together played 43 professional seasons.
Not exactly the same recruiting pitch you'll get from the University of Nebraska at Omaha or Northwest Missouri State.
"We really don't want to turn down anyone who comes highly recommended, looks good on film and has been offered some kind of scholarship somewhere else," Jamrog said.
As for the numbers, Jamrog said, the Huskers will "err on the high end this year."
The recruited walk-ons sign a nonbinding agreement with the Huskers.
Only those walk-ons who have been admitted to school at Nebraska and taken other steps toward enrollment will be announced with the NU signing class next week. Jamrog said he expects that to include about half of the walk-on group.
- Marty solid as Stars start big 3 game Western Canada trip. Pretty much the last brutal road portion of the season. With the early season schedule front loaded with road games and still holding on to 1st in the Pacific, the Stars have a chance to really take control of the division down the stretch with a ton of home games.
Focused Turco nets a victory for Dallas Stars
02:56 AM CST on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News mheika@dallasnews.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Stars goalie Marty Turco made a simple decision over the All-Star break, but it's one that will be interesting to gauge in the coming weeks and months.
Turco said he is going to stop worrying so much about his team's play and his leadership role and focus more on goaltending. It's a fine line he said he will try to walk, but one that he believes is significant.
"There's nobody who cares about the team more than I do," Turco said, "but at the end of the day, the thing that I can do to help the team most is stop the puck."
Turco had 29 saves Tuesday and was a huge key to a 4-3 Dallas victory over the Vancouver Canucks.
Turco is a significant leader in the Stars' locker room - arranging the prank to repaint Matt Niskanen's car, organizing parties and serving as an important liaison to the NHL Players Association and to the NHL competition committees. He also took it upon himself to criticize the team publicly when it went through a recent stretch of bad play.
But Turco ruminated over the impact of that criticism and had a discussion with Stars coach Dave Tippett about where that fit in the Stars' locker room.
"Without going too deep, it was just letting him know that I know that what I say in here and what I've said to you guys, especially most recently, I'm smart enough to know that anything that isn't about stopping the puck can take away from your focus a little bit," Turco said.
Tippett said he felt Turco was very focused against the Canucks and basically handed the Stars two points in the standings they might not have otherwise deserved.
"I thought he was our best player," Tippett said. "It's not about how many saves, it's about winning. I could tell when he came in this morning he was really focused on winning."
Turco said he thought long and hard about the past few weeks, and decided he simply needs to concentrate on stopping the puck. He said he doesn't regret the criticism of his teammates and said he might still have a few things to say down the road, but he just wanted to acknowledge the fact that worrying too much about the team game was not helping him be the best goalie he can be.
"We were at a position where I thought it was a necessity for me to say some things," Turco said. "I don't think anyone was happy, and I think it was a case of I felt I needed to say some things. But while I think you would like to think you can do everything, there's a knowledge that you can't do everything, and that things are better served for my game if most of my preparation goes into what I need to do in goal."
On Tuesday, Turco was outstanding early when the Canucks had two first-period power plays. Turco had a series of saves on Taylor Pyatt and stacked the pads when Mattias Ohlud seemingly had an open net.
That allowed Trevor Daley to give Dallas the lead with his second goal of the season, and allowed the Stars to continue to push the game with goals by Mike Modano (his 15th), Stephane Robidas (on the power play) and Steve Ott (short-handed).
The Stars wavered in the third as Vancouver scored on two open one-timers, but Turco closed the door and gave Dallas a win that pushed its record to 29-20-5 (63 points).
Vancouver, which was without goalie Roberto Luongo, falls to 26-20-5 (57 points). Luongo was given a personal day off to be with his pregnant wife in Florida.
Turco said he believes every game is important the rest of the season as the Stars attempt to get in solid playoff position.
"We understand where we sit might not be as true (in the standings) as it appears because of those games in hand, so we understand how important each point is," Turco said of Dallas' perch atop the Pacific Division. "And what's just going to make everybody better is if I'm intense and ready to do my job. That's the most important thing I can do."
- JJ Barea now gets his chance to become a permanent NBA player.
More minutes, responsibility for Dallas Mavericks' J.J. Barea
09:08 PM CST on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News esefko@dallasnews.com
As what often happens after a mental foul-up, J.J. Barea took some needling after he launched what passed for a desperation 3-point heave against Memphis on Monday, when there was still plenty of time to get a legitimate shot.
His coach couldn't help but bring it up in a postgame interview.
"He needs to learn not to shoot half-court shots with seven seconds on the shot clock," Avery Johnson said, barely able to suppress a grin.
That it happened in a blowout victory meant everybody could laugh about it. But it was one of those things that reminds everybody that Barea is a young player who will make mistakes.
"I should have looked up at the clock," he said of his unanswered prayer. "I could have driven. I had lots of time."
He just got confused. It happens.
But doing so against the woeful Grizzlies is one thing.
Starting Thursday, the stakes for Barea and the Dallas Mavericks rise significantly. They play the Eastern Conference's three divisional leaders in a row on the road, starting with Boston, which owns the NBA's best record.
It also will be a homecoming of sorts for Barea, the Puerto Rican who went to college at Northeastern in Boston.
These are intriguing times for the backup point guard, who is generously listed at 6-foot. With Devin Harris on the shelf, Jason Terry is the starter at the point. Barea is the backup, and the Mavericks are eager to give him a chance to keep the job, which is why at this point they don't expect to be players in the Jason Kidd sweepstakes, in spite of rumors sweeping across the NBA.
Unless New Jersey plans on a fire sale of Kidd – unlikely given Nets president Rod Thorn's reputation as one of the league's saltiest personnel bosses – the price for Kidd will be prohibitive.
Plus, the thought of paying Kidd's $21 million salary next season, in addition to another $21 million in luxury tax to the league, is not palatable, even for an aggressive owner like Mark Cuban.
For now, a couple more weeks of Barea getting 15 to 20 minutes per game is the plan.
"He's a confident guy," Dirk Nowitzki said. "He's played internationally for his country for a lot of years, and he knows how to handle big games. He's actually a great finisher in the lane for as little as he is."
And Barea is not afraid to launch his shot, the gaffe in Memphis notwithstanding. He had nine points against the Grizzlies, and he's hit 11 of 27 3-pointer attempts this season (40.7 percent).
He's also been getting hands-on mentoring from Johnson during practice sessions.
"The chances that I got lately have helped me out," Barea said. "I understand Coach a little more. He's helped me out big-time. He knows what I do best, and he helps me out calling the right plays. So I just try to get better, do what he wants me to do and keep it simple.
"When I come in, I just got to keep running the team, not turn the ball over and play good defense."
Utility infielder: Terry has often been called a combo guard, meaning he is neither a point guard, nor a shooting guard, but a hybrid of both.
That's often been construed as a negative, but this season is illustrating his immense value to the Mavericks. He's mostly been a sixth man off the bench who is brought in for his scoring.
But with Harris out until the All-Star break, Terry is starting at point guard and showing his versatility.
"Jason's been in there before Devin was even ready," Johnson said. "I don't know if any of us would be here if Jason hadn't gotten hot in a couple situations."
Terry said he's just happy that the Mavericks have the depth to cope with injuries.
"It will take game experience with different lineups," he said. But for guys who usually get no minutes, getting them some good quality minutes, there's nothing that compares to that. We've got one of the deepest teams in the league, and at times like this, it shows."
- The Mets upgrade an aging, mediocre starting rotation. With Pedro healthy and the #2 behind Santana, and with that lineup, this team could be scary.
Twins agree to send ace Santana to Mets
05:53 PM CST on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 Associated Press
NEW YORK – Johan Santana is a contract extension and physical from going to the New York Mets.
After months of deliberation, the Twins reached a tentative agreement Tuesday to part with the two-time Cy Young Award winner for outfielder Carlos Gomez, and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey, two people familiar with the deal said, speaking on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.
"If it's true, obviously, you're getting arguably the best pitcher in the game," Mets third baseman David Wright said.
The next step is for the Mets to negotiate a contract extension with Santana, who is eligible for free agency after this season. The three-time All-Star is owed $13.25 million this year and likely will seek an extension of five-to-seven years worth at least $20 million annually.
New York and Santana have until 5 p.m. EST Friday to reach an agreement, a baseball official told The Associated Press, also on condition of anonymity. If the Mets and Santana strike a deal, the players would have to pass physicals and the pitcher would have to formally waive his no-trade clause.
The Mets emerged as the top candidate for a trade after the winter meetings, when the New York Yankees withdrew their offer, which included pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, and the Red Sox refused to improve their proposals, which would have sent pitcher Jon Lester or outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to the Twins along with prospects.
Minnesota general manager Bill Smith called teams last weekend and asked them to make their best offers. Smith informed the Mets on Tuesday that he was accepting their proposal, which included their Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 7 prospects, according to Baseball America's ranking. New York did not include its top farmhand, outfielder Fernando Martinez.
A left-hander who turns 29 in March, Santana gives the Mets a replacement for Tom Glavine, who left New York to return to the Atlanta Braves. New York, trying to bounce back from a record-setting September collapse last season, has a projected rotation that also includes Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Orlando Hernandez and Oliver Perez.
Santana is 93-44 with a 3.22 ERA in eight major league seasons, winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2004 and 2006. He has been less successful in the playoffs, going 1-3 with a 3.97 ERA.
"For our younger pitchers to develop under a guy like Pedro, a guy like Johan, you can't ask for any better situation," Wright said. "He's going to go out there and he's going to give you seven or eight innings every five days and he's going to get you a win. That's just what it comes down to. I've gotten a chance to get to know him a little bit the past couple years. He seems like a great clubhouse guy. He's going to fit in perfectly with the chemistry that we have."
With Santana gone, there is a big opening in the Twins' rotation. Francisco Liriano is on track to return after missing last season following elbow surgery, but Carlos Silva signed with Seattle as a free agent, leaving youngsters Scott Baker, Boof Bonser and Kevin Slowey as the starters with the most experience.
Humber, a 25-year-old right-hander, has made one start and four relief appearances for the Mets during the past two years, and went 11-9 with a 4.27 ERA last season for Triple-A New Orleans. The 22-year-old Gomez batted .232 in 125 at-bats with New York last year and .275 with 19 steals in the minors.
Guerra, who turns 19 in April, was 2-6 with a 4.01 ERA at Class A St. Lucie, and Mulvey, who will be 23 in May, was 12-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts at Double-A Binghamton and one at New Orleans.
SEATTLE (AP) -- Put away the paper bags. Those sad sack SuperSonics can show their faces again.
Kevin Durant scored 26 points, including the go-ahead jump shot with 32.6 seconds remaining and Seattle stunned defending NBA champion San Antonio 88-85 on Tuesday night to finally end its team-record losing streak at 14 games.
"Fourteen games? That's a big number. You kind of don't want to show your face when you're losing like that," said Chris Wilcox, who had 16 points including the basket before Durant's thriller.
After Seattle's Luke Ridnour dribbled away the final seconds, he fired the ball high in the air toward a crowd that was roaring for one of the few times in this dreadful, potentially final season in town for the Sonics. Wally Szczerbiak thrust both arms skyward, like Rocky.
"It was like we won the championship," said Durant, the 19-year-old rookie who was trying to win an NCAA one for Texas this time last year. "It was a big-time win for us."
The Sonics (10-35) won for the first time since Dec. 29, over Minnesota, and for just the second time this season against a team with a winning record.
Durant swished an open shot created by a thudding screen from Kurt Thomas, whose consecutive open jumpers had given Seattle an unlikely lead with 90 seconds to go. Ridnour hit a free throw with 12 seconds left before Manu Ginobili, who had 29 points, missed a leaning 3-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining that would have tied it.
So ended the season-high third consecutive loss for the Spurs, who were playing without Tony Parker. Coach Gregg Popovich surprised the star point guard by making him inactive about an hour before the game. Then he announced Parker will be out indefinitely to rest a bone spur in his left heel.
Parker was to fly back to San Antonio late Tuesday and get an MRI on Wednesday or Thursday, the team announced.
Since starting 17-3, San Antonio has gone 11-13 while enduring other injuries to Tim Duncan and Ginobili. The Spurs are now 9-9 without any of their Big Three.
"The worst part is ... I don't see that we're playing with a sense of urgency," said Ginobili, who was playing his second game since taking off the protective device he'd been wearing this month over his sprained left index finger.
Duncan seemed more annoyed than urgent. He scored 27 points but was frustrated for much of the night while missing 11 of 21 shots.
The Spurs are 0-2 on a nine-game trip to both coasts, San Antonio's annual trek while the city's stock show and rodeo take over its home court.
Popovich said this week that his teams have often used the "rodeo trip" to improve focus. The Spurs went 8-1 on it in 2003 before lassoing the NBA title. They went 5-2 on the rodeo trip en route to winning it all in '05.
Then again, the Spurs were only 4-4 on their trek last year -- then went 23-6 after the All-Star break and won another league title.
Now, they will have to get along without Parker, their catalyst who is averaging 19.2 points and 6.1 assists per game this season.
"That's irrelevant. That had nothing to do with it. Teams lose guys and have nicks all the time," Popovich said after another loss.
A visibly agitated Duncan got a frustration foul and went to the bench in the final minute of the third quarter after a turnover that he thought was a slap across his wrist by Thomas. While Duncan sat and stewed, Seattle turned a 64-59 deficit into a 69-66 lead.
Normal NBA hierarchy was soon restored -- the Spurs seized back the lead. But only briefly.
Thomas took advantage of Duncan leaving him alone to make consecutive flat-footed shots from 16 feet and 17 feet and give Seattle an 82-81 lead with 90 seconds left. Duncan just grimaced while arriving late to watch Thomas' second, go-ahead basket.
A free throw by Ginobili tied it before Wilcox gave Seattle the lead again with a turnaround shot in the lane with 55.8 seconds left. Then Ginobili shook off a near steal in the open court by Durant and coldly swished a 24-foot 3-pointer far beyond the top of the key to give San Antonio an 85-84 lead with 43.5 seconds remaining.
Ginobili then fed Fabricio Oberto for a layup attempt, but Oberto rushed and banged that off the glass without hitting the rim with 15 seconds to go. Seattle rebounded and Ridnour made two free throws to put the Sonics ahead 88-85 with 12 seconds remaining.
Ginobili stepped back to try a leaning 3-pointer after pump-faking Earl Watson out of position, but the shot missed off the right side of the rim.
- Jason Kidd update from Chris Sheridan, ESPN.com
Hit Or Miss: Kidd Deal Could Be Last-Second Deadline Shot
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- "Strike two," Jason Kidd said from the interview podium, shooting down attempt No. 2 to get him to answer a question about his future.
A small grin crept across Kidd's face as he congratulated himself for his humorous ingenuity before he scanned the room as though he owned it and practically dared another reporter to allow him to end the interview session with a "Yer Out."
A New Jersey Nets official had begun Kidd's postgame news conference by declaring that Kidd would only field questions regarding the game, a 87-80 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks that snapped New Jersey's nine-game losing streak.
And when Kidd's inquisition ended peacefully (he had made his point with "strike two"), he stood up and walked away a winner for the first time since Jan. 9 when New Jersey beat Seattle -- back when Kidd's desire to break free of the Nets was merely simmering instead of being on full tilt, a rolling boil, as it is now.
A sense of relief permeated the Meadowlands after the game, an unmistakable collective exhale as strong as the air of impending finality that wafted through the corridors of the building in the two hours leading up to tip-off.
Nets coach Lawrence Frank had seemed unusually candid beforehand, speaking with the tone of someone in on the secret, as he spoke of Kidd's professionalism in giving his all to the Nets until there's a resolution to his trade request.
"He's a Net until he or anyone else is wearing another uniform. So until he's wearing that uniform, we all have to put in a lot of hard work," Frank said, adding that Kidd's status was not going to be "awkward" in the locker room because the core of the team has been through similar situations before.
Frank went on to compare the current crisis -- amped up Monday when Kidd told ESPN's Ric Bucher he indeed wants out of New Jersey -- to the situation last season when Kidd was nearly traded to the Lakers, as well as the situation five years ago when the Nets had just been sold to Bruce Ratner and had lost Kerry Kittles and Kenyon Martin through free agency after the team had made consecutive trips to the NBA Finals.
"We were in USA Today after media day, and the story was all about Alonzo [Mourning] and Jason didn't want to be here," Frank said. "We've been through waters similar to this."
This time, however, the aura surrounding the Nets is different. The roster remains fundamentally flawed from the duplication Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter bring to the roster, and the nine-game losing streak has left New Jersey with a goal for this season that really boils down to striving to secure the seventh or eighth playoff seed in the East, which brings with it a daunting postseason matchup against the clearly superior Celtics or Pistons.
Kidd wants to be with a legitimate contender, preferably immediately, especially given the Nets' reluctance to extend his contract past its current expiration date in June, 2009.
But what's good for Kidd is not necessarily what's good for the Nets.
If, at the end of the day, the best the Nets could do was to get Mike Bibby for him, would they do it? (The guess here is that the Maloofs of Sacramento would go for that).
Kidd would prefer a trade to one of four teams -- the Lakers, Mavericks, Nuggets or Cavaliers -- with legitimate championship aspirations, but Kidd also is well aware that none of those teams has the goods or is willing to give up the goods to make a straight-up swap possible.
Kidd, too, knows Nets president Rod Thorn well enough to understand that Thorn is 95 percent likely to take things right down to the 11th hour at the trade deadline to make the right deal, which means Kidd is facing three more weeks of limbo in New Jersey before there's either a resolution or not. Hence the "no questions about my future" rule, which we should expect to remain in effect right up until 3 p.m. on Feb. 22.
A source with intimate knowledge of the Kidd-Nets dynamic insisted all trade talks were still in the "exploratory" stage.
Another source, this one close to Nets owner Bruce Ratner, described him as increasingly frustrated and disappointed with the state of the franchise, whose move to Brooklyn has now been put off until 2010-11 while Ratner continues to wait for the first shovel to go into the ground at the team's future home.
Once upon a time, the Nets expected to make that move to Brooklyn with Kidd as the centerpiece of the roster, though aging.
Now, they seem resigned to a future without him -- even though that future might not begin until Feb. 22, or even later (think draft night) if Thorn can't find a deal that brings in something approaching 90 cents on the dollar.
Still, from the sound of the Nets' voices Tuesday night, you couldn't help but walk away with the sense that the franchise is three weeks away from doing something of significance with Kidd.
As Marcus Williams put it: "I don't focus on him leaving, because he's still here, and I've enjoyed every moment playing with him, and I'll continue to do so as long as he's here. If he stays, it'll be great for us. If he leaves, we have to progress from there."
- Kige has been AWOL.
- All your Super Bowl information needs are covered.
