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NEW ORLEANS -- Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson didn't name names Monday, but he made it clear that Dirk Nowitzki should have had backup after New Orleans Hornets forward David West tapped him on the cheek during a staredown late in Game 1.

Both players were assessed technical fouls.

"More than anything we need players to not back down from anybody, that's what the playoffs are all about," Johnson said. "More than Dirk doing something about it, I would have liked for somebody else on the team, preferably in the center position, to do something about it.

"Was that clear enough?"

Since Johnson probably wasn't referring to Jamaal Magloire, it seems reasonable to assume Erick Dampier is the center Johnson called out. One problem with that -- Dampier was on the bench at the time. Had he done something about it, a forthcoming suspension for leaving the bench area would have kept him out of Game 2.

That leaves third-year power forward Brandon Bass, who sometimes plays center. Bass and West were teammates the past two seasons with the Hornets.

Three players drew technical fouls in Game 1. Hornets center Tyson Chandler got the first at the 5:36 mark of the third for shoving Nowitzki. Although the Mavs and Hornets do not have a contentious history, the finality of the playoffs always exudes physical and intense action.

"It's never going to be personal out there," Chandler said. "It's just guys playing hard, and it's going to be physical on both ends."

'D' up Paul

Avery Johnson said the Mavs must put more pressure on Chris Paul in Game 2, attacking him with traps to force the ball out of his hands.

"There were times that we had opportunities to attack, and for some reason we didn't," Johnson said of Game 1.

In some situations with smaller point guards such as Steve Nash, Johnson has employed bigger defenders such as Josh Howard, Devean George and Eddie Jones.

"Using bigger defenders is a good tool in some situations, but then sometimes it's good to go small because of the quickness factor," Johnson said. "The key for us is steadily trying to give him different looks; have Kidd on him, if it's Josh or Eddie, then try Jet [Jason Terry] on him some because we're trying to play certain other types of defense."

Kidd on the line?

Is Jason Kidd still straddling the line between knowing when to penetrate or take the open 3-pointer and when to get others involved?

Avery Johnson doesn't think so.

"I think that balance is over now," Johnson said. "We want him to play like he played in that last home game against New Orleans."

In that game, Kidd took more 3-pointers [eight] and made five, the same number of shots he took in Game 1, when he finished 3-for-5 -- 2-for-2 on 3s -- with eight points.

"We're not saying every shot is going to go in, but just with that aggressive take-it-to-you attitude every possession down the court that he has an opportunity," Johnson said. "So hopefully trying to strike that balance is over."

No practice

The Mavs did not practice Monday. They flew back to New Orleans in the afternoon, and Avery Johnson met with reporters later in the day.
Jeff Caplan, 817-390-7760
jcaplan@star-telegram.com