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Avery Johnson was dismissed as coach of the Dallas Mavericks the day after a disappointing season ended with a first-round playoff exit in New Orleans. Incredible highs and heartbreaking lows marked the tenure of Johnson, who leaves as the most successful coach in franchise history by many measures.



Johnson became the eighth coach in team history on March 19, 2005 and posted a record of 194-70 (.735) during the regular season. He led the Mavs to the playoffs four consecutive years, including a trip to the 2006 NBA Finals. His postseason record of 23-24 (.489) included 12 losses in the last 16 games.



“You’ve got to take the good with the bad,” Johnson said Tuesday night after the 99-94 loss to the Hornets that ended the series. “That is called life. There are a lot of highs and lows in coaching, but the highs outweigh the lows. The rewards outweigh anything.



“I’ve been through much worse. There are a lot of people in bad shape and I am not one of them.”



The search for the ninth coach in club history begins immediately. The next coach takes over a team that could be significantly different from the squad that suffered through an inconsistent 51-31 regular season that earned the seventh seed in the Western Conference.



The 15-man roster features eight potential free agents. Dirk Nowitzki remains the focal point, but the cast of characters surrounding the 2006-07 MVP is expected to undergo major change. Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Erick Dampier, Jerry Stackhouse and Brandon Bass are under contract, though Kidd can option out. Johnson’s staff – Paul Westphal, Joe Prunty and Mario Elie – currently remains under contract through next season.



In his first full season as head coach (2005-06), Johnson guided the Mavericks to 60 wins and their first appearance in the NBA Finals. He became the fastest coach to reach 50 wins (62 games), coached the Western Conference All-Star team and was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.



Johnson led Dallas to a franchise-record 67 wins, the NBA’s best record, the following season. The mark was also the sixth best in league history. Following a 10-0 month of February, Johnson garnered Western Conference Coach of the Month honors, an award he won three times in his career.



This past season, Johnson became the fastest coach in NBA history to reach 150 wins with a victory over Memphis on November 17, 2007. He accomplished that feat in just 191 games.



“It is never easy to relieve a coach of his duties, especially one of Avery’s caliber,” owner Mark Cuban said. “He is a talented coach and I want to thank him for his efforts over the last four years and what he has done for this franchise. We wish him well in the future.”



The Mavs were the first head-coaching opportunity for Johnson, who played 16 years in the NBA before retiring before the 2004-05 season. He joined the staff of former coach Don Nelson and took the coaching reins 64 games into his first season on the bench.



“I would like to thank Avery for his valuable contributions to the Mavericks organization,” president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said. “Over the past four years, he has been an integral part of our team’s success. We wish AJ nothing but the very best in his future endeavors.”

- Remember that window, that window of opportunity the Dallas Mavericks geared their championship hopes around?

Closed.

Slammed shut by Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets, who won Game 5 Tuesday, 99-94.

Pending further developments -- and we expect there to be many -- the Mavericks will have to use the dog's door. Which only seems appropriate.

Two short years after they were two victories from the NBA championship, the Mavericks were overwhelmingly exposed as disorganized, inconsistent, air ball-firing pretenders in this opening-round playoff series.

Their descent from the NBA penthouse to that other house is complete. They're not an elite team anymore, and please correct any fool that tries to argue otherwise.

The Mavericks stumbled into the playoffs this season and here, against a fresh new team and in a rejuvenated city where triumphs like this truly mean something, the Mavs were deservingly chased out.

They barely had time to... ahem... practice.

This time, they couldn't blame their sudden exit on Don Nelson and the luck of the NBA postseason draw. This time, they couldn't blame it on Dwyane Wade parading to the free-throw line.

No, this time, the defeat came with no footnotes attached.

"They're a good team," Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said of the Hornets. "They're a better team. They took it to us. They came on our home floor and won Game 4.

"We just didn't have enough of our men playing well at the same time."

Johnson's brief epitaph was correct. But the reasons behind it are likely to brew storm clouds in the days and weeks ahead.

"We haven't been able in the latter part of the season to keep up with the better teams," Johnson assessed.

"And we paid the price for it."

Lots of teams stumble. They right themselves, the coach blows a whistle, and they carry on.

But Johnson's team has plunged so far, so quickly, and seemingly shattered into so many pieces, the prospects of starting fresh simply by convening a training camp seem plainly naïve.

Window of opportunity? Against the Hornets, the Mavericks couldn't even find the doorbell.

Fingerprints were everywhere. But when it comes time to assign the blame for one of the franchise's most bitter seasons, Johnson will be given plenty and Josh Howard has stepped forward and accepted the title of team fool.

Tell me, what sort of player ignores his coach's instructions and schedules a birthday party in the middle of the playoffs, as Howard did Sunday?

No wonder Avery was livid and canceled Monday's practice.

Howard's common sense and shooting percentage both ended the season at new lows. His radio comments about illegal drug use were ill-advised, at best -- and career-altering, perhaps, at worst.

But the birthday party thing was just selfish.

When he was asked after Tuesday's game about the melodrama that dogged the Mavericks in this series, Dirk Nowitzki admitted that it became a distraction.

"Yeah," Nowitzki said, "obviously it was very disappointing what happened here in the playoffs with everything. It was bad timing.

"In the playoffs, it's time to just really concentrate about basketball and focus on it, and not let any distractions come up."

Howard was not disciplined by Johnson. But after hitting his first four shots, Howard reverted into previous scattershot form, missing eight of his next 10.

Down the stretch, he was where he deserved to be -- on the bench. Johnson went with Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Brandon Bass and Devean George (Jerry Stackhouse had been ejected), and the Mavs -- running on all heart, just when we wondered if they had any -- managed to fight enough to keep the ending close.

"Our men that we had in there in that fourth quarter, they poured it out for us," Johnson said. "They laid it on the line."

Five players, maybe six. A coach whose message wavered in and out throughout the second half of the season.

Johnson didn't sound as if he had coached his last game with the Mavericks, but as the guys down the street at Harrah's Casino might say, the odds aren't with him.

"I'm sure there are going to be some changes," Nowitzki said. "Right now you're disappointed, and you don't want to say stuff when you're emotional and disappointed.

"So we'll just let this one sit for awhile. I'm sure we've got to look at it again over the summer, but it's not the time right now."

Owner Mark Cuban, however, might not be so patient.

Cuban agreed to roll the dice in February and OK the mega-trade for Kidd, and then saw his once-NBA Finals team dissolve into disarray.

"We went for it," Nowitzki said. "I mean, honestly, things didn't look great before the trade."

With the franchise's wrists tied by existing contracts, notably Kidd's, Cuban's most impactful move almost seems obvious.

Teams don't fall from the NBA penthouse to that other house. Windows of opportunity don't slam so emphatically shut.

Not without the head coach being fired -- a move that, in light of these past three months, makes abundant sense.
Gil LeBreton, 817-390-7760
glebreton@star-telegram.com

Associated Press

April 24, 2008 at 7:53 AM EDT

DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki has it all figured out.

To snap out of their funk, and start climbing out of an 0-2 hole against the New Orleans Hornets, all the Dallas Mavericks have to do is get on the court Friday night in front of their home fans.

OK, he acknowledged, they also need to "play in attack mode," which means getting more physical on both ends of the court.

And it would be great if they could play better defence and hit a few more open shots.

Turning to specifics, he mentioned needing to contain Chris Paul, needing to find ways to turn Jason Kidd into the playmaker he's supposed to be and needing a reliable second option on offense.

But despite all those pesky, basketball-related issues, Nowitzki repeatedly returned Wednesday to the notion that being back in Dallas — where the Hornets haven't won since January 1998 — will cure all that ails the Mavs.

"We've got to believe that," he said. "I think if we win on Friday, then everything will already look a lot better. Right now, it doesn't look that good. But if we do all the things we did at home all year long — that's play together, push the ball, make some shots and actually get some stops — we should be all right."

Dallas led by the opener by 12 at halftime, but it's been all New Orleans since.

The Hornets wound up taking Game 1 by 12, then doubled the margin in Game 2. The real eye-popping numbers have been put up by Paul, who went from 35 points and 10 assists in the first playoff game of his career to 32 points and 17 assists.

"The last six quarters on both ends of the court have probably been the best six quarters we've had all season long," Hornets coach Byron Scott said.

Nowitzki is right about how much of a different one win could make. Being down 2-1, but coming off a win, is a world apart from being down 3-0 and hearing talk build about blowing up the team, firing the coach and all other doomsday scenarios.

The Mavs are at that kind of a crossroads.

Since being up 2-0 to the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA finals, Dallas has lost 10 of its last 12 playoff games. The skid includes losing 4-2 to Golden State in the first round last year, wasting a 67-win regular season, and going down 2-0 in the first round this year.

"The guys are not happy with the way they've played," coach Avery Johnson said. "They came in this morning and I saw some angry looks, but I hope we take that disappointment and controlled anger into practice tomorrow and iron out a couple of things and then take it out on our opponents."

The anger seemed to subside by the time guys reached reporters.

Perpetually upbeat Jason Terry came out smiling "because we are back home where we are loved, away from all of that voodoo down there in New Orleans." Then he echoed Nowitzki's themes about the comfort of being cheered by their fans and about a Game 3 win changing everything.

Kidd talked about "taking a page from them in understanding to keep attacking." The logic is fine, but it's strange that a team filled with finals-tested veterans would have to learn about playoff poise from a group of postseason novices.

"You can always play with passion and have fun with it," Kidd said. "We just need to relax, we're at home, and use that to our advantage."

The last time the Hornets played in Dallas was the season finale. They were pulling away in the second half until Kidd and Terry fueled a 32-8 surge.

Although New Orleans was locked into the No. 2 seed, the Hornets went all out to beat the Mavs to keep open the chance of drawing Denver in the first round. Dallas went all out to win and avoid a first-round matchup with the Lakers. Nowitzki even said so after that game.

Oops.

New Orleans players had some fun using those quotes as bulletin-board material coming into the series. Now they can have even more fun by winning Friday and Sunday, then returning home to get ready for the second round.

Paul insists the Hornets aren't thinking about a sweep. They just want to keep doing all those things on Nowitzki's list of frustrations.

"The best part about it is we won two games, but at the same time it means absolutely nothing," Paul said. "It's the first team to four."

Center Tyson Chandler, who has dominated Dallas' big men, also sounded like a grizzled playoff vet, talking about "picking our spots, allowing the game to come to us individually."

"The thing I like is everybody's aggressive offensively and defensively," he said. "I think we've gotten in a flow. Everybody's in rhythm."

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

Dirk Nowitzki has made a career of defying basketball norms. No 7-footer has ever been in the conversation as the best long-range shooter in the game. Germany is not exactly a hotbed of basketball talent. Deferential players seldom make great leaders.

When the Mavericks traded for Jason Kidd, Nowitzki went to Avery Johnson before Kidd's first home game and suggested a change in the way the starting lineup was announced. Kidd was returning to Dallas after being traded in 1996 and Nowitzki thought it would be great for Kidd to be the last player introduced.

As often happens with Nowitzki, however, that gesture was misread. Kidd came to Dallas with a reputation as one of the great leaders of his basketball generation. And here was Nowitzki, some thought, already turning over the keys to the franchise, symbolically saying: "It's your team."

Perhaps Nowitzki's greatest achievement as a player, however, is that some perceived weaknesses are actually strengths.

The fact that he went out of his way to welcome Kidd was not because he was abdicating his role as the team leader, it was precisely because of it.

"He could have made it a lot harder," Kidd said. "There's no doubt. But he's low maintenance. Not knowing who he really is on the other side, you don't know what superstars are like. And then to come over here and see how low maintenance he is, how easy going is just amazing. He just wants to play and win."

That was evident -- again -- on April 2 against Golden State when the starting lineup was announced and Kidd was the first player to come out. Nowitzki had been out for 11 days with a high ankle sprain and mild knee sprain and the normal recuperative period is at least three weeks.

But there he was, in his rightful place as the last player introduced. He played 27 minutes, scored 18 points and led the Mavericks to their first victory over a playoff-caliber team since the Kidd trade. After missing four games and watching the Mavericks struggle, Nowitzki made a resounding statement:

This is my team.

And Kidd agreed. It was Kidd, in fact, who suggested changing the order of introduction. He wanted Nowitzki to be introduced last.

"It's Dirk's team, and it's Avery's team," Kidd said. "I'm just a piece of the puzzle. For that, you try and feel your way through. And then when things present themselves, maybe you can speak up. Everybody has a lot of respect for each other's game and experience."

Nowitzki's return from the ankle sprain was an example of his unique brand of leadership -- and all his teammates noticed, especially his new ones.

"It showed his toughness and showed how much he wanted to be out there to compete," Kidd said. "Eighty percent, 70 percent, whatever it may be, he wanted to play. It showed why he is the MVP and why he is who he is."

Backup guard Tyronn Lue, who signed with Dallas on March 4, noted that Pau Gasol of the Lakers had an injury that was similar to Nowitzki's and missed nine games.

"Just coming back from the injury in 10 days said a lot," Lue said. "We thought he would be out for the rest of the season. That's the same injury Pau Gasol had and he was out for three weeks. Dirk came back in 10 days. Guys looked up to him for doing that. We looked up to him already, but just coming back and helping the team to get in the playoffs, that was a big step for us."

When the Mavericks meet the Hornets tonight in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, Nowitzki's toughness and leadership will be tested again. A loss would not ensure another first-round exit for the Mavericks, but it would make the odds much more significant. Only 13 teams in NBA history have come back from a 2-0 deficit in a seven-game series to win the series.

Nowitzki is still motivated by the sting of the loss to Golden State last year. After averaging 24.5 points and shooting 50.2 percent from the field during an MVP regular season, Nowitzki averaged 19.7 and shot 38.2 percent against the Warriors.

He did his part in Game 1 against the Hornets, scoring 31 points with 10 rebounds. He shot less than 50 percent from the field, going 9-of-21. But he wasn't the problem for Dallas.

Kidd had 11 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but shot only five times. He has to be more aggressive offensively.

Josh Howard had 17 points, but was only 4-of-16 from the field. He has to be more efficient.

Jason Terry, Brandon Bass and Devean George were a combined 7-of-22 from the field. The bench has to play better.

Ultimately, however, if the Mavericks are to win, the major role will be played by Nowitzki, the team leader.

"Dirk has never been one to back away from a challenge," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. "He's intense when it comes to competition. And he's happy having Jason here. When we got Jason, instead of a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, he saw a shiny light. And that kind of opened him up. It certainly took Dirk to another level."

ONLINE: mavs.com

WHAT THE MAVS NEED TO DO FOR GAME 2

Help out Dirk. He's the Mavs' leader, their best scorer and best rebounder. Now they need to follow his example by forgetting the excuses, getting to the free-throw line, staying mentally tough and delivering.

Cut off the lane. The Mavs can't allow Chris Paul to get into the paint and create. They need to turn him into a jump shooter and scorer, and prevent him from getting his teammates in the flow. Of course, that's easier said than done.

Get out and run. The Mavs get into big trouble when they fall into their half-court sets and start standing around. They can avoid that by defending, running off Hornets misses and attacking the basket in transition.

7 MAVERICKS AT 2 HORNETS

Hornets lead series 1-0

Game 2: 6 tonight, New Orleans Arena

TV: KTXA/Ch. 21, TNT

Radio: ESPN/103.3 FM, KDXX/107.1 FM (Spanish)

Mavs adjustments

Defensive stops: The Hornets outscored the Mavs 22-2 in the paint in the second half of Game 1. Chris Paul continually broke down the defense with dribble drives.

Box out Chandler: The Mavs did a good job of rebounding in Game 1 despite Erick Dampier grabbing only four. The big problem is 7-foot-1 center Tyson Chandler. He had seven of New Orleans' 15 offensive rebounds and several crowd-charging dunks as a result.

Shoot better: The Mavs can't make nine field goals in a half and expect to compete. The Mavs shot 33.3 percent overall -- they ranked ninth in the regular season at 46.4 percent -- and made only 7-of-22 from behind the arc.

-- Jeff Caplan
Jan Hubbard, 817-390-7760
jhubbard@star-telegram.com

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 10 (AP) -- The NBA's Rookie of the Year sure showed up the league's Most Valuable Player.

Brandon Roy scored a career-high 32 points and added seven assists and the Portland Trail Blazers ended a 13-game losing streak to the Dallas Mavericks with a 91-82 victory Saturday night.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers (3-3), who extended their modest winning streak to three games after dropping the first three of the season.

Josh Howard had 20 points for Dallas (4-2), which had won its last three.

Dallas had won the previous 13 games against the Trail Blazers, a streak dating to the 2003-04 season, including a six-game winning streak at the Rose Garden.

"This is a huge win for us. We said it was a statement game for us,'' said Roy, last season's Rookie of the Year. "We didn't care how Dallas was going to come in here and play, we just wanted to play with a big effort. They beat us 13 times and we didn't want it to be 14.''

The streak was a franchise record for the Mavericks over a single opponent. It was the Trail Blazers' fourth-worst losing streak against an opponent - they lost 17 straight to the Los Angeles Lakers in their early expansion years.

The Blazers held Dirk Nowitzki to 11 points, although last season's MVP had nine rebounds. He looked tired and hit just four of 13 field goals.

Nowitzki came into the game averaging 21.6 points.

The Blazers led by as many as 18 points, paced by Roy, and shot 50 percent from the floor. The Mavericks shot 35.4 percent.

"We missed a lot of shots,'' Howard said. "I don't think we could buy a basket tonight.''

The Blazers led by as many as eight points in the first half, and while the Mavericks kept it close, they were never able to pull out in front.

The Blazers went up 30-22 on Joel Przybilla's dunk, but the Mavericks pulled within 32-30 on Brandon Bass' jumper. That was as close as Dallas would come the rest of the way.

The Blazers, who led 49-42 at the break, extended the lead to 53-42 on Roy's jumper from the corner.

Roy' 3-pointer put Portland ahead 59-44. Another 3-pointer put the Blazers up 88-70 in the final quarter.

"I think Brandon had one of his better games from wire-to-wire. I didn't think he forced it,'' Blazers coach Nate McMillan said. "Tonight he got it going early and just continued to the end. He was just more consistent, sometimes he's had cold halves and then takes over late. Tonight I thought he developed a flow to his game throughout.''

As time wound down, the fans at the Rose Garden awarded the Blazers with a standing ovation. Roy, last season's Rookie of the Year, raised his fists to the sky.

Travis Outlaw had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Mavericks were without guard Devin Harris, who was not with the team to attend to personal matters. Dallas started Jose Barea in his place.

The Mavericks were coming off a 120-115 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.

"We just didn't have it tonight,'' Dallas coach Avery Johnson said. "The other team was better. We can't just show up and expect to win. We need our hard hats on and our thinking caps on every night and we just didn't have it tonight.''

The Blazers were coming off a 110-98 victory over Memphis on Friday night.

Notes: Dallas G Jason Terry is the cousin of Blazers forward Martell Webster. ... Before the game, Portland G Brandon Roy formally received his Rookie of the Year trophy from last season. ... The Blazers won 13 games straight against the Mavericks from 1991-94. ... Roy's previous career best was 29 points.
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OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 8 (AP) -- Baron Davis lined up a straightaway 3-point shot to tie it in the waning seconds, and the Golden State crowd rose while the Mavericks' hearts sank.

From Dirk Nowitzki to the peanut vendors, everybody assumed the man who became a Bay Area folk hero with his dynamic playoff performances against Dallas last spring would hit another magical shot to hurt the Mavs.

"We gave Baron a look like that, and it looked like he was going to get it,'' Nowitzki admitted.

But Baron blew it, and the Dallas Mavericks fled Oracle Arena with a 120-115 victory over the winless Golden State Warriors on Thursday night -- and a bit of hollow revenge from their historic playoff defeat in the same arena they finally silenced.

Nowitzki scored eight of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, while Jason Terry and Josh Howard both had 24 points as the Mavericks snapped a five-game regular season losing streak against an opponent that always brings out the worst in one of the NBA's best franchises.

Until Davis' 3-point attempt clanged off the front of the rim with 4 seconds to play, the Mavericks were all but expecting a calamity. They lost three games in Oakland last spring in front of frenzied crowds as Davis led the eighth-seeded Warriors to the NBA's first upset of a top-seeded opponent in a seven-game series.

"We're always going to look at how that season ended,'' Nowitzki said. "That won't leave us, but this is a young team, and our team may still have its time.''

With a whole lot less at stake Thursday night, the Mavericks needed strong efforts from every veteran to hang on against an 0-5 Golden State team with 10 players in uniform. No matter the circumstances, the Mavs finally moved their biggest mental block a few inches.

"If we lose, maybe it's a big deal,'' said Jerry Stackhouse, who hit a key 3-pointer with 37 seconds left. "If we win, I don't know if it's that much of a big deal. With what's gone on over the past year and a half between these teams, any time we meet it's going to be a big game.''

Davis was outstanding again, scoring 15 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter and carrying his team's six-man rotation into the final minutes. Kelenna Azubuike had 27 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Warriors, who had a short bench because of injuries and the suspension of Stephen Jackson, their defensive leader against Nowitzki last spring.

"I think it was a big step for us,'' said Howard, who fouled out with 5:50 to play. "We took on a great team and beat them on their home court. That's something we can use later on.''

After Golden State pulled within one point in the final minute, Stackhouse hit a 3-pointer from the sideline to put the Mavs up 117-113. Davis cut the lead to two points, but Brandon Bass -- who wasn't around for last season's defeat -- grabbed an offensive rebound amid four Warriors with 8 seconds left.

Stackhouse made just one free throw, giving Golden State a final shot to tie it. But Davis' 3-pointer was short, and Devin Harris hit two free throws to finish with 21 points.

While the Mavs spoke of the win's cathartic aspects, the Warriors have bigger problems -- their 0-5 start and another night of dismal free throw shooting (16-for-30).

"It's tough, because we're not putting ourselves in position to win the game when we're not making free throws,'' said Davis, who went 6-for-9. "I'm one of the culprits. We played well enough to win. We just didn't make our free throws.''

The Warriors lost their first four games this season while struggling to replace Jason Richardson and Jackson, who was suspended for pleading guilty to a felony charge of criminal recklessness. Golden State also played Thursday night without forward Mickael Pietrus, who stayed home with the flu, and injured veteran reserves Troy Hudson and Austin Croshere.

"I wouldn't count us out,'' Davis said. "This team is capable of winning 10 games in a row. We have to lock in, get Jack back and we're going to be good.''

Notes: Moments after Davis made an electrifying putback dunk in the second quarter, Harris and Matt Barnes both got technical fouls for a confrontation under the basket. ... Warriors rookie Stephane Lasme made his NBA debut, playing the final 3.8 seconds of the first half. Lasme was a second-round draft pick from Massachusetts. ... Guitarist Carlos Santana, a Bay Area resident, watched the game in a courtside seat.

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?&brand=null&videoId=3096547&n8pe6c=2

DALLAS, Nov. 5 (AP) -- After being a starter most of his first eight seasons in the NBA, Jason Terry is coming off the bench this year.

And he's thrilled.

Returning to a role he excelled at in college, Terry showed how much of a spark he can provide with his performance Monday night, scoring 31 points and guiding the Dallas Mavericks on a late 14-4 run that carried them past the Houston Rockets 107-98.

"He just had that look in his eye and his shot really looked good,'' coach Avery Johnson said. "We are very surprised when he misses; we're kind of spoiled these days.''

A starter for Dallas in the finals two years ago and on the club that won 67 games last season, Terry showed his leadership late in the third quarter, scoring seven straight points with Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard on the bench in foul trouble. Then he opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer, a personal 10-0 run that took the Mavericks from down by five to leading by five.

"Not that I can flip a switch, but without those guys out there, I've got to look for my shot,'' Terry said.

Dallas was up only 91-90 when Terry started the winning burst with two free throws. He also fed Nowitzki on two baskets and hit two more free throws to cap the spurt with the Mavericks in control 105-94.

Nowitzki had 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting, including a 3-pointer that bounced in off the front rim for a big emotional boost during the gamebreaking run. He also had nine rebounds. Howard had 21 points and DeSagana Diop added 10 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. Jerry Stackhouse scored 16 points on his 33rd birthday, including five in the final rally.

The Rockets came in riding a 3-0 start and a nice roll by Tracy McGrady, who earlier Monday was named the Western Conference's first player of the week for this season. While he had 35 points and eight assists, and Yao Ming had 21 points and 11 rebounds, it wasn't enough to prevent Houston from its first loss under new coach Rick Adelman.

"We've got to be smart,'' McGrady said. "They did some different things and we weren't able to adjust. ... It's a learning process. We've only been together for about a month.''

Adelman hopes to put the lessons learned to good use right away. The Spurs play in Houston on Tuesday night.

"It's tough but that's our challenge,'' he said. "We have to learn how to beat a good team and get more people involved.''

The Rockets shot 42 percent, and that was boosted by hitting 50 percent in the opening quarter. They also were hurt by nobody other than McGrady and Yao cracking double digits.

McGrady, who came in as the league's leading scorer, was 12-of-31. He had 28 points through three quarters, but managed only seven more with the game to be won.

The Mavericks are 3-1, which is notable only because they were 0-4 at this point last season, with a 41-point loss to Houston mixed in. Dallas went on to match the fifth-most wins in league history before getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs.

Johnson has tweaked things this year, making Devin Harris his starting point guard and Terry his first sub. Johnson has shown his commitment to the plan by keeping Terry as his top reserve even though Harris has missed the last two games with a bruised left thigh. J.J. Barea started both games; after a terrific performance last time, he struggled this time, with Terry starting the second half.

Terry started 558 of the first 654 games of his career, including 80 each of the last two seasons, but he embraced Johnson's plan, reminding everyone he won a national championship as a sub at Arizona. He's also set a goal of winning the Sixth Man award. He's off to a good start, having averaged 20 points over the games before this one.

"I'm very comfortable in this role,'' Terry said. "I'm going to go out there and give us what we need, a good punch off the bench every night.''

Notes: Dallas C Erick Dampier is expected to take part in his first full practice Tuesday since offseason shoulder surgery. When will he make his season debut? "His body will tell us,'' Johnson said. "The main thing is, I don't want to rush him.'' ... Dallas G Devean George (stress reaction in foot) is farther from returning, prompting Johnson to say, "Our inactive list is pretty deep right now.'' ... Adelman on McGrady being player of the week: "He's definitely deserving. We're 3-0 and he's one of the main reasons.'' ... Barea came in as the league's top 3-point shooter: 4-for-4. He also was No. 2 in field goal percentage. "That'd be nice at the end of the year,'' he said.

DALLAS, Nov. 3 (AP) -- Point guard J.J. Barea made the most of his first NBA start, hitting 9 of 11 shots for a career-high 25 points, and leading the Dallas Mavericks past the Sacramento Kings 123-102 in their home opener Saturday night.

The Mavericks had 101 points by the end of the third quarter and threatened the franchise's record for shooting accuracy. They finished 45-of-69 for 65.2 percent, just shy of their best-ever mark of 67.7 set in 1983.

Josh Howard, who missed the first two games because of a suspension, led Dallas with 27 points. Dirk Nowitzki matched Barea's 9-for-11 performance and had 24 points.

Barea, who is listed as 6 feet but admits to being a few inches less, started because Devin Harris bruised his left thigh the previous night. He made his first four shots and had already topped his career high in points with 17 at the half.

The second-year guard was slowed by leg cramps early in the third quarter and received a standing ovation when he went to the bench early in the fourth quarter, following a nifty scooping layup. Another highlight came on a fast break in the second quarter, when he tipped a pass to himself, collected it and scored around Brad Miller, drawing a foul against the former All-Star. Miller landed on his back, then stood with hands on hips as he watched a replay on the overhead monitor.

Kevin Martin led Sacramento with 28 points. John Salmons had 27 and Francisco Garcia 23, but the Kings plopped to 0-3 with their most lopsided loss yet - and that's saying something considering how awful their first two games went.

With Mike Bibby injured and Ron Artest suspended, Sacramento has led once all season: 2-0 in the opener. New coach Reggie Theus' club hasn't even been tied since the opener was 4-4.

The only solace in this game was that the first half was less embarrassing than the franchise-worst outing the night before in San Antonio.

Sacramento scored 25 points in the first quarter, topping the 23 it had the first two quarters against the Spurs. The Kings started this game 11-of-16, a quantum leap from the 7-of-36 start down south.

Still, Sacramento was barely competitive. Dallas led by at least 13 the entire second half.

Before their first home game since an embarrassing first-round playoff exit last year, Jerry Stackhouse addressed the fans from midcourt. He said this was the third straight year he's made a season-opening speech, so he asked Nowitzki if he wanted to say anything.

"He said, 'Stack, go do your thing. I'll talk at the championship ceremony,''' Stackhouse said, drawing a loud ovation and a big smile from Nowitzki.

Notes: Howard's suspension was for smacking Miller in the head in a preseason game. They got along just fine this time. ... Sacramento had more turnovers (10) than rebounds (8) at halftime. ... Dallas scored 73 first-half points, topping last season's best of 66. The franchise record is 85. ... Harris said he hopes to return for Dallas on Monday night at home against Houston. ... Howard is wearing a brace on his left wrist. He can't wait to get it off - so he can go back to wearing two white wristbands. ... With 5:22 left in the first quarter, Barea had outscored Sacramento 10-8.

Atlanta 101, Dallas 94
The Atlanta Hawks' last playoff season began with their last season-opening win.

It's no wonder Joe Johnson and the Hawks placed so much emphasis on their 101-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

Atlanta opened with a win for the first time since the 1998-99 season, and the Hawks believe a strong start is needed to end their eight-year playoff drought, the longest active streak in the NBA.

Johnson scored 28 points to offset a 28-point effort by Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, and the Hawks outscored the Mavericks 11-4 in the final 3 minutes to take the win.

Dallas recovered from an early 16-point deficit to lead 69-68 entering the final quarter. Normally for the Hawks in recent years, that has been a signal to collapse.

This time, the Hawks outscored the Mavericks 33-25 in the final period.

Hawks coach Mike Woodson said the fourth-quarter performance, following a 7-1 preseason, is a sign of maturity.

"Our team is growing up,'' Woodson said. "That's the difference. These guys are three- and four-year guys. They're starting to figure out what the league is all about.''

Johnson is beginning his seventh season, but the other leaders include such recent first-round picks as Josh Smith, who had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Marvin Williams, who added 16 points.

Rookies Al Horford (nine points and 10 rebounds) and Acie Law (eight points in 14 minutes) also showed promise. Horford had three dunks and six rebounds in the opening period.

"If they can find that effort night in night out, they're a playoff team,'' said Dallas forward Jerry Stackhouse.

Added Mavericks coach Avery Johnson: "They made basically all the hustle plays all night. They got all of the loose balls. They really wanted this game.''

Johnson put the game away with a jumper with 11 seconds left that made it 97-92.

Jason Terry had 20 points for Dallas and Jose Barea added 14.

Nowitzki scored 11 points in the third quarter when Dallas took its first lead since the opening minute.

The Hawks were without their two most experienced inside players, Zaza Pachulia (left knee) and Lorenzen Wright (foot).

When Horford sat down with four fouls less than 4 minutes into the second half, Nowitzki took advantage of a matchup with Shelden Williams to score nine of the Mavericks' next 11 points.

The 6-foot-7 Johnson eventually shifted to defend the 7-foot Nowitzki, cutting off the Mavericks' momentum.

"I like taking a challenge guarding the team's best player,'' Johnson said. "I just wanted to stay in front of him and make him take tough shots.''

Law drove past Devin Harris with 6:22 left in the first half to give Atlanta its biggest lead, 41-25. The Hawks didn't have another field goal the rest of the half as Dallas cut the lead to 46-39.

A 3-pointer by Nowitzki gave Dallas its first lead, 57-56 with 6:30 left in the third quarter, but the Hawks responded.

"They can jump, they can run with the best in the league,'' Nowitzki said.

Harris scored the first 10 points for Dallas but scored only one more before bruising his left thigh late in the second quarter. He did not play in the second half.

The Mavericks reported Harris' status as day-to-day.

"My thigh is pretty sore so we will see how it responds tomorrow,'' Harris said.

Dallas plays Sacramento on Saturday, but Harris said he hopes to play Monday against Houston.

Dallas' Josh Howard served the second game of a two-game suspension for an altercation with Sacramento center Brad Miller in a preseason game. Howard will return Saturday for a rematch with the Kings.

Notes: F Juwan Howard made his season debut with Dallas late in the first quarter. He joined the team Tuesday. He did not score in 7 minutes. ... Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, also of "Dancing with the Stars'' fame, declined an invitation to join mascot Harry the Hawk in a dance routine during a timeout. ... Pachulia began running Friday as he recovers from a sprained left knee.