Joe Johnson made 12-of-19 FGs in Monday’s win over the Jazz, scoring 28 points with two 3-pointers, six rebounds, six assists, one steal and one turnover. Atlanta hadn’t won in Utah Jazz in 17 years. JJ came into this game averaging a season-high 23 ppg in February, making 1.9 threes on 47% from downtown.

He’s rested and raring to go as the Hawks cruise into homecourt advantage in the first round — they sit in 4th place, one game behind Boston and 3 1/2 games ahead of Toronto.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Boston: Paul Pierce isn’t sure whether his sore thumb will allow him to play vs. the Knicks on Tuesday — according to Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated, Pierce will “likely” rest for one week. “It’s pretty banged up right now,” said Pierce. The injury is to his shooting hand, and considering his recent struggles his fantasy owners should start considering the alternatives. Marquis Daniels, Ray Allen and Nate Robinson should each pick up a few minutes and shots with Pierce sidelined.

Utah: Deron Williams said he will play on Wednesday after missing Monday’s game with a right quad contusion. This takes some sting out of his sudden DNP, and it doesn’t sound like the bruise was too severe.

New York: Tracy McGrady’s status for Tuesday’s game is unclear, after he pulled himself out of Monday’s game with an obvious left leg issue. His left knee is the one that needed surgery last season, and this is exactly why we weren’t sold on his durability.

Dallas: Brendan Haywood propelled the Dallas Mavericks to a win on Monday with 13 points, a career-high-tying 20 rebounds, and three blocks in 33 minutes.

New York: Knicks point guard Sergio Rodriguez moved into the starting lineup on Monday, replacing struggling Chris Duhon. He only had four points (2-of-8 FGs) and one assist, but racked up a whopping eight steals in 29 minutes. Mike D’Antoni had endorsed Rodriguez’s “speed and rhythm,” though the Knicks stagnated in this game and would up with just 67 points on 34% shooting. Still, Rodriguez played 29 minutes while Duhon never left the bench, and opportunistic owners should grab him while they still can.

Milwaukee: Brandon Jennings had eight rebounds and seven assists on Monday, but scored just four points on 1-of-9 shooting. Jennings’ FG% has been sliding all season, from 51.6% in October to a paltry 31.3% in February. He shot under 40% from the field while playing in Europe last season, so these struggles aren’t exactly shocking.

Milwaukee: Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut dominated the Knicks in New York on Monday, piling up 24 points on 12-of-15 shooting, 28 rebounds and five blocked shots.

The Wizards and Mavericks seven-player trade is official — Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson are headed to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, Quinton Ross, and James Singleton. Butler could still be the Mavericks’ #2 option on offense, but he’s joining a more talented team that won’t lean on him nearly as much as Washington did. Then again, he was struggling under Flip Saunders and has a history of elevating his game after being traded, so his owners shouldn’t be overly concerned.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Boston: Paul Pierce saved his best for last during Saturday’s 3-point shootout, winning with a competition-high score of 20. Golden State Warriors rookie Stephen Curry finished second, followed by Chauncey Billups, Danilo Gallinari, Channing Frye and last year’s winner Daequan Cook.

New York: Nate Robinson won his third Slam Dunk contest on Saturday, beating out impressive rookie DeMar DeRozan, as well as Shannon Brown and Gerald Wallace. Nate and DeMar both had a few impressive moments, but this tweet from Utah Jazz beat writer Ross Siler tells the true story — “Nate Robinson won with 51 percent of the vote. The other 49 percent voted to end the dunk contest for good.”

Oklahoma City: Kevin Durant successfully defended his H-O-R-S-E title during All-Star festivities on Saturday. Omri Casspi airballed his first shot and was the first player to lose, then Durant defeated Rajon Rondo in a surprisingly long sudden-death 3-point shootout from the top of the arc.

Washington: Wizards beat writer Michael Lee tweeted on Saturday, “For the 1st time in weeks, I finally got the impression that the Wizards ARE open to moving Antawn Jamison.” Ken Berger of CBSSports.com also writes that the Wizards seem “committed to trading Jamison.” The Cavaliers seem to be the primary target, but haven’t officially made any offers as they consider adding Amare Stoudemire instead.

New Jersey: Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and Louisville coach Rick Pitino have both denied that the Nets are interested in hiring them to take over head coaching duties next season. “No one’s contacted me,” said Coach K, “And if they do, I think ‘nyet’ would be easy for me to say.” There have also been rumors that New Jersey wants to pry GM Bryan Colangelo away from the Raptors this summer, when his current contract is set to expire.

Milwaukee: Jerry Stackhouse hasn’t ruled out returning for another season with the Bucks.
“If anything significant happens again, as far as injuries, I would come to that point of retiring,’’ Stackhouse said. “But, hopefully, I can help the Bucks get into the playoffs and then come back next year with them. That would be a no-brainer.’’ He’s giving Milwaukee a nice boost off the bench but remains a questionable fantasy player.

Warriors G Monta Ellis hit 17-of-23 shots and a career-high four 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 46 points in Wednesday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Ellis is hot again, despite a sore right wrist. He had a steal, a block and some circus shots, but also committed seven turnovers. With nearly no defense being played in Oakland, Ellis could have another big game on any night.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Oklahoma City: Thunder G Russell Westbrook hit 11-of-18 shots for 26 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists and a block in Wednesday’s win over the New Orleans Hornets. Westbrook has nearly double-doubled in each of his last two games and appears to be out of his recent slump. Kevin Durant chipped in with another 30-point performance, which should put him in the lead for the scoring race, but also committed a season-high eight TOs on the night.

Charlotte: Bobcats F Gerald Wallace said in a television interview during Wednesday’s game that he simply “tweaked his hammy” and expects to return to action on Saturday.

Toranto: Raptors F Hedo Turkoglu is expected to return to action on Sunday against the Kings, according to the post-game recap. Turkoglu is being fitted with a mask and should be back on the court this weekend.

Boston: Paul Pierce will not play on Wednesday and is not likely to play on Friday either, according to Doc Rivers. This should not come as a surprise and it’s entirely possible that he could rest until the All-Star break with his sprained left foot.

Boston: Rajon Rondo had 22 points, six rebounds, 14 assists, three steals and two 3-pointers in Wednesday’s win over the Miami Heat. He’s on fire and is proving to be one of the most valuable point guards around.

Sacramento: Kings’ forward Jason Thompson will miss his next two games to a attend a funeral on the East Coast. That means he’s out Wednesday and Friday, but is supposed to rejoin the team for Sunday’s game at Toronto. Maybe this will give him time to clear his head and get back in the mix for Paul Westphal. In the meantime, look for solid play from Spencer Hawes and Jon Brockman.

Portland: LaMarcus Aldridge torched the Jazz for 27 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in Wednesday’s loss. Aldridge has been stepping up with Brandon Roy (hamstring) out. He has 20+ points in four of his last five games and even has five blocks during that span.

Utah: Mehmet Okur went off for 28 points on 11-of-13 shooting in Wednesday’s win over the Blazers. After three straight subpar showings, the Turkish Tornado put up a season-high even though he made just one 3-pointer. It should be a big confidence booster for Okur going forward.

Bucks G Michael Redd has reportedly suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee, ending his season. He was injured on Sunday night in L.A. and suffered the same injury nearly one year ago to the day (Jan. 24), making us wonder if his career is over. Brandon Jennings, Charlie Bell, Luke Ridnour, Carlos Delfino and Jodie Meeks will all see an increase in minutes with this news, while it looks like Bell will move into the starting lineup.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Chicago: Luol Deng hit 13-of-18 shots and a 3-pointer on his way to 27 points and six rebounds as the Bulls crushed the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Deng was likely on benches this week with three games and a fractured left thumb, but played very well tonight. He had not scored more than 18 points since Dec. 22. Derrick Rose was also feeling it for the Bulls, hitting 11-of-13 shots for 22 points and nine assists, as the Bulls hit a whopping 57% of their shots tonight.

Detroit: Ben Gordon, who was iffy with a hamstring injury, played just six minutes and failed to score on Monday before leaving with a groin injury.

Atlanta: Joe Johnson hit 14-of-25 shots and five 3-pointers for 36 points, three rebounds and one assist as the Hawks upset the Celtics in Boston. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace were out, but this was just Boston’s fifth loss at home. In fact, of their 10 losses this season, three of them have been to the Atlanta Hawks, who had lost seven straight to the Celtics prior to the run.

Oakland: An MRI revealed that Warriors F Anthony Randolph will miss three to six weeks with a badly sprained left ankle.

Boston: Kevin Garnett will be out another 10 days with his hyperextended knee, according to coach Doc Rivers. KG has already been out for 15 days and hasn’t played since Dec. 28. He hasn’t done any work, either, which includes running and jumping. “Now I actually am pretty sure it will be in the next ten days or so,” said Rivers

Los Angeles: Pau Gasol is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s game against the Spurs due to his hamstring tear, which means he’s probably not likely to play on Wednesday against Dallas Mavericks, either.
Gasol worked on the treadmill Monday but didn’t practice. Phil Jackson didn’t have any new information because Gasol was still being treated after practice had ended.

Danny Granger will have an MRI on his foot/heel on Monday, while coach Jim O’Brien is expecting the worst in what the results will tell on Tuesday. “That’s my mindset,” O’Brien said Monday. “I’d like to be pleasantly surprised, but I’m preparing for the worst.” Granger was taken off a plane on Sunday in a wheel chair because he was in so much pain and it sounds like he’s in serious doubt to play in any of the Pacers’ three games this week. Granger is a tough player and has played through some pain in the past, but playing this week seems like a real long shot.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Utah: Utah Jazz F Andrei Kirilenko couldn’t get any lift on his jumpshot in pre-game warmups Monday and will miss the game with his lingering back injury. He was feeling better this morning, but it tightened up on him again today.

Toronto: Andrea Bargnani will “try to give it a go” on Tuesday against the Timberwolves despite a sprained ankle.

Oakland: Anthony Morrow is having problems with his flight out of Detroit and may not get to the arena in Oklahoma City Thunder until the second quarter of Monday’s game.

Dallas: Mavericks PG Jason Williams bruised his elbow on Saturday, but played through it to finish with 12 points, five boards, eight assists and five 3-pointers. No significant reports have been released by the Dallas Mavericks this week regarding the injury, so it looks as if Williams is ready to play.

Sacramento: Kings rookie PG Tyreke Evans continued his torrid play by scoring a team-high 30 points in the Sacramento Kings’ 115-102 loss to the Heat on Sunday, hitting 10-of-19 shots from the field and 10-of-12 shots from the foul line. He added four rebounds, four assists, and three steals but didn’t hit a 3-point shot. It appears that Evans has the inside track for rookie of the year.

Portland: Rudy Fernandez, who will miss the Portland Trail Blazers next two games, is seeking a second opinion on his painful back. He was supposed to have an MRI on Friday but the team hasn’t released the results. His back has been bothering him since last summer, but according to his agent, “This latest came from a week ago in practice, during a pick and roll he was bumped, and it was a different pain.”

Philadelphia: Elton Brand will start for the Sixers on Monday, along with Allen Iverson. Perhaps the most underperforming team in the league will feature Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Samuel Dalembert in the starting lineup as well.

Monta Ellis set a season-high in scoring for the second straight night on Wednesday, scoring 42-points on 16-of-25 shooting with four rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. The 42 points also tied a career-high for Ellis. Just a day after playing all 48 minutes, Ellis went for 44 minutes tonight and there’s no reason to think he won’t keep it up with the Warriors so short-handed. Is Ellis still on the trading block?

Elsewhere around the NBA:

New Jersey: Brook Lopez had 32 points, 14 rebounds, a steal and two blocks on 13-of-25 shooting as the New Jersey Nets lost by 10 to the Blazers to run their record to 0-15. They’re two losses from starting out 0-17 to match the 1988-89 Heat for the worst start in NBA history.

New Jersey: Devin Harris hit just 2-of-6 shots for six points, three assists and two steals as the Nets lost again on Wednesday. He’s clearly not at 100 percent but is at least playing through his groin injury.

Indiana: Pacers beat reporter Mike Wells reports that Danny Granger will not play on Wednesday due to a sprained left MCL.

Portland: Blazers C Greg Oden had 18 points, eight boards, a steal and four more blocks in Wednesday’s win over the Nets. Oden is having a good year and is starting to pay dividends as the No. 1 overall pick. If the Portland Trail Blazers are going to advance in the playoffs, he will need to play well and stay healthy.

Houston: Rockets F/C Carl Landry hit 9-of-11 shots and had a team-high 24 points to go along with six boards in Wednesday’s loss. Landry is quietly having a good year.

Dallas Mavericks: Jason Terry hit 10-of-11 shots and all four of his 3-point attempts on his way to 27 points and a season-high 10 assists on Wednesday. Look for Terry to win the fifth man of the year award.

Dallas: Jason Kidd had nine points and seven assists to pass Mark Jackson for No. 2 on the all-time assists list with 10,337. He still has a long way to go to catch John Stockton at 15,806, but this is quite a milestone for Kidd

Dallas: Shawn Marion had 12 points, three boards and one assist in 31 minutes after missing a few games with an ankle injury. He’ll be better on most nights, but the time off with the injury obviously negatively impacted him tonight.

Warriors coach Don Nelson flatly denied a report that he would be stepping down as the Golden State Warriors head coach or that the club is shopping guard Monta Ellis. The Warriors have quickly become one of the worst teams in the league and are even comical at times. Even if Nelson doesn’t step down during the season, he will likely be fired in the offseason.

Elsewhere around the NBA:

Dallas: Mavericks C Erick Dampier is showing “marked improvement” since being transported to a Detroit-area hospital, after feeling light-headed during pregame warmups on Sunday. Although H1N1 has been ruled out, Dampier has been taken to the hospital because the arean lacked proper testing equipment. He is being kept overnight for observations and will miss Monday’s game against the Bucks.

Oklahoma City: Thunder SF Kevin Durant scored a season-high 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting (2-of-4 from downtown, 10-of-11 from the foul line) with eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in the Oklahoma City Thunder 101-93 loss to the Clippers on Sunday. Durant continues his great play and is developing into the nest NBA superstar.

Los Angelas: In LA-type fashion and an ongoing soap opera regarding Pau Gasol’s injured hamstring, it is being reported that he “may” practice this week. Coach Phil Jackson said that he has been without “pain” for five days and he has advanced to light court work.

Orlando: Magic PG Jameer Nelson (flu) is expected to play Monday against the Bobcats. The Orlando Magic Sentinel updated their earlier report, adding that coach Stan Van Gundy expects him to play. Use him as you would normally in the Magic’s four-game week.

Boston: Celtics SF Paul Pierce blamed his sore left knee for a weak defensive effort on Saturday. It was also mentioned in the Boston Herald that he might take a “few days” off in order to let the knee heal. “I was able to make it through the game, but I obviously hurt us tonight,” he said. “I was a step slow pretty much all night and it really hurt us. Dahntay Jones goes out and has one of his best nights, with me guarding him.” The Boston Celtics don’t play until Wednesday, so Pierce will get some much needed rest.

Phonix: Suns PF/C Channing Frye hit an amazing six 3-point buckets in a win over the Raptors on Sunday, racking up 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, one assist, and one block. Frye only took one two-point attempt tonight, and has become the poster boy for what a move to Arizona can do for a fantasy basketball player. It’s hard to say if his stock is still rising, or if he should be sold-high, but it’s clear owners got a bargain on draft day.

2008-09 NBA Team Preview – Indiana Pacers

2008 Record: 36-46
Division Finish: 3rd – Central
2008 Playoffs: Missed the playoffs.

Head Coach: Jim O’Brien
Season: Going into second season
Record At Indiana: 36-46
Career Record: 218-204

Offseason Acquisitions:
TJ Ford, G, 12.2 ppg, 6.1 apg. – Traded from Toronto Raptors
Radoslav Nesterovic, C, 7.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg., – Traded from Toronto Raptors
Austin Croshere, F, 3.9 ppg., 2.4 rpg. – Signed from Golden State Warriors
Maceo Baston, F, 2.7 ppg., 1.7 rpg. – Traded from Toronto Raptors
Josh Davis, F, 2.5 ppg., 1.7 rpg. – Signed as free agent
Jarrett Jack, G, 9.9 ppg., 3.8 apg. – Traded from Portland Trail Blazers
Josh McRoberts, F, 1.5 ppg., 1.3 rpg. -  Traded from Portland Trail Blazers

Offseason Losses:
Jeremaine O’Neal, F-C, 13.6 ppg., 6.7 rpg – Traded to Toronto Raptors
Ronald “Flip” Murray, G, 11.0 ppg., 3.5 apg – Signed with Atlanta Hawks
Kareem Rush, G, 8.3 ppg, 2.4 ppg – Signed with Philadelphia 76ers
Shawne Williams, F, 6.7 ppg., 2.7 rpg. – Traded to Dallas Mavericks
David Harrison, C, 4.2 ppg., 2.1 rpg. – Signed with Minnesota Timberwolves
Andre Owens, G, 4.0 ppg., 1.5 rpg. – Sign with Serbian League
Ike Diogu, F, 5.6 ppg., 2.8 rpg. – Traded to Portland Trail Blazers

Offseason Transactions:
Signed Jeff Foster, C, to a contract extension.
Exercised the option on Stephen Graham,G, through 2008-09 season.

Rookies:
Roy Hibbert, C, 7-2, 13.4 ppg., 6.4 rpg., Georgetown
Brandon Rush, G, 6-7, 13.3 ppg, 5.1, rpg., Kansas

The Skinny:
Before the Detroit Pistons were the team to beat in the Eastern Conference it was the Indiana Pacers that everyone had to get through to make it to either the conference or NBA Finals. However, the last few years have not been kind to the Pacers, but they look like may have turned the corner and will be a playoff team in 2007-08.

Six years ago the Pacers won the Central Division with a 61-21 record, which is the franchise record for victories. With Reggie Miller only getting better with age like a fine wine and Jermaine O’Neal playing great basketball, the team was on the doorstep of the NBA Finals. They lost to eventual World Champion Detroit in the Eastern Finals.

There are certain moments in sports where you know where you were when something happened. I was in my living room casually watching the Pacers and Pistons in the fall of 2004 when the infamous brawl between the two teams broke out. That might have changed the relationship between the fans and players in all of professional sports It also started a downward spiral for the Pacers.

Indiana managed to get into the second round of the playoffs in 2004-05, but the next year they were bounced in the first round. Three years after playing for the Eastern Conference title, the Pacers were a dismal 35-47. Last season was not much better for the team as they posted a 36-46 record.

But things are not as bad as they may seem in Indiana. As bad as the East is, they still had an outside shot at the playoffs last season and made a great effort to get in. The Pacers won nearly a third of their games during the last month of the season, going 11-5 down the stretch and 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Unlike some teams – New Jersey I am looking in your direction – that purge their teams with a fire sale, Indiana has gradually made changes over the last two years. Last season they brought in Jim O’Brien as head coach, who had Boston in the conference finals in 2001-02 and his teams have made the playoffs in three of the five full seasons he has coached.

Two years ago they started trimming the fat and brought in Troy Muphy and Mike Dunleavy, Jr from Golden State. During this last offseason they traded the face of the franchise, O’Neal, to the Toronto Raptors. While those two trades completely changed the face of the organization, I think they were greatly needed. Between the fight with the Pistons and the retirement of Miller the team needed a new identity. I think they have made the right moves for a fresh start.

I will admit that I have never been a Dunleavy fan, dating back to his days at Duke, but I am also one to admit when I am wrong and this case I am wrong. I would have never guessed that he was averaging double figures the last six years and last season he posted a career-best 19.1 ppg,, an improvement of five points per game. That improvement got him in the running for the NBA Most Improved Player award.

A player who probably does not get enough credit is forward Danny Granger. He quietly led the team with 19.6 ppg. last season. Granger has made huge strides in his three years in the league. He upped his scoring averaged by six points from 2006-07 and by 12 since his rookie season.

While Indiana gave up O’Neal – who has been hampered by injuries of late – they did pick up a big piece of the puzzle in point guard T.J. Ford. The Pacers desperately needed an experienced point guard and Ford’s 6.1 assists per game and 12.2 ppg. will fill that role nicely.

The departure of O’Neal obviously leaves a whole in the front court. As part of the O’Neal trade the Pacers got center Radoslav Nesterovic. He was a spot starter for the Raptors, but was a key part to the San Antonio Spurs’ success, including their 2005 NBA Championships team. I could see him being the starter for the first portion of the season until rookie Roy Hibbert comes along. I am a big Hibbert fan and I like that Indiana has him instead of Australian Nathan Jawai that they originally drafted.

Troy Murphy is a solid power forward, but probably the weakest link in the Indiana starting five. Do not get me wrong, his 12.2 ppg. and 7.2 rpg. is solid, but I think that is the one area that still needs to be addressed. He averaged a double-double for two seasons with Golden State, but his production has slipped of late.

Prediction:
If Indiana stays healthy I think they are a playoff team. They made a good run at the endof the season and have made some good moves to make their team even better. Their biggest problem is their depth.

One through five they have a playoffs caliber team, but their reserves are shaky. Nesterovic and Hibbert are two solid players at the center and Ford has a very good back-up at the point guard position in Jarred Jack. He was a good back-up for the Trail Blazers and Indiana should not miss a beat with him in to spell Ford.

Another spot where they have a good back up is at the shooting guard position. I like players who know how to win and Brandon Rush led the Kansas Jayhawks to the national championship. He will make a good reserve behind Dunleavy and one day could be a great starter in the league. I like that Indiana swapped the draft rights of Jarryd Bayless for Rush.

That leaves the two forward positions as the susceptible ones. Behind the very talented Granger they only have Stephen Graham, who is below average. The Pacers have brought in a bunch of players to compete for the back-up spot to Murphy. The four players Indiana signed – Austin Crosher, Maceo Baston, Josh Davis and Josh McRoberts – did not averaged as many points combined as Murphy. Crosher is the choice for now. He played for Indiana during their heyday, but is starting to get old. Do not ask me why McRoberts left Duke early. He could have used an extra year there. Instead he has been mediocre, but most Duke pro players do not pan out.

With a strong starting five I think Indiana will get into the playoffs this year. I expect to see them a few games over .500 or right around there. That should put them in the sixth or seventh seed. I think their frontcourt is too weak to get them beyond the first round, but if they upgrade the power forward position they could make a run in 2009-10.

Longtime fans of the NBA may still think of the Dallas Mavericks as an expansion franchise, but in fact, they have been a part of the league for nearly 30 years now.
Donald Carter petitioned the NBA for a new basketball team in 1979, and the other league owners approved the move over the 1980 All-Star weekend. The Mavericks’ name was the result of a radio station Name the Team contest. The winner was the name “Mavericks,” after the TV western from the 1950’s and 1960’s starring James Garner.

The first head coach in the history of the Dallas Mavericks was Dick Motta. The first draft pick was Kiki Vandeweghe (number 11 overall) in the 1980 Draft.

Like nearly all expansion teams, the Mavericks had a tough first season. Unlike most expansion teams, the Mavs won their first game ever, a 103-92 stunner over the San Antonio Spurs. The young team’s euphoria soon faded, though, as they went on to finish the season at 15-67.

In 1981, the Mavs drafted the bedrock of their team when they picked up Mark Aguirre, Jay Vincent and Rolando Blackman. Guided by these young stars, the Mavericks steadily improved over the next two seasons, winning 28 and 38 games, respectively.

The Mavs drafted point guard Derek Harper in 1983, and in the following season Dallas posted their first winning season (43-39) and first-ever playoff berth. The fledgling playoff team from the Lone Star State won a five-game series with the Seattle Supersonics before falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in five.
The 1980s saw the Mavericks score points by the bucketload, and they always seemed to be in the playoff picture, but something always caused them to fall short. Despite the performances of players like Sam Perkins and Detlef Schrempf, they couldn’t to get past the Lakers, who owned the Western Conference in the ‘80s.

In 1988, the Mavericks finished second in the Midwest Division and charged into the playoffs with a vengeance. They swept the Houston Rockets in four games and dispatched the Denver Nuggets, four games to two. Then they faced the dreaded Lakers. Determined to beat their arch-nemesis, they took the Lakers to seven games, but lost the seventh.

The following season was a messy one for the Mavs, and after a 38-44 record they sat out the playoffs. Roy Tarpley, a talented but troubled forward, violated the league’s substance abuse policy and was suspended. This would be a pattern for Tarpley throughout his career. Other internal problems did little to help the team’s situation, and it was obvious some changes needed to be made.

In the 1989-90 season, Dallas returned with a new look, having traded away Aguirre for Adrian Dantley and Schrempf for Herb Williams. The revamped team went 47-35 and returned to the playoffs, but was swept in the first round by the eventual Western Champion Portland Trail Blazers.

The 1990-91 and 91-92 seasons saw the Mavericks return to the bottom of the NBA barrel. In 1992 the team drafted Jim Jackson, a highly-regarded scorer out of Ohio State. The following year, they picked Kentucky forward Jamal Mashburn, and in 1994 they drafted point guard Jason Kidd out of California. The arrival of Kidd began a new era in Dallas – the ill-fated Three J’s era.

Kidd led the league in triple doubles in the 1994-95 season and helped the Mavs post 36 wins – a 23-game improvement over the previous season. Things were looking up.

But in the 1995-96 season, Mashburn suffered a season-ending knee injury, Tarpley was suspended (again) and Jackson and Kidd refused to get along. Despite some individual successes, the Mavs finished 26-56, and Dick Motta was fired.

The 1996-97 season saw a compete revamping of the team. The Three J’s all went their separate ways, and Don Nelson took over as head coach.

The Mavs continued to struggle in the late 90s, but guard Michael Finley was excelling individually, and would play a part in the team’s future fortunes. Mark Cuban, who purchased the team in 2000, would also figure prominently.

Finley and Dirk Nowitzki led the team to a 53-29 record in 2000-01.

In the 2000-01 playoffs, the Mavs came back from an 0-2 deficit to beat the Utah Jazz in five games. The San Antonio Spurs were the class of the West by then, though, and they beat the Mavs in five games.
In 2001-02, the Mavericks moved from Reunion Arena to the new American Airlines Center. The team enjoyed much regular-season success, but little playoff success, in the ensuing three seasons. In 2004-05, the Mavs added new pieces, bringing in Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse and drafting point guard Devin Harris. This nucleus (led by Avery Johnson, Don Nelson’s hand-picked successor) advanced to the NBA Finals in 2006, where they seemed to have victory in hand. But after winning the first two games against the Miami Heat, they lost the next four.

The Mavericks began the following season on a mission to prove that they, not the Heat, were the league’s best team. They posted a scorching 67-15 record, and Nowitzki was named the league’s MVP. However, by the time NBA commissioner David Stern gave Nowitzki the award, the star and his team had been eliminated in the first round by the 8^th-seeded Golden State Warriors.

Still convinced that they were capable of a title run, the Mavericks traded Devin Harris for former Mavs’ draft pick Jason Kidd in the 2007-08 season. But even Kidd couldn’t help them advance, as they were beaten four games to one by the upstart New Orleans Hornets. Coach Avery Johnson was fired after the season, to be replaced by Rick Carlisle.

With a team built to win now, and an owner who wants to win now, the time for the 2008-09 Dallas Mavericks seems to be…now.

When James Naismith invented the game of basketball at the Springfield, Mass. YMCA in 1891, he was simply looking for a distraction for his rowdy young charges, who were often stuck indoors due to the harshly cold Massachusetts winters. Little did he know that his creation would one day evolve into a globalized, multi-billion-dollar sensation known as the National Basketball Association.

What follows is a brief history of the NBA, from its inception just after World War II to its gold medal winning Redeem Team, which recently won the gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

It was 1946. WWII was over and America was still basking in the glow of victory. Americans once again had entertainment dollars to spend, and in June, a group of sports arena owners got together with an idea on how to get people to spend some of that money on sports. A professional basketball league, with ten teams, comprising an East division and a West division. By June 6, the Basketball Association of America, or the BAA, was born.

The first game in BAA history was played on November 1, 1946, in Toronto, between the Toronto Huskies and the visiting New York Knickerbockers. The Knickerbockers won that game, 68-66.
The BAA owners had a distinct advantage over the competing National Basketball League, or NBL. They owned large arenas in the nation’s major cities and could command large crowds, thereby making more money. Though the NBL was probably the BAA’s equal when it came to quality of play, in the end the BAA had the superior dollars. In August 1949, the BAA and the NBL merged together, forming the National Basketball Association, or the NBA.

With the merger, the league now had seventeen teams, in cities large and small, across the United States. The league trimmed this number down to a record-low eight teams in 1954. The Kings, Celtics, Warriors, Lakers, Hawks, 76ers, Pistons, and the Knickerbockers are all still part of today’s NBA.

The quality of basketball back then was, understandably, not quite like what we see today. One of the reasons for this discrepancy was that, in the 1940s, African-American players were not allowed to compete in the NBA. That changed in 1950, when the NBA broke the color barrier by introducing several black players, including Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton. Clifton was the first black player to sign an NBA contract, while Lloyd was the first to play in an NBA game.

Another change that positively affected the league was the advent of the 24-second shot clock in 1954. Before then, teams could use stall tactics against superior opponents to keep the score down. It was a tactically sound strategy, but it made for boring basketball. With the shot clock, a team had 24 seconds to attempt a shot. If no shot was taken (or if the ball hadn’t touched the rim) before time expired, the team lost possession.

The 1960s saw an expansion of the league from nine teams to fourteen. The decade also saw the inception of the NBA’s most formidable competitor, the American Basketball Association, or ABA.

The two leagues competed fiercely for spectators as well as top players. The NBA had the advantage of being in most major cities, while the ABA allowed undergraduates to join. That’s how Julius Erving, known as Dr. J., ended up in the upstart ABA. Rick Barry, the NBA’s leading scorer, also left for the ABA.

The NBA continued to expand and finally won the bidding war with the ABA. The two leagues agreed to a limited merger in 1976. This increased the number of NBA teams to 22.

In 1979, in an effort to further increase scoring and excitement, the NBA added the three-point shot, which was actually an ABA innovation.

The 1980s was arguably the most important decade in league history. This decade saw the epic rivalry between Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics and Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson and the Lakers won five titles; Bird won three with the Celtics.

The 1980s also introduced the world to Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player in the history of the NBA. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1984. Together with Scottie Pippen, Jordan’s Bulls won six NBA championships in the 1990s.

Jordan, Bird and Johnson helped form the 1992 Olympic basketball team, popularly known as the Dream Team. It was the first U.S. Olympic team to use NBA All-Stars. The team cruised to an easy gold medal. Since then, the NBA has been closely associated with USA Basketball.

The Chicago Bulls dynasty was broken up in 1998. Since then, the Western Conference has won the majority of the league championships. The San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, have won four titles in that time span, while the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, won three. O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat after the 2004 season, and after promising to deliver a championship to Florida, he and Dwyane Wade did exactly that in 2006, when they beat the Dallas Mavericks, four games to two, in the NBA Finals.

The most recent NBA champions are the Boston Celtics, who beat the resurgent Los Angeles Lakers four games to two. It was the Celtics’ first championship since 1986 and the Lakers’ first Finals’ appearance since Bryant and O’Neal fell to the Detroit Pistons in 2004.

After a subpar showing in the 2004 Olympics that resulted in a bronze medal, the NBA’s best players fielded a different team for the 2008 Games. Known popularity as the “Redeem Team,” the U.S. men’s basketball team was designed to bring the Olympic gold back to the country where the game was invented. Duke University coach Mike Krzyzewski led a team made up of the following players: Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade, and Deron Williams.

The “Redeem Team” accomplished its mission in the Beijing Games, beating Spain in the gold medal game, 118-107.

During the tenure of the current NBA commissioner, David Stern, the league has begun to expand its reach beyond the United States. Several players from foreign countries have become prominent players in the NBA (including Yao Ming, Manu Ginobili and 2007 league MYP Dirk Nowitzki), and the league’s games are currently televised in more than 200 countries.