First the injury report: I was all ready to report the good news of Shawn Bradley's, Steve Nash's, and Michael Finley's return to practice (in fact, I had to delete some of what I wrote), but was greeted this morning with more bad news. Nash re-aggravated the strained tendon in his right ankle and is again questionable for the start of the season. Bradley and Finley will likely be ready for the start of the season. Dirk Nowitzki has missed his second practice with bone spurs in his left ankle, but should be ready or the start of the season. The Mavs finished the pre-season with a record of 2-5. Before the Milwaukee game, Dallas signed guard Ira Bowman. Bowman had played last season in the CBA. And for someone who had not even practiced with the team, he look decent in the 12 minutes he played. After the Milwaukee game, Dallas released Charles Shackleford. On Friday Dallas cut Jason Sasser and Kevin Ollie. Assuming that Hot Rod Williams, Greg Buckner, and Gary Trent start the season on IR, that puts the Mavs at the required 12 active players. For now, free agents Kebu Stewart and Ira Bowman have made the team. They shouldn't feel too secure as if the Mavs sign someone else, one of them will likely be cut. Says Don Nelson: "Now is a good time to be watching the waiver wire." Dallas at Orlando The game stayed close in the first quarter with a number of ties and lead changes. Orlando was up 19-16 with 3:30 left and Dallas went on a 15-4 run to take a 31-23 lead after 1. Orlando got back into the game with a 7-2 run to start the 2nd. The game was tied at 37-37 and went back and forth over the next few minutes. The Mavs took a 51-43 lead with about 4 minutes left, but Orlando whittled away at that lead. Dallas led 60-58 at the half. Both teams were shooting well for the half with Dallas shooting 48% FG and Orlando shooting 53% FG. Orlando opened the 3rd quarter with a 9-2 run and the Magic led 69-68 with 6:45 to go. Orlando then went on a 11-2 run and led 80-69 with 3:30 left. The teams could not score the rest of the quarter and Orlando led 82-71 after 3. The Mavs' shooting touch went out the window for the quarter. Dallas was not able to produce a serious rally in the 4th and Orlando led 103-90 with a little over 2 minutes left. A 3-pointer by Erick Strickland with a minute left made things a little interesting by cutting Orlando's lead down to 103-97. Orlando turned the ball over, but Cedric Ceballos missed a 3-pointer and the Mavs wouldn't score again. Orlando won 109-97. Orlando Magic 109, Dallas Mavericks 97 - at Orlando (October 24) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th - Final 2FG 3FG FG% FT% Orlando 26 32 24 27 - 109 .519 .364 .500 .650 Dallas 31 29 11 26 - 97 .427 .250 .404 .783 Halftime: Dallas 60-58 3rd Q: Orlando 82-71 Technicals: Chris Gatling 9:52 2nd, Orlando Illegal D 5:43 3rd Refs: Ken Mauer, Mike Smith, LeRoy Richardson Attendance: 14,062 Did not play due to injury: Lee Mayberry (tendinitis both knees), Shawn Bradley (strained lower back), Michael Finley (bruised heel), Steve Nash (sprained ankle), Gary Trent (torn left hamstring) Orlando Magic REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Bo Outlaw 30 4-8 0-0 2-5 10 4-9 4 1 2 0 0 Ben Wallace 16 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 2-5 1 1 1 1 1 Michael Doleac 17 5-7 0-0 0-0 10 0-4 4 2 3 0 4 Tariq Abdul-Wahad 20 8-16 0-1 0-0 16 2-7 2 2 3 1 1 Darrell Armstrong 28 3-8 2-5 6-7 14 1-4 8 5 2 3 0 Corey Maggette 4 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 1-1 0 1 2 0 0 Chris Gatling 19 2-6 0-0 3-4 7 1-2 0 5 4 3 0 Matt Harpring 21 7-11 0-0 0-0 14 3-7 2 1 1 2 1 Monty Williams 12 2-6 0-0 0-0 4 1-4 1 2 1 0 0 John Amaechi 19 4-7 0-0 0-0 8 0-3 1 0 0 0 0 Chucky Atkins 20 2-5 0-1 1-2 5 0-0 2 0 1 0 0 Pat Garrity 16 5-8 1-2 0-0 11 2-6 2 1 3 0 0 Derek Strong 3 0-0 0-0 1-2 1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Anthony Parker 15 2-6 1-2 0-0 5 0-2 2 1 2 2 1 Totals 48 46-92 4-11 13-20 109 17-54 29 22 25 12 8 Dallas Mavericks REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Cedric Ceballos 35 7-25 0-2 5-6 19 5-10 1 3 4 0 0 Dirk Nowitzki 32 5-10 0-0 4-5 14 3-6 1 4 2 1 2 Sean Rooks 23 4-6 0-0 2-4 10 1-5 3 2 2 3 2 Robert Pack 27 3-8 0-1 3-3 9 0-1 8 2 2 1 0 Erick Strickland 35 8-18 2-5 2-2 20 0-5 5 4 2 1 0 Hubert Davis 36 4-14 1-3 0-1 9 1-4 3 3 2 1 0 Kevin Ollie 19 3-5 0-0 2-2 8 1-5 2 0 3 0 0 Bruno Sundov 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1-1 0 0 0 0 1 Charles Shackleford 12 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 3-7 0 3 2 0 2 Jason Sasser 14 3-5 0-1 0-0 6 2-3 0 0 1 1 0 Kebu Stewart 5 1-1 0-0 0-0 2 0-0 1 1 2 0 0 Totals 48 38-94 3-12 18-23 97 17-47 24 22 22 8 7 Milwaukee at Dallas I think this game is the reason it's taking me so long to get this Mavs News out - I'm trying to forget how ugly it was. The first quarter was good with the score going back and forth and Dallas led 25-24 after 1. Then came the 2nd. The Mavs could not buy a basket - they shot around 60% FG in the first (both teams had high FG% in the first) and shot 33% FG for the half - you do the math. The Bucks went on a 27-7 run to go up 51-32 with 3:30 left and led 60-38 in the half. The difference was purely shooting. Dallas attempted 1 more free throw and both teams attempted 42 field goals. Milwaukee made 24 and Dallas made 14. The Bucks maintained a double digit lead in the 3rd and 4th quarters. The Mavs actually cut it down 12 points a couple of times, but could get no closer. Milwaukee won 101-79. The funny point of the night came late in the 3rd quarter when Milwaukee was called for their 2nd illegal defense. The Bucks were arguing with two of the refs and the third one was by the free throw line with the ball. Danny Manning went up to the 3rd, took the ball, and shoot the free throw. As the shot was bouncing off the back of the rim, Ceballos came over and made sure the ref knew that it wasn't a legitimate free throw. Manning had a huge grin on his face for the next few minutes. I think Hubert Davis' 2-14 FG and Ceballos' 3-21 FG says it all. Okay, with a little mention of all the Mavs who did not play - add Robert Pack to that list who did not play purely as a precaution (he had turned his ankle earlier). Milwaukee Bucks 101, Dallas Mavericks 79 - at Dallas (October 26) 1st 2nd 3rd 4th - Final 2FG 3FG FG% FT% Milwaukee 24 36 15 26 - 101 .547 .273 .477 .684 Dallas 25 13 22 19 - 79 .290 .231 .280 .789 Halftime: Milwaukee 60-38 3rd Q: Milwaukee 75-60 Technicals: Milwaukee Illegal D 1:41 3rd, Danny Manning 7:34 4th Flagrant fouls: Vinny Del Negro 11:29 4th Refs: Jim Clark, Nolan Fine, Jim Kinsey Attendance: 10,101 Milwaukee Bucks REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK J.R. Reid 21 1-2 0-0 3-4 5 0-4 1 2 2 0 1 Glenn Robinson 27 9-15 1-3 0-0 19 1-7 5 4 3 1 1 Robert Traylor 23 5-10 0-1 1-4 11 3-7 0 2 3 0 3 Haywoode Workman 21 3-7 0-2 0-0 6 0-3 2 0 2 1 0 Ray Allen 25 6-14 2-7 1-1 15 1-3 4 2 3 1 1 Dale Ellis 22 6-11 3-6 0-0 15 1-3 2 0 0 1 0 Tim Thomas 28 4-9 0-0 2-2 10 2-7 4 3 4 2 0 Danny Manning 26 3-5 0-0 4-6 10 4-10 3 1 5 3 1 Vinny Del_Negro 20 2-6 0-1 0-0 4 1-7 2 2 2 4 0 Ervin Johnson 10 0-1 0-0 2-2 2 0-2 2 4 5 0 0 Rafer Alston 4 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 0-1 1 2 0 1 1 Darvin Ham 6 1-2 0-0 0-0 2 2-4 0 0 1 0 0 Galen Young 4 0-2 0-1 0-0 0 0-1 1 0 1 0 0 Paul Grant 3 1-1 0-0 0-0 2 0-0 0 2 4 0 0 Totals 48 41-86 6-22 13-19 101 15-59 27 24 35 14 8 Dallas Mavericks REB Player MIN FGM-FGA 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA PTS O-T AST TO PF STL BLK Cedric Ceballos 32 3-21 0-5 0-0 6 2-5 2 2 3 1 1 Dirk Nowitzki 36 4-12 0-2 4-6 12 1-5 2 4 3 0 4 Sean Rooks 25 4-5 0-0 7-8 15 4-8 3 3 5 1 2 Erick Strickland 40 7-15 2-3 7-9 23 0-6 2 4 1 2 0 Hubert Davis 43 2-14 1-3 3-3 8 0-1 4 2 2 2 0 Charles Shackleford 8 1-3 0-0 0-0 2 1-2 0 0 2 1 0 Kevin Ollie 8 1-3 0-0 0-0 2 0-2 0 1 0 1 0 Kebu Stewart 6 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 Bruno Sundov 7 0-0 0-0 0-2 0 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 Jason Sasser 23 1-6 0-0 6-6 8 1-2 2 2 1 0 0 Ira Bowman 12 0-3 0-0 3-4 3 1-2 0 0 1 0 0 Totals 48 23-82 3-13 30-38 79 11-37 15 19 19 8 7 patricia