Heard It Through the Grapevine
Posted by Rob Mahoney on October 14, 2009 under The Grapevine | 
- The game of basketball has evolved, and the world of statistics surrounding the game has certainly made huge strides. So why not the box score? A proposed new and improved box score was tracked for the Mavs-Wiz preseason game, though the level of detail and discretion involved would make it both costly (multiple stat-trackers where there is now one) and unreliable. Still, based on a one game sample size, Barea and Dirk would appear to be the Mavs’ strongest defenders.
- Mavs fans end up talking a lot about Josh Howard, but assumptions often rule the day. So before any conversations shift to “Josh the screw-up,” check Gina Miller’s dish on the subject: “When I’ve talked to [Josh] this off-season and preseason, I’ve noticed a big change. He’ll look at you, answer questions thoughtfully without being dismissive, and actually try to make a joke and laugh. It seems like his head is right with the world again. People close to the team are encouraged by this. They’re not sure if the “old Josh” is back, but they, too, certainly hope he is. Wednesday was a perfect example. He ran off the Mavericks practice court after practice was essentially over. This typically means a player isn’t talking the media. We asked a Mavs PR person to get him for us so the throng could talk to him. Last season, Howard wouldn’t have come back out. Wednesday he did and answered our questions and did it without that ‘I can’t stand being here and can’t stand any of you’ demeanor he seemed to have last season. He probably still can’t stand us, but that’s ok.”
- Injuries during training camp are never a good thing. I’m not trying to give the Mavs an excuse, but keep the walking wounded theme in mind if Shawn Marion or Josh Howard start the season slow.
- Strange moments in Mavs injury history: Dirk once sprained a tendon putting on his shoe, Gooden sat with an infected hair follicle. Ancient history, but still bizarre.
- Earl K. Sneed talks to Josh after practice. Nothing extraordinary here, but there’s certainly something to note: Josh Howard and Shawn Marion still haven’t played together: