In case you missed it.

[cmavswin]

*Gerald Green is not presently in the mix of candidates to get real time at the 2.

*Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Terry are playing with the same unit (the Whites) and are taking turns starting at the 2.

*Erick Dampier is working with the first team, though coach Rick Carlisle told the assembled media that he will eventually mix-and-match with both Damp and ‘Gana Diop in search of the right first-team combination.

*Josh Howard worked with the second team on Thursday – but it was anything but a demotion. Carlisle decided to take one of his “top players’’ and let him lead the second unit in the team’s series of mini-games. “And Howard’s team won every time,’’ Carlisle said.

*Antoine Wright continues to impress behind Stack and Jet at the 2. In these mini-game sessions, the pace is extremely fast, and the athletes – especially the well-conditioned ones – excel. Wright is on that list.

*Brandon Bass’s work ethic has been astounding. Carlisle finds him in the gym on a regular basis at 8 p.m., a full seven hours after the end of practice. And if that’s not enough, when the end-of-bench members of this 19-man roster show up 45 minutes before practice for their mandatory “extra work’’ session, Bass participates with that group as well.

“I don’ t want him to wear himself out,’’ Carlisle said, “but boy, he loves to play.’’

*The coach noted that his versatile roster “has 14 guys who can play.’’ He went on to note that “They have all been effective NBA players during their careers.

But … I’m stuck on the “14.’’ That would seem to be written-in-ink bad news for the other five fellas.

*In fact. … I’m told that in terms of minutes given in these mini-scrimmages, it’s all about the 12 veterans from last year’s team.

*Oh, and when J-Ho left his starting 3 spot to play with the second team, who was the man who replaced him with the first-teamers? Devean George.

http://www.dallasbasketball.com/home_display.php

Well Green sucks, Josh is being "punished"and Wright needs to play in Phoenix.

[JD45]

At this stage, Green is just trying to prove he deserves and NBA roster spot, much less rotation minutes.

[Darren]

Well, Rick is pretty smart. He gets the key players to work for their best.

Josh Howard should prove he's the best player on roster.
Jerry Stackhouse should prove starting material.
Dirk Nowitzki and Brandon Bass should prove he can put his angry on opponents on defense.
Jason Kidd should prove he can still run.
Erick Dampier and Desagana Diop should prove they belong to starting unit.
Jason Terry should prove he deserve the starting spot.
Antoine Wright and Devean George should prove they're rotation players.
All the others should prove the coach wrong - not even mention them in the training camp.

That's make me feel better about the offseason. We'd at least get enough value by the deadline. At best, of course, we can reach the final and kill everybody.