Art Garcia | Mavs.com

Posted: April 27, 2008

Just being in the series after three games with New Orleans despite having guys such as Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and Jerry Stackhouse not play up to their capabilities consistently gave Mavericks coach Avery Johnson something to build on going into Game 4.

“We think if we can get everybody on the same page and playing good basketball, which we’re going to need to do against this No. 2 seed that’s awfully good, we feel there’s that next level for us to go to,” Johnson said before Sunday night’s tussle. “We didn’t play a perfect game that last game [97-87 win in Game 3]. We did some nice things and we won it, but when the men saw the film, they still see there’s an inch or a yard where we can continue to improve.”

Johnson’s move to Terry in the starting lineup for Game 3 did help the veteran guard get back on track.

“We were thinking that possibly was a situation that we were going to have to go back to,” Johnson said. “We like Stack in there for all the reasons, to keep us big. But we knew Jet getting back in the lineup would be a really good fallback because he’s been a starter before and he’s started with these guys.

“We just didn’t want to do it too early, because if we had did it in Game 2 and still got crushed the way we did, we wouldn’t have had another gear to go to.”

Dirk Nowitzki has produced throughout the series and taken his game up a level since the end of the regular season. Asked about what his teammates needed to do, he said it’s not so much specific improvement.

“More of the same, but just better,” Nowitzki said. “I thought we had their guns under control pretty good and then we let [Jannero] Pargo come in and get 30 [in Game 3]. He had some wide-open shots. We lost his body some on some screening situations, so that just shows us how good they are, how deep they are.

“They can hurt you in a lot of ways. Just more of the same. Focus on the gameplan and just try to play Mavericks basketball and we should be all right.”

Paul pulling for Bass

Chris Paul and Brandon Bass are on opposite sides in this series, but they share a bond three years in the making. Paul can’t help but be proud of Bass, who played little during his two-year stint with the Hornets.

“It’s been unbelievable,” Paul said. “B-Bass is my guy, we came in together. It’s been great to see how well he’s played. Just wish he had a Hornets uniform on.”

Bass has had a little extra in the tank this season against the Hornets, who gave up on the LSU product and Baton Rouge native. Paul, for one, was sad to see him leave via free agency.

“Most definitely, but at the same time I think everything happens for a reason,” Paul said. “B-Bass is in a great situation here, so I’m more happy that he’s here playing rather than being with us and not sure what’s happening. As long as he’s doing well, I’m happy for him.”

2-0 goes both ways

The Mavs beat Houston in the 2005 first round after losing the first two games and lost after winning the first two in the NBA Finals a year later. The Hornets opened this series with two wins in New Orleans.

“We’ve been on both ends,” Dirk Nowitzki said. “We were up 2-0 against Miami in the Finals and ended up losing four straight. We lost both home games [against Houston] before and came back to win, so I think in this league anything is possible.

“We know in this league it only takes one win or one great quarter to come back and win and change the momentum of the series. So to us anything is possible.”

Brace be gone

Dirk Nowitzki’s left ankle may not be 100 percent throughout the playoff run, but it’s good enough to ditch the bulky brace that he started wearing April 2.

Nowitzki didn’t wear it in Game 3. He hasn’t worn it during shootarounds and light practices for a while now. He’s moved just fine through three games, averaging 30 points and 11.3 rebounds in the series.