Art Garcia | Mavs.com

Posted: Jan. 23, 2008

CHARLOTTE – Juwan Howard raised a few eyebrows with a surprising self description. Asked about filling in for injured teammate Brandon Bass, the veteran power forward launched into a comparison with a light-hitting, left-handed journeyman.

“I’m like a utility man,” Howard said before the Mavericks-Bobcats game Wednesday. “You know a guy by the name of Craig Counsell? He played baseball. The guy played for the Brewers, he played for the Diamondbacks, he played for the Florida Marlins. I’m Craig Counsell.

“I’m sitting around, I’m working hard in practice, just staying ready, waiting for the name to be called. You’ve got to have a utility man on any ballclub just like that. I’m Craig Counsell. That’s a guy I respect a lot.”

Howard added that Counsell is a guy who’s “under the radar” that his teammates can depend on. Howard has earned the same respect. A free agent with his pick of teams before the season started, Howard decided to return to Dallas where he played from 2001-02. Playing time has been scarce for someone who’s been a major contributor throughout his 14-year career.

“We think he’s a contributor,” coach Avery Johnson said. “That’s why we got him. He’s been pretty good in practices and physical. So whatever amount of minutes, whether its 10 or 15 or 8, whatever it is, we’re going to need his physicality, leadership and toughness.”

Bass’ sore right Achilles has opened a door, at least for now, for Howard. Knowing it’s not on the same scale, Howard compared the situation to last season in Houston. Howard and Dikembe Mutombo picked up the slack for an injured Yao Ming during a critical part of the season.

“We helped lead the team to a 22-10 record,” Howard said. “That right there, that’s something that, of course, you can’t teach. You just hope a guy is not sitting on the bench moping about his minutes. Being a professional, practicing hard, trying to stay healthy and trying to stay ready … is very hard to do, by the way.

“This is the first year where I’ve sat on the bench not knowing if I’m going to play or not. There have been a lot of DNPs, but when your name is called for spare minutes, you have to be ready. You have to be ready to perform, you have to know the plays, you have to know rotations. You have to go out there and run hard. That’s not easy in this league.”

Neither is keeping everyone happy. The end of the Mavs’ bench is filled with time-tested veterans (Howard, Trenton Hassell and Devean George) and young players with potential (JJ Barea and Maurice Ager) who want to play more.

“I’ve been on teams where you have cancers,” Howard added. “Guys formed their little group and start whispering, talking about how he feels he should get minutes and how he feels he’s doing a better job than this guy, why is this guy playing in front of him?

“We’re trying to not allow that type of atmosphere to suck in our locker room, to suck in our team, because all that is, in my opinion, is losing basketball.”

Bass listed as day-to-day  

Brandon Bass missed the game with a sore right Achilles. He returned to Dallas on Tuesday and is officially listed as day-to-day. The Mavs play Friday at American Airlines Center against the Los Angeles Lakers.

“We have something there that we have to manage,” Avery Johnson said of Bass’ injury.

Bass had been dealing with pain in his right foot for some time and it progressed Monday at Washington. Attempting to block a shot, he fell hard under the basket, triggering the injury.

Second-half road surge

The season is halfway done and the Mavs remain one of the top teams in the Western Conference. The road mark, 9-10 going into Wednesday, continues to be a source of bewilderment.

“It’s amazing what’s happening on the road this year, but mark my words, the second half of the season, I think you’ll see a dramatic improvement on the road with this team,” Jason Terry said. “I will be surprised if we continue to play bad on the road.”

Layups

• Sam Vincent, an assistant on Avery Johnson’s staff last season, is in his first year as Bobcats head coach. “We keep in contact,” Johnson said. “It’s been a pretty big transition year for them. That’s where they are right now. He’s a new coach and they’re trying to learn his system, and there are a lot of growing pains with that.”

• The ticket amounts for North Carolina natives: Josh Howard (82) and Jerry Stackhouse (65). Gana Diop, a graduate of Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, needed 27.