Steve Nash

Steve Nash
Did you have a good summer?
I enjoyed the off-season. It wasn't too long and it wasn't to short. I think that I got enough rest now. I am rejuvenated, happy to be back and ready to get after it.

Is defense a priority this season?
We are a team that has a lot of offensive weapons and are not very stingy defensively. Everyone is prepared to come into this season and make it a priority.

Is defense the final piece of the puzzle for the Mavericks to become a championship team?
I hope so, I think that we are capable of winning a championship, but we have to improve in bunch of areas. We definitely have the pieces and the ability to do it now. We just have to build a good foundation in order for us to do it and we need to be consistent throughout the season.

How important is bringing in Popeye Jones and resigning Eduardo Najera?
Eduardo is a great player for us. Defensively and on the boards as well as energy. He is huge for us. Popeye is a veteran and he can really guard people and rebound. They are two great pick-ups on the defensive end, but more than that we all have to concentrate and do our bit defensively. We cannot just rely on a couple guys who are defensive specialists. We all have to be become defensive specialists.

Popeye Jones

Popeye Jones
Are you happy to be in Dallas?
Yeah. The first day is a good day! We worked on a lot of defensive principles and I am trying to learn the system. It is pretty basic. I have been around the league for awhile so a lot of the coverages that we were talking about today I have done before.

What do you think of the overall vibe here in Dallas compared to where you were last season?
It is great here in Dallas. Everyone has one goal in their mind and that is to win a championship. Everyone seems to understand the weakness and that is defense. And we really concentrated a lot on defense today.

What about rebounding?
It's fun to get in there in mix-it-up. I did that today. We talked about rebounding today. We talked about the fact that after you play good defense you have to come up with the rebound. Everyone was feeling good today, working hard and totally understanding what we are trying to do this season.

Are your teammates making you feel welcome on your return to Dallas?
The guys are really making me feel welcome. They are giving me a lot of respect. I guess they are doing that because I am a veteran. If feels like home to me here and I am definitely having a good time.

Dirk talks to the media after the first workout of the 2002-03 season. Danny Bollinger/dallasmavericks.com

Michael Finley talks about the new season, which begins at home Oct. 8. Danny Bollinger/dallasmavericks.com

Nash talks about making defense a priority this season. Danny Bollinger/dallasmavericks.com

Bradley talks to the press about his off-season. Danny Bollinger/dallasmavericks.com