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The Mavericks aren’t in the playoffs for the first time since 2000, so we have to find something to fill the time this spring. Might as well keep up with the players from the Mavs’ title team who are scattered throughout the postseason. We’ll have daily updates as long as Mavs championship alums are still alive in the playoffs.

Caron Butler: On a night that Chris Paul desperately needed a scoring sidekick in the starting lineup, Butler had five points on 2-of-5 shooting in 19 minutes. He had two rebounds, no assists and a turnover. His plus-minus (minus-14) was the Clippers' worst in a home loss to the Grizzlies that gave Memphis a 3-2 series lead.

Corey Brewer: The Nuggets stayed alive with a win over the Warriors despite Brewer's off night. He was 1-of-11 from the floor (0-of-5 from 3-point range) during his four-point performance. He did come up with three steals, helping Denver force 17 turnovers.

The Mavericks aren’t in the playoffs for the first time since 2000, so we have to find something to fill the time this spring. Might as well keep up with the players from the Mavs’ title team who are scattered throughout the postseason. We’ll have daily updates as long as Mavs championship alums are still alive in the playoffs.

Jason Terry: We’ll just use an excerpt from ESPNBoston.com colleague Chris Forsberg’s column to sum up the vintage JET performance in his first playoff win since the title-clincher in Miami.

With the Celtics on the brink of being unceremoniously swept from the playoffs, Terry delivered a rarity this season: One of his familiar big-game efforts, scoring nine points in overtime as Boston held off New York 97-90 in Game 4 of the teams' first-round playoff series on Sunday at TD Garden.

The Knicks own a 3-1 series lead as the only things they put away Sunday were their brooms. Game 5 is Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

"I had every intention of trying to make an impact on the game, some way or another," said the 35-year-old Terry, who scored 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting with four assists over 41 minutes. One game after shuffling to a starting role to help with ballhandling, Terry returned to a bench spot and provided a much-needed spark, accounting for all but four points of Boston's reserve production.

"If I wasn't making shots, I wanted to get a steal, get a rebound, any little thing to keep it going," Terry said. "Again, I'm going to coach AAU, but I don't want to do that right now."

The quintessential Terry postseason performance was highlighted by the quintessential Terry shot. Sneaking out in transition in a tied game late in overtime, Terry found space as three Knicks defenders shaded toward Paul Pierce on the opposite wing. Jeff Green fed Terry, who pulled up in transition on the left side and splashed a 3-pointer -- his lone triple of the game -- before Jason Kidd could get out to contest.

The trifecta broke the game's final tie and Terry added a 13-foot fadeaway, two free throws (after craftily drawing a loose-ball foul call boxing out for a defensive rebound) and a layup before the final horn.

Terry's struggles this season have been well-documented. Celtics coach Doc Rivers had made Terry his first phone call when free agency opened in July and there was hope that the former Sixth Man of the Year would provide a long-missing bench spark for Boston, particularly after Ray Allen defected to the rival Heat.

But Terry, playing the first season of a three-year, $15.7 million contract, slumped throughout the regular season and straight into the playoffs. At times his defense eroded to the point that, unable to convert on the offensive end, he was a liability on the floor. He admits his trademark soaring jet celebration has been stuck in the hangar for much of the season.

Despite taxiing for much of the season, Terry picked a heck of a time to get off the tarmac.

"I've just been patient," he said. "As long as there's time on the clock, as long as there is another game, it's an opportunity for me to do something special. That's just the type of player I am. Whether I've made every shot or missed every shot, I have the same focus, the same confidence."

Tyson Chandler: Chandler scored five points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked one shot in 31 minutes. The Knicks were outscored by six with him on the floor.

Jason Kidd: Kidd was scoreless in 37 minutes during the Knicks’ overtime loss, going 0-for-3 from the floor. He grabbed nine rebounds, dished out two assists and committed two turnovers.

Corey Brewer: Brewer had 14 points on 3-of-9 shooting with one rebound and one steal in 29 minutes as his Nuggets were pushed to the brink of elimination by the Warriors.

The Mavericks aren’t in the playoffs for the first time since 2000, so we have to find something to fill the time this spring. Might as well keep up with the players from the Mavs’ title team who are scattered throughout the postseason. We’ll have daily updates as long as Mavs championship alums are still alive in the playoffs.

Jason Terry: At least JET got on the board after a scoreless Game 1 performance. It looked like he might give the Celtics a big boost off the bench after he knocked down three 3-pointers in the first half.

That, however, accounted for all of Terry’s scoring in the Celtics’ loss. He finished with nine points on 3-of-8 shooting (3-of-7 from 3-point range) and dished out three assists in 34 minutes.

Terry certainly wasn’t the only Celtic who struggled offensively in the second half. Boston scored a grand total of 23 points after halftime.

“In the second half we didn’t show up, so we look forward to going home and getting this first one,” Terry told reporters after the Knicks took a 2-0 series lead. “I never get too high or too low. So, I’m always even keeled. It’s a long series. I always say that. We’ll see what adjustments we make going forward.”

Tyson Chandler: The Knicks were plus-21 in Chandler’s 22 minutes, which is by far the most impressive number from his statistical line.

Chandler did get his first bucket of the series, scoring three points on 1-of-4 shooting. He grabbed five rebounds and blocked one shot.

Jason Kidd: The Knicks didn’t need Kidd to play heavy minutes in this win, so he should be fresh as the series goes to Boston. He had three points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 23 minutes.

Corey Brewer: Brewer scored 19 points on 6-of-16 shooting off the Nuggets’ bench. He had nine points in the fourth quarter, but Golden State had essentially put the game away by then. Brewer also had three assists and two rebounds in 30 minutes.

The Mavericks aren’t in the playoffs for the first time since 2000, so we have to find something to fill the time this spring. Might as well keep up with the players from the Mavs’ title team who are scattered throughout the postseason. We’ll have daily updates as long as Mavs championship alums are still alive in the playoffs.

Jason Kidd: This was classic late-career Kidd. He didn’t post a spectacular line (eight points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals in 35 minutes), but he was a significant force during closing time in the Knicks’ win over Boston.

All three of his steals came in the final five minutes. On the first steal, the 40-year-old Kidd deflected a pass and outhustled 26-year-old Jeff Green by diving for a loose ball to spark a fast break. With 2:20 remaining and New York up five, Kidd diagnosed a play that’s a Celtics staple and helped from the weak side to strip Green under the basket. Kidd’s strip of Kevin Garnett on a mismatched post-up in the final minute essentially sealed the win.

“He beats everyone with his brain,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said at his postgame press conference. “If you think quicker than a guy can move, you’re still quicker. That’s why he’s there first, because he thought what the guy was going to do before he did it. He’s just a valuable player to have on a basketball team.”

Tyson Chandler: The fiery big man was a nonfactor in Game 1 against the Celtics after missing 16 of the Knicks’ final 20 regular-season games due to a neck injury. He had five rebounds and one steal in 20 scoreless minutes, and the Knicks opted to play Kenyon Martin at center instead of Chandler in crunch time.

"I knew I would be rusty. I knew I would be a little winded. I knew at some point my legs would get the best of me," Chandler said, according to ESPNNewYork.com. "I just wanted to be out there with my team."

Chandler said his neck didn’t bother him. He acknowledged that conditioning was a factor.

“I should obviously be much better in Game 2,” he said.

Jason Terry: For the first time in his career, Terry failed to score a point in a playoff game.

JET was 0-of-5 from the floor in 20 minutes. His only contributions to the Celtics were three rebounds and one steal. Meanwhile, Boston’s bench was outscored by a 33-4 margin.

"You don't get too high or down too low," Terry said, according to ESPNBoston.com. "It's a long series. If I bet on myself, I know how this is going to end up. I'm going to keep grinding, do the things necessary to win."

Corey Brewer: Brewer scored 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting in 21 minutes during Denver’s Game 1 win over the Warriors. He didn’t have any rebounds, assists, steals or blocks.

Caron Butler: Butler, who was sidelined by a serious knee injury during the Mavs’ title run, had a terrific Game 1 to help the Clippers blow out the Grizzlies. Butler scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds and had a block and a steal in 24 minutes.

DENVER – What happened to one of the great closers in NBA history during the fourth quarter of Thursday’s down-to-the-wire loss?

Dirk Nowitzki essentially disappeared on the offensive end in the final dozen minutes.

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Nowitzki didn’t score a single point in the final frame of the 95-94 loss to the Nuggets. He attempted only two shots in the quarter. His biggest impact play was a turnover with 19.9 seconds left.

What did the Nuggets do to shut down Dirk?

“Just front me in the post,” said Nowitzki, who finished the game with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. “I did have one catch down there and shot a fadeaway. I should have made a stronger move than that. Other than that, just front me, backside help. That was really about it.”

Not coincidentally, the Mavs’ offense was miserable in the fourth quarter, scoring only 17 points on 7-of-19 shooting.

Nowitzki got one really good look … and somehow airballed a straightway 3 with 10:33 remaining. He didn’t get another shot until his failed fadeaway with 46.8 seconds to go.

Coach Rick Carlisle tried to give Dirk a chance to deliver the dagger, but that turned into disaster. With the Mavs clinging to a one-point lead, Dallas ran an isolation play for Nowitzki near the top of the key, but ex-Mav Corey Brewer swiped the ball when Nowitzki made a spin move.

“I thought actually I could quick dribble it and spin before Brewer gets the ball,” Nowitzki said. “I saw him right there, but as soon as I put it down, he’s so quick. That’s what he does. He dove in there and got his hands on it. At that point, probably the wrong move. It was so clogged, the only thing I had was just the spot-up shot. I probably should have just shot over him.”

It was clogged because the Mavs had poor spacing on the play. Instead of overloading one side to give Dirk room to work, the Mavs had two players on each side of the court.

“That’s on me,” Carlisle said. “It’s a case of, yeah, we always want to get him the ball when we can. When we can’t, he affects the game in a way that helps other guys get shots. That’s when we need other guys to step up.”

Nowitzki was not involved in the play when the Mavs had a chance to win the game on the final possession, standing on the opposite side of the court while Anthony Morrow’s desperation 3-pointer got blocked.

A few more notes from yet another frustrating Mavs loss:

1. Final failure: With 2.8 seconds remaining and the Mavs trailing by one, Carlisle didn’t want rarely used reserve Anthony Morrow shooting a contested 3-pointer off the dribble. That’s what happened, with Brewer blocking Morrow’s shot.

What did Carlisle want in that situation?

“Not what happened,” Carlisle said. “Again, I’m responsible for that. That’s as far as I’m going to go with it.”

Nowitzki, who had a nice view from the opposite side of the court, shed some light on what was supposed to happen.

“The play was for Vince (Carter) coming off and curling to the corner, but Andre Miller was right there and took that away,” Nowitzki said. “(Morrow) ran a circle and came back up, wasn’t really free but tried to make the best out of it and got a shot up and got it blocked.”

2. Brewer’s big game: Brewer, whom the Mavs traded to Denver along with Rudy Fernandez for a 2016 second-round pick in a salary-dump deal before last season, torched his former team.

Brewer scored 23 points in 35 minutes off the bench, stepping up after small forward Danilo Gallinari suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury in the second quarter.

Brewer also made three critical plays in the final 19.9 seconds: stealing the ball from Nowitzki, grabbing the offensive rebound to make Andre Iguodala’s game-winning drive possible and blocking Morrow’s shot.

“He’s a good player,” Nowitzki said. “You’ve got to give him credit. He played well.”

3. Foul night for Mayo: It’s never good to finish with more fouls than points. That was the case for O.J. Mayo, who matched a season low with four points and fouled out for only the fifth time in his career.

Mayo picked up his fourth foul 58 seconds after halftime and sat out the rest of the third quarter. He was whistled for his fifth foul 54 seconds into the fourth quarter and fouled out on an and-1 pull-up jumper by Andre Miller with 1:48 remaining.

“You’re going to have nights like that,” Mayo said. “You try to play hard even though you have some fouls, try to stay aggressive, but the whistles didn’t go my way tonight.”

DENVER -- The miserable feeling the Dallas Mavericks had in the mile-high altitude is far too familiar.

Add this to the long list of games the Mavs figured out how to lose.

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In this instance, the Mavs put themselves into position to pull off a huge upset only to fail to finish the job. The Denver Nuggets led for a grand total of 2.8 seconds in the second half Thursday night and walked out of the Pepsi Center with their 19th consecutive home win.

After leading by as many as eight points early in the fourth quarter, the Mavs were clinging to a one-point lead in the final minute. At that point, the Mavs had a well-rounded meltdown.

Poor offensive execution? Check. Poor spacing helped cause a Dirk Nowitzki turnover with 19.9 seconds remaining, and rarely used reserve Anthony Morrow, of all people, ended up jacking up a wanna-be game-winning shot at the buzzer, only to have the 25-footer swatted by Corey Brewer.

Awful rebounding? Check. The Nuggets extended their last possession with two offensive rebounds, giving Denver 18 offensive boards for the game. Allowing Brewer to come from above the top of the key to grab a missed free throw was especially costly -- and inexcusable -- for the Mavs.

Terrible defense? Check. Andre Iguodala cruised to the rim after crossing over Vince Carter en route to the game-winning layup.

“We’ve got to win that game,” said Mavs center Brandan Wright, who had a team-high 16 points but went scoreless in the second half. “This is a bad situation. It’s been the story of our season. This is terrible, the worst loss we’ve had all year. We had it and we just fumbled it away.”

The worst loss all year? That’s debatable for the 36-39 Mavs.

The Mavs have been on the wrong end of too many blowouts, but it’s games such as this that will bother them while they’re watching the playoffs from the couch. As Carter said, he doesn’t have enough fingers to count how many times the Mavs have found ways to lose games they should have won.

“There’s gotta be 20 of those games we lost,” said Nowitzki, who was held to 13 points and went scoreless in the fourth quarter. “It stings just as much as all the rest of them. The amount of games we feel like we gave away is tough. This is another one we’ve got to have -- multiple chances to win, basically one rebound to seal it, one big basket. It’s tough.

“It’s tough, but we haven’t shown all season that on the road consistently we can win those games.”

Shawn Marion described the Mavs’ offense as “going from sugar to s---” in the fourth quarter, during which the Mavs scored only 17 points on 7-of-19 shooting. But it’s Denver’s last, long offensive possession that will make the flight to Sacramento so miserable.

After Brewer’s steal, the Nuggets botched a transition opportunity, resulting in Wilson Chandler missing a 4-footer in traffic. Denver forward Kenneth Faried fought for his 19th rebound of the night and got fouled. The Mavs still led by one after Faried missed both of his free throws, but Brewer outhustled everybody to the loose ball to give the Nuggets one last chance.

“We didn’t execute well offensively, and I’ll take responsibility for that,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “But we’ve just got to get a rebound.”

After a timeout, Iguodala made the Mavs pay for failing to get that one rebound. Iguodala got the ball on the right wing, started to drive toward the baseline, left Carter flat-footed with a crossover, cruised through the middle of the defense and laid in the game winner with his left hand.

“We’ve got to make Iguodala earn that,” Carter said. “We can’t just let him go down the middle of our defense and get a layup. We’ve got to put him on the floor, foul him, something.”

Added Nowitzki, who noted that he could have hacked Iguodala: “To give up a game-winning layup is too easy.”

If the Mavs get that one rebound, nobody cares that the Dallas offense was dreadful down the stretch. The Mavs would have been celebrating their most surprising win of the season en route to Sacramento.

“One freakin’ stop,” Carter said, “and we’re having a different conversation.”

Instead, it was the same conversation the Mavs have had so many times during this disappointing season.

DENVER – Corey Brewer will forever be remembered by Mavericks fans for his phenomenal eight-minute stint in Game 1 of the 2011 West semifinals, when he came off the bench to spark a comeback at the Staples Center, setting the tone for a stunning sweep of the two-time defending champions.

“Corey won that game against the Lakers for us,” Mark Cuban said recently, “and we’ll be forever in his debt.”

That outing, however, didn’t earn Brewer a spot in the Mavs’ rotation. In fact, he was deemed so expendable that Dallas dealt him and Rudy Fernandez for a 2016 second-round pick in a post-lockout, salary-dump deal with Denver.

Brewer, the slender, springy, 27-year-old small forward, has blossomed into a significant piece of arguably the NBA’s deepest bench in Denver. He’s averaging 11.8 points and 1.4 steals in 24 minutes per game this season, making him a bargain with a $3.24 million salary in the last year of the deal he signed with Dallas midway through the 2010-11 season.

“He has found the perfect situation for him,” said coach Rick Carlisle, who spent many hours working individually with Brewer during the former No. 7 overall pick’s brief stint in Dallas. “They’ve found a player that fits their style.

“Last year when we were formulating our roster and we signed Vince (Carter), there just weren’t going to be a lot of minutes for Fernandez and Brew. And there were financial considerations, so that deal was made. I’m happy for Brew. The guy helped us win a championship."

Cuban called Brewer a “good fit for that system,” referring to the Nuggets’ frenetic pace, but said he had no regret about dealing Brewer to Denver.

“None. Either we were doing what we were going to do or we weren’t, you know?” Cuban said, referring to the Mavs creating salary cap space. “The worst place we could be is caught in between and indecisive. Nope. I mean, he’s a great fit for their team and it’s working out well for him.”

DALLAS – The writing seems to be on the wall for Rodrigue Beaubois regarding his spot, or lack thereof, in the Mavs’ rotation the rest of the season.

Coach Rick Carlisle, however, indicates that isn’t necessarily the case.

“Just because he didn’t play the other night doesn’t mean that he’s not in our plans,” Carlisle said. “We’re going to need him.”

Beaubois got a DNP-CD in Orlando on Friday night. Not coincidentally, that came the day after Delonte West returned from a 5 1/2-week layoff to recover from a gruesomely fractured right ring finger.

It also came a night after Beaubois had a zero-point, zero-rebound, one-assist, two-turnover, 15-minute line in a loss to the Miami Heat, continuing a troubling trend of poor performances against elite competition for the young guard.

It’s obvious that West will play an important role for the Mavs in the playoffs. The question is whether he’ll start at shooting guard or come off the bench at point guard, but he’s likely to see significant time at both spots. The Mavs need his defensive tenacity, offensive playmaking and, um, stones, to borrow Dirk Nowitzki’s phrase after West played a critical role in Friday’s comeback win over the Magic.

Does that leave room in the rotation for Roddy B. and his flashes of brilliance?

Probably not, unless Vince Carter gets all his minutes as a small forward, but that doesn’t mean Carlisle is spewing bull when he says the Mavs are going to need Beaubois. The Mavs needed Corey Brewer during the playoffs last season. He wasn’t in the rotation, but he answered the bell when he got his shot, keying a comeback in Game 1 against the Lakers.

Maybe Beaubois can have a similar playoff moment. For now, it looks like he’s back in be-ready mode.

For the fifth and final time, the Dallas Mavericks will have a ring ceremony. This time it will involve one of the biggest pieces from their 2010-11 NBA championship -- Tyson Chandler. Chandler, the starting center on last year's team, will be presented with his ring prior to the Knicks-Mavericks game Tuesday night at American Airlines Center.

The Mavericks held ring ceremonies for the returning players from that title team and individual ones for Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson and Corey Brewer. Peja Stojakovic and J.J. Barea attended the team ceremony.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle will say a few words prior to tip-off and present Chandler is ring.

"It's been a moment I've been waiting for really since we won," Chandler said. "[Been] doing a lot of celebrating and looking forward for the hardware."

Monday was the first time Chandler had been in the AAC since the end of the ticker tape parade through downtown Dallas. The Knicks practiced on the Mavericks' practice court and it brought back some great memories for Chandler.

"Coming back in this gym was an amazing feeling, just remembering the practices we went thought to get to the championship," Chandler said. "It brought back a lot of memories and a lot of motivation again; it couldn’t have happened at a perfect time. It's given me motivation for the second half of the season to definitely get my team over the hump."

After that championship season, Chandler expressed a desire to re-sign with the Mavericks, but owner Mark Cuban elected not to bring him back. So Chandler signed a four-year deal with the Knicks to add to a front line that already had Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.

Chandler said he's not upset to not be playing for the Mavericks and still stays in contact with several former teammates, including Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion.

"It was confusing at the time," Chandler said of how he left the Mavs for the Knicks. "Once I became a Knick, I let it all go. I never harbor any feelings. I understand this is a business at the end of the day. So you can't get frustrated or angry with somebody for making a business decision that they think ultimately is what’s best for their franchise, whether or not I think it's right or wrong."

Chandler, who is averaging 11.6 points and a team-leading 9.8 rebounds, is playing through a left wrist injury that requires him using a pad to minimize the force to his hand and also has his wrist taped. He's having difficulty grabbing the ball and fumbled a pass tossed to him by point guard Jeremy Lin during Sunday's overtime loss to the Boston Celtics.

He hasn't been a major force this season like he was in Dallas, but he's not second-guessing his decision to sign with the Knicks.

"No, I just understand [the business]," he said. "I know what it takes to win a championship. At this point, I'm not going back to the early days in my career where I sit around and I don’t voice my opinion. I'm going to push my teammates and myself and hopefully at the end of the day it makes us a contender."

The buzz is that Rodrigue Beaubois has gone from "pretty much untouchable" -- as Mark Cuban called the dynamic guard a couple of years ago -- to being quietly shopped.

That's what ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reports in his TrueHoop post on trade rumors:

Sources say Dallas is about ready to move on from the Roddy Beaubois experiment. The Mavericks have thought for years that the talented young Frenchman could be another Tony Parker, but he has not been able to master the move from shooting guard to point guard. Nor has he been able to fill the void left by J.J. Barea. If they don't move him before this year's deadline, he could be gone over the summer.

Cuban said recently that Beaubois remains in the Mavs' long-term plans, but the Mavs' owner wasn't hooked up to a polygraph when he made that statement.

Beaubois' struggles since he broke his foot while training with the French national team in the summer of 2010 have been well chronicled. He's had some flashes of brilliance this season, but it seemed telling that Beaubois dropped back out of the rotation as soon as Jason Kidd returned from a strained right calf.

With Delonte West sidelined another month or so, there should be minutes available for Beaubois after the All-Star break, when he returns from a personal leave to grieve his father's death. However, it might be in the best interests of Beaubois to get a fresh start elsewhere in the near future.

Don't expect much in return for a player that Cuban claimed he'd only trade for a superstar two years ago. The Mavs would most likely get a draft pick -- and not a lottery pick, like they were offered in 2010.

This would be a financial move for the Mavs, who are trying to create as much salary cap space as possible this summer. Moving Beaubois in a salary dump, similar to the December deal the Mavs made to ship Corey Brewer and Rudy Fernandez to Denver, would clear another $2.23 million off the books.

Every couple of million counts when you're trying to land Dwight Howard and/or Deron Williams.

At this point, that possibility is more valuable than the reality of Roddy B.

DALLAS -- Corey Brewer wishes he was still in Dallas, but he's still smiling with the Denver Nuggets. Rudy Fernandez said his agent had found him a home ready to move into until the Dallas Mavericks traded him and Brewer to Denver a few days into training camp.

"I was surprised they got rid of both of us," Brewer said in the visitors locker room of the American Airlines Center Monday prior to facing his former team. "Not a bad package."

When the Mavs signed 34-year-old Vince Carter and then traded for Lamar Odom, Fernandez and Brewer, two of the Mavs' younger players, became expendable. Denver was taker for Fernandez, but wanted Brewer in the deal. The Mavs, who acquired the lanky, 6-foot-8 wing last season and signed him to a three-year deal, decided to make the move.

"I was surprised," Brewer said. "I was really looking forward to being here. Donnie [Nelson] called me and they decided they were going in another direction, which I respect that."

The Mavs received a 2016 second-round draft choice in return. Dallas has spun the trade as another step to create more cap space for next summer. Brewer, 25, will earn $3.1 million this season, so the Mavs save that amount, plus another $3.1 in luxury tax. Fernandez is in the final year of his deal and will make $2.2 million. Carter signed with the Mavs for $3 million, plus two more partially guaranteed seasons.

"From a basketball standpoint it's tough," coach Rick Carlisle said of losing Brewer, a player in which he invested a lot of one-of-one time. "From a business standpoint it's easy because it's, in luxury tax money, it's a $6 million contract instead of a $3 million contract, so I understood it. Corey got better. He was an important guy here, the minutes he had that one game against the Lakers (Game 1 of the West semifinals) may well have been the key game in the entire playoff run, you never know."

The deal could be a good one for Brewer and Fernandez. They join a young squad that will run the floor under coach George Karl. Both figure to receive solid minutes off the bench behind Aaron Afflalo and Danilo Gallinari, and contribute to a team shifting out of an era that included Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith.

"I like the style of play," Brewer said. "It's a bunch of guys that like to get up and down, two good point guards, both of them like to push it, so you get a chance to run in this system."

As for Fernandez, he said he had already selected a home in Dallas and was prepared to join the defending champions despite reports out of Spain for much of the offseason that he was more interested in remaining in his home country and playing for Real Madrid.

"When Vince Carter signed with Dallas it probably meant less minutes for me," Fernandez said. "Right now Denver is really interested in me and Brewer and ... we have the opportunity to be an important part of this team."

Brewer got in a good look at the championship banner raised Sunday and at his name stitched around the border with his former teammates. But, there is one thing missing: Brewer, a two-time NCAA champion at Florida, didn't get sized for his championship ring before the trade.

"I've got two already," Brewer said, "so I can send them my size."

The Dallas Mavericks have plenty to improve upon tonight as the Denver Nuggets -- with former Mavs forward Corey Brewer and former Mavs guard that never was Rudy Fernandez -- open their season at American Airlines Center.

The good news is the Nuggets aren't the Miami Heat, who outrebounded Dallas 51-31, scored 97 points through three quarters and drove to the rim with impunity. Still, a revamped Nuggets squad that is without the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler averaged 118.5 points in two preseason games and will look to run and gun and hand the defending champions consecutive losses for the first time since April 21 and 23 in the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers.

"The rebounding is a concern, turnovers are a concern, overall defense from a consistency standpoint is a concern," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "Denver is going to come in here with a shot at the champs. It's a situation where we've got to work to make quantum leaps as often and as quickly as we can as a team.

When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: American Airlines Center

TV: FSSW

Radio: 103.3 FM ESPN/1270 AM (Spanish)

What to watch: So, who starts at shooting guard? Vince Carter started Sunday, but Delonte West got the call to start the second half against the Heat because Carlisle said he was looking for playmaking. Carlisle also said the starter at two-guard could change from game to game depending on matchups. The Nuggets start veteran Andre Miller at point guard and the 6-foot-5 Aaron Afflalo is expected to start at shooting guard. This would seem to favor Carter starting with West coming off the bench to back up Jason Kidd and check Denver reserve Ty Lawson. ... Look for the Mavs to involve Lamar Odom early in the offensive sets. He swished his first shot on his first possession entering the game midway through the first quarter, but he missed all of his next five shots and was saddled with early foul trouble before ejected in the third quarter for arguing a charging call.

Key matchup: Brendan Haywood vs. Nene
Haywood had little offensive impact Sunday and defensively he finished up Sunday's opener with no blocked shots and one defensive rebound in 13:38 of playing time. The Heat don't have much of a low-post game, instead using their All-NBA wings to attack the rim. Tonight Haywood gets a chance to bang with skilled and agile big man Nene, who spurned lucrative free-agent offers elsewhere to return to a young and intriguing Nuggets team. Haywood was plagued by foul trouble Sunday, picking up two quickies before the end of the first half for three and then another quick one to start the second half for a fourth. On the surface, this is a difficult matchup for Haywood, but asking Ian Mahinmi or Brandan Wright to stick with Nene for long stretches could be a dangerous proposition.

Injuries: Nuggets - None. Mavs - Shawn Marion (fractured left pinkie finger) is probable.

Up next: Mavs at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7 p.m., Thursday

The 2011-12 season has lifted off and the high-speed ride has only just begun. Following Sunday's Christmas Day opener that included a rousing championship banner-raising ceremony, there is no time to even exhale.

About 27 hours after the players left the American Airlines Center after the 105-94 loss that was actually much worse than the final score against the Miami Heat, they'll be tipping off against the Denver Nuggets in the first back-to-back of 20 on the season.

Every Monday we'll break down the week ahead. This should be a fun one with a stop at the Okahoma City Thunder on Thursday, a visit by former Mavs assistant Dwane Casey and his new team the Toronto Raptors and a visit up north to say hello to old friend J.J. Barea and his new pal Ricky Rubio with the Minnesota Timberwolves on New Year's Day.

Here's a look:

Today: vs. Nuggets, 7:30 p.m.
TV/Radio: FSSW/103.3 FM ESPN; 1270 AM (Spanish)
What to watch: Who are these guys? Nene returned to anchor coach George Karl's latest incarnation, one that does not include Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith or Kenyon Martin. Still,this is an intriguing club with Nene, Aaron Afflalo, Danilo Gallinari, Ty Lawson and Mavs castoff Corey Brewer. Expect an up-tempo game that play into the hands of the Nuggets because while it is their season opener, the Mavs will be coming off the big Christmas Day game against the hated Heat.

Thursday: at Thunder, 7 p.m.
TV/Radio: TNT/103.3 FM ESPN; 1270 AM (Spanish)
What to watch: The Thunder beat up Dallas pretty good in two preseason games, building 23-point leads in both contests. But, while OKC played its regular rotation, the Mavs didn't show much. Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd sat out the first game and illness forced out Jason Terry and Delonte West in the second game. The Thunder will have to scour tape of the Mavs' games against the Heat and Nuggets to get an idea of Dallas' rotation. The Mavs should have fresh legs and they'll need them because OKC will be primed to run and gun its West finals ouster out of the building.

Friday: vs. Raptors, 7:30 p.m.
TV/Radio: FSSW/103.3 FM ESPN; 1270 AM (Spanish)
What to watch: Former Mavs assistant and defensive architect Dwane Casey has his own club again north of the border. He doesn't have a lot to work with and his first season will certainly be challenging. He'll have his new club up to play the defending champs and might even show off a new defensive wrinkle or two.

Sunday: at Timberwolves, 6 p.m.
TV/Radio: FSSW/103.3 FM ESPN; 1270 AM (Spanish)
What to watch: No longer is it safe to assume that a trip to Minneapolis will be a walk in a snowy park. This is an interesting team under the guidance of Rick Adelman. Barea joins the rookie Rubio in the backcourt and Kevin Love and Michael Beasley up front with a few other exciting young players. Another second night of a back-to-back could turn into a track meet, and that's never easy for the older team, even this early into the season.

DALLAS -- Unless the Dallas Mavericks add a player to the roster in the next two days, they'll start the season with 14 players, five of which were not on the title team.

Since winning the championship in June, the Mavs have seen Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea, DeShawn Stevenson and Caron Butler leave via free agency. Peja Stojakovic retired and Dallas traded Corey Brewer (along with the Rudy Fernandez, who never showed up in Big D after being acquired in a draft-night trade in June).

New players include Lamar Odom, Vince Carter, Delonte West, Brandan Wright and Sean Williams.

Could there be one more coming?

"I have no idea," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "At this point there’s nothing imminent."

The one area of need remains at center where starter Brendan Haywood was not impressive in the two preseason games and none of his backups have extensive experience. Ian Mahinmi has never fulfilled a backup role and Wright and Williams have underachieved after being first-round draft picks.

The name that remains available is veteran center Joel Przybilla, who was injured last season and has at least entertained retirement. He has said that wants to get through the holidays before making a decision.

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said Shawn Marion, Lamar Odom and Dirk Nowitzki form the best forward group in the league, and if you look around, it's hard to argue.

Collectively, they own four championships, 14 All-Star appearances, one league MVP, one Finals MVP and one Sixth Man of the Year award. What really stands out and makes the three a lethal combination for the Dallas Mavericks this season is that all three bring vastly different styles and skills.

The 6-foot-7 Marion can run the floor, post up and rebound at both ends. The 6-foot-10 Odom can handle the ball like few big men and brings the added dimension of being able to initiate the offense. He doesn't need plays called for him to be a central figure in the offense. He can step out and bury the 3-pointer as effectively as a dip of the shoulder and drive.

As for the 7-foot Nowitzki, well, entering his 14th season, there's little need to list his litany of devastating powers.

Combined, the three averaged 49.9 points, 22.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists a game last season.

The forward position should be one of greater strength than last season, when small forward beyond Marion became a revolving door after Caron Butler's New Year's Day knee injury took him out for the rest of the season. Marion eventually became the full-time starter after Sasha Pavlovic played out two 10-day contracts and Peja Stojakovic hurt his neck.

Carlisle holds his plans close to the vest, but Marion would seem the likely candidate to remain a starter with Odom coming off the bench to defend his sixth man title won last season with the Los Angeles Lakers. A glimpse at both forward positions:

Small forward: The position belongs to Marion and Odom now that youngster Corey Brewer is playing for the Denver Nuggets. Carlisle will likely approach the tandem like he did with Marion and Butler before the injury, managing their minutes and going with the hot hand in the fourth quarter or whichever matchup is best suited for the situation. If needed, the 6-6 Vince Carter can slide over.

Power forward: A year ago, Marion was the de facto backup to Nowitzki, and he did a fine job of playing the bigger position. This season, Odom might find himself doing the switch more than Marion. Dallas also acquired Brandan Wright, a former lottery pick who hasn't lived up to that status in his brief career and, of course, there is fan favorite Brian Cardinal, who will always play sturdy defense, take and give a hard foul and nail a corner 3-pointer.