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Tenth in a 15-part series ranking the Mavericks' 2011-12 roster in importance of bringing back next season.

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Brandan Wright is easily the most athletic big man the Dallas Mavericks have put on the floor since ... well, Tyson Chandler. Wright, the Human Pogo Stick or the Human Exclamation Point as a certain colleague of mine dubbed him this season, brought a high level of energy and excitement -- and a higher level of two-handed alley-oop slams -- as he earned more and more playing time.

The former lottery pick of the Golden State Warriors provided two areas that the Mavs' sorely lacked and will look to gain more of this offseasaon -- youth, he's only 24, and athleticism. He's a high-motor big man who can run the floor. He has soft hands and is an impeccable finisher around the rim with a nice array of moves -- he boasted a team-best 61.8 shooting percentage.

The biggest issue with Wright is where he fits. His natural position is power forward, but coach Rick Carslisle converted him to center because Dallas obviously has Dirk Nowitzki entrenched there and at the time they believed Lamar Odom would fill the bill when Nowitzki sat. At center, Wright started out on the depth chart behind Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi, but as the season wore on the spindly-framed Wright at times logged more minutes than the others.

Until the playoffs.

And that's the conundrum with Wright. He hasn't developed a mid-range game to be able to play power forward effectively in Dallas' offense and he's not physically strong enough to consistently defend the center position. When he got his brief chance to play in the first round against Oklahoma City he had a serious case of butterfingers and the moment, the first playoff action of his career, seemed a bit too big. He played a total of 26 minutes in the series with a high of eight in the Game 3 blowout.

But at less than $1 million last season and next (assuming the Mavs pick up the team option), Wright is cheap, cheap labor and a talent worth trying to develop for the long run. In fact, he could be a talent the Mavs must develop for significant minutes next season because the center position at the moment is in total chaos.

Haywood is a prime candidate for the amnesty provision and Mahinmi is a free agent with no guarantee that he'll be back. Dallas won't dare go into the regular season with Wright as its primary man to patrol the paint, but he could certainly be relied upon to become a prime player.

The Countdown winds down a second week with No. 6...

BRANDAN WRIGHT
Pos.: C/PF
Ht./Wt.: 6-foot-10, 210
Experience: 4 years
Age: 24 (Oct. 5, 1987)
2011-12 stats: 6.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 16.1 mpg, 49 G
Contract status: Team option for next season
2011-12 salary: $915,852
2012-13 salary: $947,907

His story: Perseverance has Wright on the right track to remove his name from the long list of lottery busts and onto a more flattering one of productive rotation players. Drafted eighth overall in 2007 by Charlotte and traded to Golden State for Jason Richardson, Wright was buried on Don Nelson's bench and then injured his shoulder during an October 2009 practice. Surgery sidelined him the entire season and the next year the Warriors traded Wright to the New Jersey Nets. In his first three seasons, Wright played in 114 games so the 49 he got in this season was something of a landmark, a career-high he hopes to build upon. He's already been busy back in the gym, proving it by tweeting pictures. "I worked really hard to get back where I am," Wright said at the end of the season. "I'm blessed to have the opportunity to heal up from those injuries. This is a process and you’ve got to stick with it. When you start thinking like that (negatively), it's easy to start slacking off with rehab or getting back to where you want to be."

His outlook: Wright has to feel good that the Mavs will pick up his option (it would certainly seem to be a no-brainer). The real question is whether Carlisle will continue to try to mold him into a center or if power forward can be an option now that Odom is out of the picture and Shawn Marion (if he returns) might seem better off exclusively, or close to exclusively, at small forward. Wright believes he can develop a consistent mid-range jumper that could force defenses to extend out, providing the spacing the Mavs need to operate their halfcourt sets. He also needs to add muscle to his 210-pound frame (for a bit of reference, 6-5 guard Dominique Jones weighs 215 pounds) so he can hold his ground defensively at either the 4 or 5. If he can do that and sharpen his jumper, combined with his vertical jump and ability to finish at the rim, Wright could eventually live up to his lottery-pick status.

No. 15 Lamar Odom
No. 14 Brian Cardinal
No. 13 Yi Jianlian
No. 12 Dominique Jones
No. 11 Brendan Haywood
No. 10 Kelenna Azubuike
No. 9 Ian Mahinmi
No. 8 Vince Carter
No. 7 Rodrigue Beaubois
No. 6 Brandan Wright
No. 5 Coming Monday

Seventh in a 15-part series ranking the Mavericks' 2011-12 roster in importance of bringing back next season.

Ian Mahinmi recorded career-best statistics across the board in his second season with the Dallas Mavericks -- his fourth in the league and first as a true backup center.

Even in a lockout-shortened schedule, he played a career-high 61 games this season and average 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds, also career bests. The 18.7 minutes a game he averaged were 10 full minutes more than he averaged during his career-high last season as the Mavs' third-string center.

So where is Mahinmi's ceiling?

How much is an improving, yet still semi-raw big man worth? How many years is a team willing to give him? Is he starting material or is he destined to be a career backup? Can he become a low-post scoring threat? Can he become a better rebounder? Can he hold his ground better defensively? Can he stop fouling on the perimeter?

All these questions will determine the fashionable Frenchman's worth and whether he'll be back in Dallas or continuing to grow his career with a third team in his fifth season.

The Countdown rolls on at No. 9 ...

IAN MAHINMI
Pos.: C
Ht./Wt.: 6-foot-11, 230
Experience: 4 years
Age: 25 (Nov. 5, 1986)
2011-12 stats: 5.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 18.7 mpg
Contract status: Unrestricted free agent
2011-12 salary: $915,852
2012-13 salary: TBD

His story: He got his initial lessons in American basketball with the fundamentally sound San Antonio Spurs for two seasons in which he barely got off the bench. The Mavs afforded him an opportunity and he's made considerable strides. He got off to such an impressive start to this season that it seemed he might be making a run at Brendan Haywood's starting job. But as Brandan Wright got more playing time, Mahinmi saw his minutes dwindle, as well as his production. In his first 24 games, Mahinmi averaged 20.2 minutes a game, 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. Then came the 25th game and a curious DNP-coach's decision on Feb. 4 at Cleveland. In his final 37 games, his numbers dipped to 17.6 minutes, 4.5 points and 4.1 rebounds... His greatest weakness is his penchant for picking up needless fouls that send him to the bench. Of the Mavs' three centers this season, Mahinmi is the most promising and well-rounded offensively, able to maneuver around the basket and finish while also being able to step out and hit the mid-range jumper at the free throw line and along the baseline.

His outlook: As stated above, where is Mahinmi's ceiling, and how far will a team go to sign him in free agency? If one takes a leap, it would likely mean he'll say goodbye to Dallas. The Mavs, though, have an interesting dilemma potentially brewing. If they use the amnesty clause on Haywood, they will be in need of a starting center. Do they believe Mahinmi can fill that space? Not likely if the goal is to be a top team in the West. Wright, as was seen all season, isn't a true center and doesn't have the body to battle down low for extended minutes. As with everything else tied to the Mavs' roster as the summer approaches, what transpires in free agency (i.e. landing a "big fish") will determine the direction the club takes with Mahinmi and a number of players.

No. 15 Lamar Odom
No. 14 Brian Cardinal
No. 13 Yi Jianlian
No. 12 Dominique Jones
No. 11 Brendan Haywood
No. 10 Kelenna Azubuike
No. 9 Ian Mahinmi
No. 8 Coming Wednesday

You don't have to be a billionaire owner of a basketball team to know it would make perfect sense to take stab at signing injury-ravaged center Greg Oden this offseason.

The 7-foot free agent would come cheap and even after three microfracture surgeries on two knees in his four seasons since the Portland Trail Blazers made him the No. 1 pick ahead of Kevin Durant in the 2007 draft, Oden is only 24 years old.

The Blazers released Oden in March and he did not sign with another team, by his choice, according to a piece written by Mark Titus on Grantland.com . Titus, a former AAU and Ohio State teammate of Oden's, sat down with the former one-and-done Buckeyes star and reveals in the article that Oden plans to train in Columbus, Ohio, during the 2012-13 season with the hope of strengthening his legs to the point where he can resume his short-circuited career in the 2013-14 season.

The Mavericks could be in serious need of a center next season. Brendan Haywood remains under contract for three years, but even he knows that Dallas could amnesty him to create cap space if it can land Deron Williams in free agency. Backup center Ian Mahinmi is a free agent.

Oden would have been interesting player to bring in. However, it appears that will have to wait another year, just like a pursuit of Dwight Howard.

DALLAS – Ian Mahinmi hopes he hasn’t played his last minutes as a Maverick.

The Mavs took a minimum-salary flyer on Mahinmi a couple of summers ago after the Spurs willingly let their former first-round pick go. He developed into a solid backup big man, averaging 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game this season, which puts him in position to get a significant raise as a free agent.

Mahinmi’s preference is to keep cashing paychecks signed by Mark Cuban.

“Obviously it’s been two great years for me,” Mahinmi said. “The Mavs organization really gave me a chance to play and show the world what I can do, so I really want to stay here. But on the other part, you know that the NBA’s a business. We all know that they’re going to try to make the NBA better. Right now, I don’t know if I’m in their plans, but me, I really want to stay here.”

Brandan Wright is the only one of the Mavs’ “three-headed monster” at center who should be considered likely to be on the roster next season. While Wright was a nonfactor in the playoffs, his team option for the minimum salary next season is still a bargain.

Starter Brendan Haywood, who played less than 10 minutes in two of the Mavs’ four playoffs games, is a prime candidate for the amnesty clause. The Mavs will need to shed a significant salary to be major players in the free agency market, and Haywood is due $8.3 million next season (and $27.2 million over the three remaining guaranteed years of his contract).

“In this business, you don’t control anything,” Haywood said, acknowledging being amnestied as a possibility but declining to discuss it in much detail. “You just go out there and play. All that other stuff is handled by front office people and your agent.”

If the Mavs cut ties with Haywood, it wouldn’t necessarily increase the odds of Mahinmi returning. The Mavs might see Wright as a suitable backup center and attempt to use their resources to find a proven starter at a reasonable cost.

DALLAS -- Scowling Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins has seen very little of heavyweight counterpart Brendan Haywood in this series. Whether that's Perkins taking Haywood out of the game or Haywood taking himself out is a point of debate, perhaps.

But Perkins said he thinks something is not right with the Dallas Mavericks big man who has played a total of 36 minutes in the first three games of the series.

"Brendan’s a good player, man. I remember when he was with the Wizards he was averaging a double-double, so you just never know," Perkins said. "Could be body aching, it could be a mental thing. But I know he’s not himself lately, so I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but I know he’s not himself. But, you know, you got times where you go through stretches like that."

Haywood has averaged just 3.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in the limited time he's been on the floor. He started Game 3 with a bit of a flurry, being active on the offensive boards and slamming in a putback. But then came some butterfingers, and Haywood's night quickly came to end. In the series he's made just 3-of-11 shots.

The problem for Dallas is it just doesn't have much beef behind him. Ian Mahinmi has played well but doesn't provide much muscle, and Brandan Wright has been a virtual no-show when he's been on the floor.

Perhaps Haywood is not fully healthy. He twisted his left ankle on March 5 and then upon his return he sprained his right knee March 15 and was out until March 30. He's worn a brace ever since.

"I don’t know," Perkins said. "I see like two knee braces on, two knee things on, and I don’t know what’s wrong with him. We’re just out there trying to win and I know that he’s capable of doing more than he’s been giving, so it only takes one game to really get your confidence going."

DALLAS -- Mavericks backup center Ian Mahinmi has been the most productive center Dallas has put on the floor against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and that isn't saying much.

Mahinmi has averaged 6.3 and 4.3 rebounds in 18.7 minutes. In Games 2 and 3, he started the second half over disappointing big man Brendan Haywood.

Will coach Rick Carlisle opt to go with the more agile and active Mahinmi as the starter in tonight's do-or-die Game 4 at American Airlines Center? Haywood's minutes have dwindled in the series from 19 to 10 to seven in Game 3. He's averaged three points and three boards.

Carlisle stuck to his guns and wouldn't discuss his plans for tonight.

"I’m not going to talk about lineups this morning," Carlisle said after the Mavs' morning shootaround. "That’s my policy, stay consistent with it. It’s been three years, 11 months and 22 ½ days, or whatever, but you know, it’s not about tweaking this or that, it’s about playing better, playing a better overall game and that’s what we’re going to do."

When the Mavs signed Vince Carter, they viewed him as the kind of aging offensive player who still had enough skills to help them win a playoff game - or series. You know, kind of like Peja Stojakovic last season against the Lakers.

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Well, for a quarter it looked like Carter might be able to provide that kind of spark against Oklahoma City.

He scored seven points in the first quarter, including a Vinsanity flashback - he drove through the lane and powered home a one-handed dunk in traffic - and a corner three with nine seconds left in the quarter.

The spurt ended a stretch of seven consecutive points that pulled the Mavs within 32-26, entering the second quarter.

He didn’t score again.

Carter finished two of eight from the field in 27 minutes in Dallas' 95-79 loss.

We shouldn’t really be surprised.

The Mavs have eight players in their 30s, and it showed during Game 3 and the season. Their bodies didn’t respond to the NBA’s compact schedule - 66 games in 123 days - and they haven’t been able to get all of their older guys playing well at the same time in the playoffs.

That’s what happens to older players. They lose the consistency that made them stars in their prime. They can dominate for spurts as Carter did for a few minutes in Game 3, but it’s difficult for them to maintain that high level of performance for a game or a series.

Here are three more areas of interest heading into Friday:

Three-headed center: Once again, the Mavs received virtually nothing from the center position and it played a role in their demise. Brendan Haywood, Ian Mahinmi and Brandan Wright combined to score nine points and grab eight rebounds in 30 minutes, but had no positive impact on the game. Haywood, the starting center, played just seven minutes.

Jason Kidd: The NBA's quintessential point guard is a facilitator by nature, but the Mavs’ stagnant offense turned him into a shooter in Game 3. That’s never, ever a good sign. Kidd, who made just four of 18 shots in the series’ first two games, finished second on the team with 12 points, while taking a season-high 12 shots. Kidd made two of his six three-point attempts. When Kidd is that involved in shooting and scoring, the Mavs rarely win.

Jason Terry has no impact: After three games, Jason Terry has had one great half, and that occurred in Game 1. He’s been a non-factor in the other five halves of this series. Terry scored 11 points on three of 12 shooting with six assists and three rebounds, but Mark Cuban pays him to score. Without his scoring, the Mavs had no chance.

DALLAS -- The Mavericks three-headed monster at center, which seems a far-fetched term in relation to production, needs a jolt.

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The combination of starting center Brendan Haywood, Ian Mahinmi and Brandan Wright have combined in the first two games to average 11.0 points on 42.2 percent shooting, and 9.5 rebounds. All by himself, Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins has put up 6.5 points on 50 percent shooting, 7.0 rebounds and some extracurricular muscle along the way.

Backup center Ian Mahinmi has led the Mavs at 20 minutes a game, averaging 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. Haywood has averaged just 14.5 minutes, 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds. Wright has shown his postseason greenness in just 6.5 minutes.

"Our centers combined were very productive during the regular season and it was a real positive factor for us," coach Rick Carlisle said. "They've done good things in these first two games, but we want those guys to be active. We need them to generate extra possessions for us when they can and we need them to have a physical presence. They're very clear on what we're asking of them."

The veteran Haywood must become more of a presence, but perhaps the most disappointing aspect is that the 6-foot-10 Wright has shrunk under the bright lights of the playoffs. In 12 total minutes played he has two turnovers, which is one more than his scoring total (he came nowhere close to scoring on his two shot attempts) and one fewer than his total rebounds.

During the season, Wright provided great energy boosts with his activity, yet in this series he hasn't come close to completing one of his patented two-handed jams. Wright didn't want to see a series against the Lakers because his playing time would be close to eliminated against Andrew Bynum. Wright figured to have an opportunity to shine against the Thunder's bigs.

It just hasn't been the case yet.

"It's two games and it's two road games and it's his first two playoff games," Carlisle said. "We're home tonight and we've got to turn some things around on a lot of different levels and he's going to have to be ready tonight."

DALLAS – Brendan Haywood is still the Mavericks’ starting center.

Coach Rick Carlisle made it clear that Haywood’s benching for the start of the second half in Game 2 is not a trend that will continue. Carlisle typically refuses to reveal his starting lineup until required by the league 16 minutes before tip-off, but he said Haywood would remain the Mavs’ starting center for Game 2.

“He’s started every game all year that he’s been available,” Carlisle said. “We’re not going to change that now. The second half the other night, it’s an outlier situation. It was a gut feel and I went with it, but tomorrow night Wood’s going to be our guy again.”

The 7-foot, 263-pound Haywood, who took over as the starter after Tyson Chandler’s departure in free agency, played only 9:54 in Game 2. He finished with the game with two points, one blocked shot and no rebounds.

Oklahoma City starting center Kendrick Perkins, who is usually not a scoring threat, had seven of his 13 points in the first quarter.

“I played nine minutes last game, so the impact is going to be minimal that game,” said Haywood, who had four points, seven rebounds and a blocked shot in 19 minutes in Game 1. “My whole thing is just to do the same thing. I'm not trying to get out of character. Perkins got open early last time when we had some switches, he switched on Dirk [Nowitzki] a couple times and was able to take advantage. But we're trying to win the game; we're not trying to win any individual matchup.”

After Game 2, Carlisle cited energy and quickness as reasons that influenced his gut feeling to start Ian Mahinmi for the second half. Asked if Haywood needed to play with more energy in Game 3, Carlisle said: “I just think that guys need to do things that they’re capable of doing. When Brendan is out there, we need him to play his game and give us what he can.”

Haywood has taken a professional approach when asked about his playing time.

“I'm fine, that's a coach's decision,” Haywood said. “This is the playoffs; you might play nine minutes, you might play 29. Be ready either way.”

With Tyson Chandler being named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year today, it’s difficult not to wonder how things might be different if he stayed in Dallas.

The Mavs won’t waste any mental energy on the subject, but it’s impossible for fans and media to ignore.

Here’s all you need to know about how much Dallas misses Chandler: The Mavs’ starting center for the rest of this series is somewhat of a mystery after Brendan Haywood was benched for the beginning of the second half in Monday’s Game 2 loss.

Haywood hasn’t been on the floor for the last few minutes in either of the down-to-the-wire finishes in the first two games of the series. Coach Rick Carlisle, whose team is down 0-2 to Oklahoma City as the series shifts to Dallas, cited quickness and energy as two reasons Haywood has played so little against the Thunder (29 minutes in two games).

There aren’t many centers quicker than Chandler. There aren’t any with more energy.

Chandler averaged 8.0 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game in last season’s West finals, when Dallas dismissed the Thunder in five games. The Mavs’ three-headed monster, as they call their center trio of Haywood, Ian Mahinmi and Brandan Wright, has combined to put up slightly better numbers (11.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks) with a heck of a lot less presence in this series.

Would the Mavs be better off with Chandler serving as the emotional leader/defensive anchor and a three-headed backup monster? For right now, that answer is obvious.

That doesn’t make the decision to let Chandler go any more illogical. Mark Cuban made what he considered a serious attempt to keep Chandler while maintaining financial flexibility, offering him a one-year, $20 million deal.

Chandler considered it a no-brainer to take long-term security, choosing a four-year, $58 million deal from the Knicks. As divorces go, it was an amicable one.

Chandler went to a big-market team with star power. The Mavs moved on, flipping a trade exception acquired in his sign-and-trade deal for the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. Lamar Odom arrived in Dallas with a team-friendly contract, but he also brought team-wrecking baggage. Swing and a miss for strike one.

The Mavs still had dreams of pulling off a Heat-like free-agency bonanza, landing Dwight Howard and Deron Williams this summer. That’s no longer possible, with Howard opting to commit (contractually, at least) to the Magic for one more season. Strike two.

If Williams doesn’t come to Dallas this summer, the decision to kiss Chandler goodbye can be considered one of the great strikeouts of Cuban’s ownership tenure.

We can’t completely judge that decision until July. For now, the Mavs have the hands full trying to fight their way into a series without the big man from their championship run.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - The Dallas Mavericks can’t win in the playoffs on nights when their bench gets outplayed.

Feel free to use Monday night’s 102-99 loss in Game 2 of the Mavs’ Western Conference quarterfinal against Oklahoma City as evidence.

The Mavs expect James Harden to score 15 points with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. They don’t expect Derek Fisher to score 11 first-half points on five of six shooting and help the Thunder build a 16-point lead.

Contrast that to Jason Terry, who scored 13 points, but was a non-factor most of the night and Vince Carter, who kept taking jumpers instead of attacking the basket.

Terry made five of 12 shots, but the Mavs were outscored by 17 points, when he was on the court. Carter was-2 of-9 from the field and the Mavs were outscored by 12 points when he was on the court.

Ridiculous.

Terry and Carter are supposed to be two of the Mavs’ assets, players who relieve some of the offensive burden from Dirk Nowitzki.

Ian Mahinmi gave the Mavs a strong effort off the bench with nine points and five rebounds, but it was offset by his five fouls, which limited his playing time, and Brendan Haywood’s ineffective performance.

Haywood, benched to start the second half, had two points and no rebounds in 10 minutes.

The bench must improve. The series won’t last much longer if it doesn’t

Here are three more areas of interest heading into Tuesday's day of rest:

1. Catastrophic turnovers: You could say the Mavs lost this game during a seven-minute stretch spanning the end of the first quarter and the start of the second quarter, when Oklahoma City turned a 24-23 deficit into a 46-30 lead. They did it by converting a plethora of Mavs’ turnovers into transition baskets. Oklahoma City turned 16 turnovers into 21 points. No way the Mavs can win like that because Oklahoma City is a younger, faster and quicker team. Letting them score in transition, especially considering the haphazard nature of their half-court offense is disastrous.

2. Containing Kevin Durant: Shawn Marion has done a phenomenal job guarding Durant by contesting every shot he takes and making it tough for him to get to his sweet spots on the court. Durant was only 5-of-17 in Game 2 but still scored 26 points because he made 14 of 16 free throws. Durant, the NBA’s leading scorer, has made only 15 of 44 shots in the series. It’s a testament to his skill level that he’s still getting his points, but imagine what trouble the Mavs will have on the night he goes off -- and he will have at least one good shooting night in this series.

3. X-Factors are no factors: Based on the regular season, there was plenty of reason to believe Brandan Wright or Rodrigue Beaubois could have an impact on the Mavs’ series with Oklahoma City. Well, it hasn’t happened and there’s no indication it will. They played a combined 10 minutes -- five each -- and totaled one point and one rebound.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Brendan Haywood might not be the Mavericks’ starting center the rest of this series.

Coach Rick Carlisle benched Haywood at the beginning of the second half in favor of Ian Mahinmi. The Mavs made their 17-4 run in the second quarter with a small-ball lineup that featured Dirk Nowitzki at center, a look they used much of the second half.

“Adjusting to the series. Adjusting to the level of quickness, energy,” Carlisle said. “Look, it’s not to say that Haywood’s not going to be starting Game 3, but for this game, I felt like that was the way to go. Look, it’s a gut feel, it’s a coach’s decision, and that’s how we go with it.”

Haywood played only 9:54, finishing with two points, one blocked shots and no rebounds. He played less than three minutes in the second half and said he wasn’t given an explanation for being benched.

“No, he doesn’t have to,” Haywood said. “He’s the head coach. He made a decision. … He’s the head coach. He has to make a decision that he thinks will help the team win.”

Haywood brushed off a question when asked whether he was frustrated that he wasn’t on the floor to finish the close games while the Thunder took a 2-0 lead in this series.

“C’mon, man, I’m not giving you nothing like that after a playoff loss to put you down 2-0,” Haywood said. “Stop it.”

OKLAHOMA CITY – Tyson Chandler’s rim-protecting presence played a major role in the Mavericks’ remarkable ability to finish games strong during the team’s title run. Now, the Mavs aren’t sure which center will be on the floor during crunch time on a game-to-game basis.

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Brendan Haywood, Ian Mahinmi and Brandan Wright have all been part of the closing lineup this season, which might explain why Dallas has gone from dominant to mediocre in such situations this season.

“Sometimes those are gut decisions,” Carlisle said. “Sometimes you lay them out and have a plan that you have in mind. All year long, it’s been kind of a feel thing with those guys.”

Wright played a grand total of 18 seconds in the fourth quarter. On the first defensive possession after he checked into the game, Wright committed a touch foul on Russell Westbrook’s game-tying and-1 layup and was immediately benched.

The Mavs built a seven-point lead after Haywood, the Mavs’ starter and best defensive center, replaced Wright. However, Carlisle opted to go with the more offensively skilled Mahinmi with 2:16 remaining, a decision that can be second-guessed after Dallas didn’t score a field goal the remainder of the game while the Thunder stole the win with a 12-4 closing run.

It’s a decision Carlisle didn’t have to make last season.

OKLAHOMA CITY – One of the cardinal sins in playoff basketball is committing a soft foul around the basket.

The Mavericks did that three times in the fourth quarter. Brandan Wright was benched after his pat on Russell Westbrook’s back led to an easy and-1 layup. Serge Ibaka had a couple of three-point plays during the Thunder’s rally from a seven-point deficit in the final 2:31, converting a layup despite an Ian Mahinmi foul and dunking on Dirk Nowitzki despite a slap on the wrist.

“We fouled, but we didn’t foul smart,” Nowitzki said. “That’s obviously not playoff basketball. We’ve got to wrap those guys up and make them earn it at the line. That’s what playoff basketball is about – both teams competing at the highest level and making hard, physical plays.”

Added coach Rick Carlisle: “In those situations, we can’t be in a touch-foul mode. We’ve got to either back off or we’ve got to take a hard foul and make them earn two free throws. That’s just playoff basketball.”

OKLAHOMA CITY -- As limited as Brandan Wright's role might have been in a playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, it might as equally unlimited against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Each team's starting centers -- the Mavericks' Brendan Haywood and the Thunder's Kendrick Perkins -- could be more spectators than participants in this series that promises to be played at a high tempo. Lineup strategies will unfold, but it certainly would seem to bode well for Mavs backup center Brandan Wright, who is the only Dallas player assured of making his postseason debut (Yi Jianlian would also be making his debut).

Wright said he's anxious to Game 1 going, but that he is not nervous.

"I woke up a little early this morning though," Wright acknowledged.

Wright played in just one of the four games against the Thunder this season. Since he didn't become a regular rotation player until Feb. 1 against OKC, he rode the bench in the Dec. 29 and Jan. 2 meetings. He missed the March game with a concussion. He played 25 minutes and scored 12 points with three blocks off the bench with Haywood out with a back injury and Ian Mahinmi in the starting lineup.

"We have to be big," the bouncy 6-foot-10 Wright said about all three centers. "We have to play our roles and do the things we need to do to win the game. I think all of us have great opportunities to make plays and have a big impact on this series."