Dallas Mavericks forward Tim Thomas didn't entertain a request to tell his side of the story after Thursday's practice. Thomas and several people he was with were allegedly involved in a melee at a Dallas Denny's at around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to a Dallas police report.

Coach Rick Carlisle waved off a question about the incident. President of basketball operations Donnie Nelson again suggested the entire thing had been overblown.

Despite his late hour out, Thomas made it to practice later Wednesday morning and Thursday he left with the team for Miami.

Now the focus returns to basketball for the 6-foot-10 journeyman and what his role will be on a Mavs team that is getting healthy and appears to be quite deep.

Thomas, who missed all of training camp and missed the beginning of the season with a knee injury, did not play Tuesday against Phoenix. Carlisle said it was a coach's decision and not a problem with the knee. Thomas has averaged 17.4 minutes in the nine games he's played, averaging 7.9 points and 3.0 rebounds.

"We’ve got a lot of good players," Carlisle said. "Right now, I think one of the important things for me to do is get our core players playing well together. There’s five or six guys that have been here that are our main guys and fit the others around them. Some of the minutes in the bench positions will fluctuate. At times guys may play, at other times they may not. We ask them to stay ready and to do their work and stay healthy. Eventually we're going to need everybody."