Dallas Morning News LOS ANGELES ? Through two preseason games, a few conclusions can be drawn about the new Mavericks. ?The commitment to interior scoring is legitimate. Look no further than the number of 3-pointers they shot in the opener Tuesday night, a 13-point victory at Sacramento: One. Then, in Wednesday night's 95-80 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, they shot just one in the first half. That won't happen often, if ever, during the season. But coach Avery Johnson is stressing points in the paint. "Like everybody, we want more points in the paint," he said. "But if we get 20 good 3-pointers, take them. Just don't take bad ones." ?The little-known "charge drill" is paying off. The Mavericks drew five charges in the first game and picked up another one in the first quarter Wednesday night. "Some of our players have made fun of our charge drill," Johnson said. "But when you see them taking more charges in the game, it doesn't seem so silly." The drill requires players to take a hit from a teammate on one side of the court, get up, go to the other side of the court, and take another hit. Not surprisingly, it's nobody's favorite part of practice. "But it's not bad," Doug Christie said. "I had that drill with Pat Riley and it was a lot worse." ?Devin Harris is getting more selective about when he attacks the rim, thanks to a few words of advice from assistant Del Harris. As a rookie last season, the point guard wasn't shy about going to the basket. There were some thunderous throw-downs, dunks that made all the highlight reels. But when Harris wasn't hammering home a slam, he was getting hammered into the hardwood. "Yeah, when you go in there, it's physical," he said. "But if you pick the right time and you're under control, it makes it a little easier. "I've been struggling with that. It's like Del told me. Drive the lane when you can drive a truck through it. But when you can only fit a Harley through it, don't do it." Source
