<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> OKLAHOMA CITY ? When Devin Harris saw his starting job in the Mavericks' backcourt go to Devean George last month, nobody saw it as a demotion, least of all Harris. Now we know why. Turns out that coming off the bench gave the third-year guard a different perspective. He sat next to coach Avery Johnson and watched Jason Terry run the team in the opening minutes. "He had a chance to see Jet screw up early in the game," Johnson said. "And he could say, 'Well, maybe I don't need to make those same mistakes in the game.' Really and truly, he's just playing with so much more confidence now." When Harris was forced back into the starting lineup because of injuries to George (6-8) and Greg Buckner (6-4), the Mavericks flourished even beyond their ridiculous standards. Harris (6-3) and Terry (6-2), undersized as they are, have re-established themselves as the Mavericks' most effective backcourt. That doesn't mean they will be starting from now until the championship ring is won or lost. But they have proven to the coach that they can handle the backcourt, even defensively against bigger competition. On the remarkable road trip that has started 5-0 and ends tonight against the New Orleans Hornets, the diminutive backcourt has offered substantial fodder to the argument that going small is much more than just an option. It might be the preferred choice. Harris and Terry have combined to average 34.2 points, 10.4 assists and 7.2 rebounds on the trip. Harris has made 60.5 percent of his shots, which sounds great until you factor in Terry, who is dropping in 62.1 percent. Why has this happened on this road trip? What's happened to the duo, and in particular, Harris? Johnson explained the uptick in Harris' confidence. "I would say he's just starting to get a clearer understanding of what's expected," Johnson said. "I think our communication is better than it's been. And communication between a point guard and a coach is critical in this league." </div> Source
