Green shows Mavs he's ready

Gerald Green, out of an NBA job last spring, made an impact against his former team on Saturday.

By BRIAN STENSAAS, Star Tribune

Last update: November 2, 2008 - 11:18 AM

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WOLVES NOTES

Appearing in his second game since being traded from Minnesota to Houston last February, only to be released by the Rockets two weeks later, guard Gerald Green on Saturday night was an unlikely late-game factor for Dallas.

After not getting a second of playing time for the Mavericks in their season opener, Green was part of the team's second unit that wore down Minnesota in the fourth quarter in Game No. 2.

But don't go thinking Green took any special pride in playing well against his former team.

"There's 30 teams in this league that I would feel like this against," Green said.

"It feels good. I just tried to be ready. Coaches and players were telling me to be ready at all times. I just try to prepare myself for every game like I'm going to play."

Green played 16:25 for Dallas on Saturday in its 95-85 victory, his nine points coming on 4-for-5 shooting. In 29 games last season for the Timberwolves, he shot only 33 percent.

Timberwolves forward Ryan Gomes played two seasons in Boston with Green in addition to last season.

After seeing Green get moved out of Minnesota quickly and have a bad experience in Houston, Gomes hopes this time Green has found a fit.

"I hope he makes it," Gomes said. "I think he will because he has the talent. I talked to him when he signed with Dallas and I said, `You know what? This might be your last chance. You just never know. It's only one year [contract], but you've got to make your marks and show them you're here for the right reasons."

Dallas coach Rick Carlisle praised Green for stepping up in his first appearance of the year.

"He showed that he was ready," Carlisle said. "He played a sensible game; he played smart. Defensively, he was solid. He played a big role in this."

Remember him?

Dallas assistant coach Dwane Casey returned to Target Center Saturday for the first time since he cleaned out his office after the Wolves fired him as head coach 22 months ago. Casey, who still owns a house in the Twin Cities that he's trying to sell, is back in the NBA as a Mavericks assistant after working Seattle SuperSonics telecasts and traveling the world to conduct basketball clinics while the Wolves paid off his contract last season.

"I don't recommend that to anyone," he said of a season spent not coaching. "But that's part of this league. I don't have hard feelings for anybody. The first couple months, you're upset. Anyone would be. That's human nature. As time goes on, you forget about that. You move on, life moves on, time goes on. That's the NBA. They hire you and unless you win the championship, you're subject to being called into the office."

Etc.

• Coach Randy Wittman started the same lineup as he did in Wednesday's opener and brought rookie Kevin Love off the bench to start the second quarter.

• Sebastian Telfair served the second game of his season-opening three-game NBA suspension on Saturday. Brian Cardinal was activated for the game, and Mark Madsen made inactive.

Staff writer Jerry Zgoda contributed to this report.

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