DALLAS -- If Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle looks a bit frustrated at times, Donnie Nelson knows why.
"First of all, everyone in the locker room and everyone in management and ownership, we hate to lose and it affects us on a day-by-day, night-by-night basis," said Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations. "It's like a fish out of water, and you hate it. You hate the experience."Nelson said that Carlisle spends countless hours at American Airlines Center trying to make sure all the team's last-minute details are taken care of."And after spending two hours with Roddy [Beaubois] on X, Y, Z -- or some of our rookies -- then he's up doing the game plan," Nelson said. "We all thought Avery [former Mavs coach Johnson] worked his butt off."Rick, I don't know when the guy goes home. That's why we love him, that's why he's our head coach."Said Carlisle: "I go home when the work's done each day."Carlisle also said his commitment to the Mavs, owner Mark Cuban and Nelson is total. He wants to make sure the Mavs -- 22-28 after Saturday's win over the Golden State Warriors -- stay focused on the goal of reaching the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season."I have great loyalty to Mark and Donnie," Carlisle said. "We have had a different situation presented to us and we all have to adjust."We cannot have any drop-off in our commitment."Nelson agreed with Carlisle's assessment of the season, adding that the absence of forward Dirk Nowitzki for the first 27 games because of right knee surgery can't be used as an excuse for the Mavs' failures."Every season is challenging, and this one we've kind of haven't had a season like this for a long time and I think it's the result of a lot of new faces," Nelson said. "Dirk being out is not an excuse, because everybody has injuries, but it is a factor."It's been frustrating because we're used to doing things at a higher level. The most challenging aspect has really been the West being so thick from top to bottom."Nelson praises duoDonnie Nelson squashed any rumors that the Mavs are trying to trade Vince Carter or Shawn Marion.Nelson said no Mavs player will be moving by the Feb. 21 trading deadline unless an "over the top" deal falls in the Mavs' lap."Shawn and Vince have probably been our most consistent players all year long," Nelson said. "Veterans know how to win. We're looking to get those kinds of guys into our locker room, not out of our locker room."Marion said Friday that he probably would retire if he were traded to a bad team."The fact that Shawn recently expressed an interest to stay here, well, it's mutual," Nelson said. "We're looking for guys like that."The Mavs appreciate Marion can guard anyone from Chris Paul to Kevin Durant to LeBron James to Kobe Bryant."The guy guards 3 1/2 positions," Nelson said, mentioning shooting guard, small forward, some power forwards and some point guards."That's a commodity. You're never the same team from year-to-year, but those are the kind of pieces that championships are made of."Dwain Price, 817-390-7760Twitter: @DwainPriceHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
