Jet and Stack: Sixth Men 'A' and 'B'

Finishing a game with a different five than the starting group isn’t a foreign concept in the NBA or with the Mavs. Nick Van Exel hardly started during his run in Dallas, but he was out there when the game was on the line. Ditto for Jerry Stackhouse the last three years and expect the same for Jason Terry this season.

“JT is our sixth man, so that doesn’t mean he’s not going to finish the game,” Avery Johnson said today after practice. “He’s one of our better fourth-quarter players. The guys that you start may or may not finish depending on how the game is going.”

So I asked the General since Terry is the sixth man, does that mean Stackhouse is now the seventh man? “6A, 6B,” Johnson answered.

Johnson went on to explain the thinking behind bringing two proven scorers and team leaders in Terry and Stackhouse off the bench.

“We’re hoping to have more bench production this year,” Johnson said. “If we can get more bench production, then we’re hoping that guys like Josh, Dirk and Devin and those guys, they won’t have to be overextended as much.

“If you have to overextend your starters that means your bench is not playing at a high level. So with Jet and Stack coming off the bench, we’re hoping to get more production there.”