Dampier and Jones close to returning

Close is the word for Erick Dampier and Eddie Jones. How close is anybody’s guess, but don’t be surprised to see one or both on the court this week. The Mavericks start a four-game homestand with Philadelphia tomorrow before welcoming defending champ San Antonio on Thursday.

Dampier and Jones both went through practice today. Though they got through the workout, they’re noncommittal on their returns.

“Practice started off feeling good, all of a sudden it starts bothering me,” said Jones, who’s nursing a sore right leg. “Today I was trying to see how much of the pain I can take.”

Dampier, coming off shoulder surgery, was recently cleared for full contact, but called today his first complete practice.

“Conditioning is not what it should be, but I’m sure over the next couple of weeks it will get to that point as I continue to condition on the court and on the treadmill,” he said. “Just getting back in the flow of things, being out for a couple of months, I haven’t really picked up a ball. Eager to get back to it. Just have to try to work my way into some kind of conditioning.”

Though there is no rush to get either back, this would be a good time, especially against the Spurs. Jones would be part of the mix chasing around Manu Ginobili, while Dampier would come in handy banging against Tim Duncan.

The only member of the team not practicing right now is Devean George. Eventually, Avery Johnson is going to have his 15 guys. How is he holding up waiting?

“I wouldn’t call it anxious, but it’ll be nice to see at some point during the season whether it’s for one game, 10 games or 21 games, it’ll be nice to have our whole team together,” Johnson said. “But, hey, that’s part of the whole NBA season. If you would ask me would I prefer to be really whole later on down the line, yes, but at the same time we’d like to see it whenever we can.”