Mavs-Jazz notes: Bigs and smalls

SALT LAKE CITY – It’s not difficult to figure out what happens when the point guards and centers bring it in the same game.

“We have a stat around here, when both of those plays well, we’re undefeated,” Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. “When one or the other plays well, we’re still capable of winning games.”

If it seems like an obvious observation, it is.

“That would be the case with any team,” point guard Devin Harris said. “If we knew why we don’t [always play well], we probably wouldn’t have lost a game yet.”

Johnson’s formula for “playing well” isn’t strictly based on numbers. He called it a combination of factors taking into account offensive and defensive play. A couple categories for Harris include scoring and breaking the defense down. Erick Dampier is partly graded on rebounding, blocking shots and being a threat inside.

No telling how back the undefeated stretch goes, but Harris and Dampier are both playing well lately. Harris went into Wednesday against Utah averaging 19 points in previous three games. Dampier pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked 4.0 shots in the previous two.

Read the rest of this note and more at mavs.com.