Delayed takeoff for Jet

Jason Terry passed up a wide-open 3-pointer last night at Detroit. We’re talking no one within 10 feet. When he decided to pass, Avery Johnson just turned and walked back to the bench. You don’t have to be a mind reader to know what Johnson was thinking.

He was asked about that moment before tonight’s clash with Orlando.

“With Jet, we’ve always said when you’re open, shoot,” Johnson said. “When you’re not open, shoot because we love you to shoot. When he’s open and he doesn’t shoot, then we have a problem. If he’s in that same situation tonight, I guarantee you he’ll shoot it.”

Terry is filling in for Devin Harris at point guard and the early results aren’t good. The Mavs are 1-2. Terry is averaging 11.3 points and four assists, and shooting 35 percent.

“We just aren’t in a rhythm right now and we need to figure it out,” Terry said. “We know what we are dealing with and we are undermanned right now, but we still have to go out there and get it done. We have enough talent to get it done and it just hasn’t happened for us the last two games, but you can’t dwell on that. You have to get to the next one.”

Johnson doesn’t think Terry has become gun shy. It sounds as if Terry is unsure.

“I wouldn’t call it a hesitation,” Johnson said. “I just think he’s trying to get back. He’s done it before. He hasn’t really started in a while. He knows what to do, it’s just a matter of getting him in there and getting him back in rhythm.

“If he’s out of rhythm and the whole team’s out of rhythm like we were in Detroit, things can be a little exaggerated. But he wants to get it done. If he’s in position to shoot again tonight, he will shoot it.”