News: Erick Dampier is averaging 10.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks -- including six blocks against Utah on Nov. 3 -- through his first five games of the season. He had 16 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday at the Hornets.

Analysis: In situations where you may be looking for a last-ditch replacement option, Dampier may be your best bet for a useful week in Week 3 (Nov. 9-15). Don't expect too many big games like this on a regular basis, but Dampier has four games in the upcoming scoring period -- including a game against a Rockets team without much of an inside presence

Erick Dampier had 16 points, 14 rebounds and three more blocks in Wednesday's loss to the Hornets. We are simply stunned by Dampier's production thus far, but he is worth being in starting lineups right now. Seven of his boards were offensive, leading to several easy buckets and the season high in points. He will cool off at some point, but if you're playing Ben Wallace, it makes sense to drop him for the hotter Dampier.Related: Ben Wallace

News: Mavericks C Erick Dampier had a combined 30 points and rebounds Wednesday at New Orleans, representing by far his best game of the season. He finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, giving him two double-doubles. He also had three blocks.

Analysis: Dampier is averaging 9.6 points and 10.4 rebounds through the first five games, far exceeding his numbers over the last few years. He's usually nothing more than a defensive presence in Dallas, so you have to think his performance will slow down sooner or later. He's no more than a No. 3 center in Fantasy

Dirk Nowitzki hit 12-of-20 shots for 29 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, a block and three 3-pointers in Saturday's win over the Raptors. Dirk is off to an amazing start this season and the most welcomed surprise is the number of blocks and threes he's putting up on a nightly basis. We have no idea if he'll continue to block shots, but so far, so good.

Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and nine rebounds, and Josh Howard scored 16 in his season debut in the Dallas Mavericks' 129-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night. Jason Terry added 19 points, and Shawn Marion had 18 points and eight rebounds for Dallas, hitting his last nine attempts from the field.

Nowitzki scored 12 points in Dallas' overtime loss at New Orleans on Wednesday. He struggled with his shot all night before fouling out midway through the fourth quarter. He shot 4-of-15 from the field and collected five rebounds.

Spin: The game ended Nowitzki's 29-game streak of scoring 20 or more points. However, it is easy to forgive Dirk for an outing like this after he scored 29 points in the fourth quarter alone the night before.Wed, Nov 4

Williams and his agent have had discussions with the Mavericks about buying out the remaining year on his contract, the Dallas Morning News reports.

Spin: Williams has not been with the team since January and is a non-factor in fantasy. He has failed to make an impact in the NBA as he has been plagued with character problems and off-the-court issues.Tue, Oct 13

The Dallas Morning News is reporting that the Mavericks have started discussion about buying out the contract of disgruntled forward Shawne Williams. Williams has been asked to stay away from the team, and he doesn't want to be around them either.

Our View: Williams is owed $2.4 million this season, but he is talking about taking less money than that to get bought out. Both sides want him gone, so expect a deal to get worked out.

The Mavericks have had discussions about buying out the $2.4 million contract of estranged forward Shawne Williams. Perhaps "shunned" is a better word, since the Mavs have requested that Williams stay away from the team. They could hang onto him and use him in a trade, but the opportunity to save a few hundred thousand might be too tempting to pass up.Source: Dallas Morning News

News: Dallas PF Tim Thomas continued to recover from offseason knee surgery on the bench as he did not play on Saturday against the Raptors. He is day to day.

Analysis: Thomas will have a role in the Mavericks' rotation when he returns, but his minutes and production will be inconsistent. He's not worth stashing outside of the deepest of leagues and should remain inactive for Week 3 (Nov. 9-15)

Thomas (knee) practiced on Friday but will not play on Saturday when the Mavs take on the Raptors, the Dallas Morning News reports.

Spin: Thomas was signed in the off season but has yet to play a game as a Maverick after injuring his knee in the off season. He is listed as day-to-day and could return to the court in the near future.Fri, Nov 6

News: Dallas PF Tim Thomas continued to recover from offseason knee surgery on the bench as he did not play on Wednesday against the Hornets. He is day to day and could return on Saturday against the Raptors.

Analysis: Thomas will have a role in the Mavericks' rotation when he returns, but his minutes and production will be inconsistent. He's not worth stashing except in the deepest of leagues

Jason Kidd had just three points, two rebounds, six assists and a 3-pointer in Saturday's win. His bad habit of disappearing at times is truly annoying. He'll still finish as a solid fantasy player, but owners have to be frustrated by his lack of production early in the season. Target him as a buy-low candidate - especially if you have the scoring category under control.

Kidd scored nine points and handed out 10 assists in Dallas' loss to New Orleans. He was 3-12 from the field and all three makes were from three-point land. He added five rebounds but failed to register a steal for the first time this season.

Spin: Kidd's poor shooting may have been a result of a bit of fatigue. One night after playing 37 minutes in a win over Utah, the point guard played 44 minutes in the overtime loss. With Dirk Nowitzki on the bench with six fouls, Kidd was forced to shoulder a majority of the offense.Wed, Nov 4

News: Mavericks PG Jason Kidd, who averaged just 3.0 points over his first three games, broke out with 19 against the Jazz on Tuesday. He shot 6 for 11 from the field, including 5 for 8 from 3-point range, and also had six assists and five rebounds.

Analysis: Kidd took a big step back as a scorer last season, averaging only 9.0 points, but he remains an excellent source of assists, steals and even blocks, at least for a guard. Despite his lack of scoring, he's still worth using as a No. 2 guard in Fantasy

News: Mavericks rookie G Rodrigue Beaubois got his first NBA start for the injured Quinton Ross (bruised lower back) Wednesday at New Orleans and scored the Mavericks' first nine points. He did not score again, however, playing only 14 minutes.

Analysis: Beaubois has some scoring potential, but the Mavericks already have an excellent scorer off the bench in Jason Terry. Even with Ross out, Beaubois probably won't get the time he needs to make an impact in Fantasy. Leave him on waivers

Rodrigue Beaubois started in place of injured Quinton Ross on Wednesday and scored the Mavericks first nine points. He was 4-of-6 with a 3-pointer, but didn't score again after the scoring the first nine for the Mavs. He should have no fantasy value unless he somehow becomes a permanent starter. And that is not likely to happen.Related: Quinton Ross

Beaubois got his first NBA start against the Hornets, replacing the injured Quinton Ross in the starting lineup. He impressed early, connecting on several first quarter points but was limited to just 13 minutes for the game. He finished with nine points and one assists.

Spin: It is not unusual for Coach Rick Carlisle to test out various starting rotations early in the season but the start was surprising even for Carlisle. Beaubois showed flashes of why people are calling him a potential steal of the draft but his minutes will likely decrease when Ross returns.Wed, Nov 4

Jason Terry came off the bench to lead all Mavericks in scoring on Wednesday as Dallas fell to the Hornets in overtime. Terry dropped in 35 points in the game.

Our View: Terry also contributed two rebounds, three assists, and a steal in the game, but his main job is to score. He was getting only 13.5 points per game heading into tonight, so this 35 is huge. He is coming off a career scoring year, and he should be close to that 19.6 again this season.

Terry broke out in a big way Wednesday, scoring 35 in Dallas' overtime loss at New Orleans. He was 12-for-18 from the field, including four made three-pointers. He added three assists and a steal.

Spin: This is the kind of game fantasy owners have been waiting for from Terry. He was red-hot in the fourth quarter but uncharacteristically missed several key free throws down the stretch to let New Orleans hang around.Wed, Nov 4

Jason Terry hit 12-of-18 shots and four 3-pointers on his way to a season-high 35 points and three assists in Wednesday's loss to the Hornets. Terry was averaging just 13.5 points coming in, so he was due for a breakout game. He may have been helped by the fact that Quinton Ross was out with an injury, but Ross hopes to be back on Saturday.Related: Quinton Ross

Carroll scored 17 points (6-of-15 FG, 2-of-6 3Pt, 3-of-3 FT) in Tuesday's preseason loss to the Cavs.

Spin: Carroll saw a team-high 35:30 minutes of floor time. The Mavericks opted to rest most of their regulars on Tuesday, so don't expect this much playing time for Carroll once the regular season tips off.Tue, Oct 20

Carroll recently underwent Lasik eye surgery and is wearing protective goggles as a result, the Dallas Morning News reports.

Spin: Hopefully the surgery will improve Carroll's eye sight enough for him to rediscover his three-point shot. He shot 27 percent from the field after arriving in Dallas following a trade from Charlotte.Thu, Oct 1

News: Carroll could be dealt to the Raptors for Marcus Banks, the Toronto Sun reports.

Spin: Carroll's the better player, but he's also got a larger and longer contract.Thu, August 20