Q & A: Rolando Blackman

Former Dallas Mavericks guard and current Fox Sports Southwest Dallas Mavericks analyst Rolando Blackman recently joined 1310 The Ticket to discuss the return of Rodrigue Beaubois, giving Jason Kidd some needed rest and if this Mavericks team is better than the group in 2006.

Here is the recap:

On if a healthy Rodrigue Beaubois and the possible return of Caron Butler will allow the Mavericks to make a deep run into the playoffs:

Blackman: "It's the same thing Mark Cuban has been talking about the whole time about building a team that's capable of beating everyone and that's exactly what Rick Carlisle and the staff has been doing. They've been having this whole structure put together with the guys you've been talking about like Dirk [Nowitzki] and then having a guy like [Tyson] Chandler, which was a great pick up this summer. And then you got your guys like [Jason] Kidd and [DeShawn] Stevenson to be put into the lineup. Those are all great decisions made by the front office staff at the beginning of this whole thing to be able to bring this team together.

"Now, what you see is our guys really finding their chemistry, find the opportunity and also the Mavs have filled the team with the proper spirit that's needed to be out there. You're going to need some tough guys that also guys who won't walk up on the stars because you might get backhanded. You got to have that feel to your team; you got to have toughness, that Chandler, that Stevenson and still, mind you, have good players. Not just thugs that go out there but this a is team being put together that really can handle the defensive side of the ball and also find its way through on the offensive side and the amazing thing about it is they've had to do it twice because of all the injuries.

"When Caron was rolling, we were the best team in the league, period. And now, we're trying to put ourselves back into a place where we're right at the top of the food chain, once again, which I think that we clearly are. But you got to have the chemistry and you got to be pushing for each other without pulling for each other. You cannot win, you cannot beat other teams if you got this little, selfish 'me, me' thing going on. You got to be able to put all your eggs in the basket and you're doing it for others also. You got to be able to have that kind of spirit."

On the importance of playing Beaubois and giving Jason Kidd some rest as the Mavericks get ready for the playoffs:

Blackman: "Oh, what helps in this situation is that you don't lose the level of play, because as with any coach, just like you have with Carlisle and you have Terry Scotts and Dwayne Casey out there, two guys that have NBA experience that will tell you the same thing. You cannot lose the level of play just because you're trying to get someone else ready to play the game. With Jason Kidd, you have the height of heights of guys who can think. You salivate when you have a guy like Jason Kidd. All you have to do is be ready, keep your eye on the ball and be ready to get your shots fired because he's the reason guys shoot that high of a percentage. I had that in playing with Brad Davis and also with Derek Harper in putting the ball in the hole and having guys do that.

"With Roddy, it just gives the Mavs a different look, a different feel, even when both of the guys are on the court because Roddy can run the ball all up the court and all of sudden, you find Kidd being the spot up shooter