What’s going on with Josh Howard’s ankle? What’s going on inside his head?

   DB.com's Trey Fallon chased down the audio as we attended the Mavs’ light practice on Saturday in preparation for Sunday’s Suns-at-Mavs showdown matinee and visited with J-Ho.

   Why didn’t he work out? How limited is he due to the ankle? And what did his grandma tell him about eventual surgery? How about if we give you the answers now that the rest of the basketball world will have to wait for Sunday to hear, when our new ABC buddy Lisa Salters gives her reports?

   Here’s the full scoop:

   The Mavericks were licking their wounds and trying to recover from last night’s loss to the Grizzlies. The team had a light practice and watched filmed this afternoon. Coach Carlisle said the guys were disappointed but they have to move past it and focus on Phoenix.

   Of course, part of “focusing on Phoenix’’ is hoping that Josh can play, as he was unable to do in Memphis. Josh didn’t practice and will again be a “game-time’’ decision tomorrow. J-Ho and team trainer Casey Smith are evaluating his ankle on a game-by-game, practice-by-practice basis and treatment is based on that. The basic deciding factor in Josh playing or not depends on swelling and discomfort on the day of games.

    From what we have found out, there is pain for him in the ankle constantly. Sometime it’s light, other times it is throbbing. Josh thinks the 20-minute mark is what he should stay at for now -- that might explain his Friday night remark about how "It's in my best interests not to hurt myself'' -- and the 29 minutes in Miami on a second night of a back-to-back is what set him back.

    (Of course, playing him 29 minutes helped Dallas beat the Heat.)

   As for surgery? We think these comments by J-Ho are very interesting.

   *He realizes “the ankle has to be ‘scoped.”

   *He doesn’t see that procedure as “surgery,’’ but what if bones need to be fixed or fused?

    Said Josh: “Nah. Uh. I don’t want no bones fused.  If they tell me I have to have surgery I will try alternative methods.”

    *”Alternative methods’’? What the heck is that?

   Obviously, Josh does not want to go under the knife and will try to do whatever he can to avoid that. Why does he feel that way? It comes from words of wisdom passed from Grandma down to Young Josh.

   “Don’t let no one cut on you, baby!” Grandma once said to J-Ho.

 

    Want all these words of wisdom straight from Josh Howard’s mouth? You’ve come to the right place!

 

AUDIO at the AAC

 

Coach Carlisle

Josh Howard

 A programming note: I do my "FISH on ESPN'' thing on the “Mavs Insider’’ pregame show Sunday afternoon at 1:20 … all only on 103.3 FM ESPN!