Vince Carter calls Dwight Howard a 'crybaby'

The Dallas Mavericks dropped the Houston Rockets 123-120 on Wednesday, and the Texas-sized battle included some smack-talking between Mavs swingman Vince Carter and Rockets center Dwight Howard. ESPN Dallas' Tim MacMahon writes that during a timeout in the first half Howard's griping toward an official caught Carter's attention.

Carter repeatedly told Howard he was "the biggest crybaby" he knew. Apparently, it was a part of a friendly jawing between the two players, who spent more than a season together as teammates with the Orlando Magic.

"All the time," Carter said of Howard's whining to officials. "He always talks about how I'm a crybaby. I was like, ‘Yo, you're the biggest crybaby I know.' And then later, he's like, ‘Yo, why'd you say that to me?' But I know Dwight. It's all good, but he is [a crybaby]."

Because of Carter's past relationship with Howard, his comments are less pointed than those that came from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban this summer. After Howard signed with Houston, Cuban said Dallas was in a better position having not signed Howard in free agency -- that despite the Mavs acknowledging they went after the center.

On Wednesday, Howard finished with 33 points and 11 rebounds, and he went to the line 13 times. Carter scored nine points to go with five rebounds and five assists for Dallas, which was led by Monta Ellis' 37 points and Dirk Nowitzki's 35.

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