Still a treat to watch It's a tough argument considering they win so much. If nothing else, they're cursed with Dirk Nowitzki and just enough peripheral talent for the Mavericks to get 50 wins a season, as if it were as easy as blowing your nose. It's not easy and I certainly do not take for granted that winning and those playoff appearances.
However, I feel the Mavericks are like a loved one suffering from a longterm, largely ignored sort of cancer. For a number of days, you'll think they're doing OK, you think they're recovering.
The good days are confused with the bad days. The cancer's still growing. The death is coming. Sooner or later.
The Mavericks botched a 13-point lead in the final five minutes in Denver last night for a last-second 121-120 loss.
This is not a team built to win in the playoffs. No reason to get excited here. Enjoy what you can. But temper any lofty thoughts.
Despite logging 120 pionts, only two Mavericks -- Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler -- good to great games. Jason Terry scored 25, but it took him 17 shots to do it. And Dirk Nowitzki ain't right. He took 10 shots and that wrist is bothering him.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks had ZERO answer for Carmelo Anthony, a hurt Chauncey Billups and Aron Affalo, who zapped them for a combined 96 points. The Nuggets shot 53 percent and, they too, were playing on a second night of a back to back. And Billups was hurt.
I'm telling you, don't buy in. This is a team that will trap many into thinking they're contenders. They are, however, pretenders.
