"And the Oscar for Death Scene goes to ... DeShawn Stevenson of the Dallas Mavericks!" They did just that last night in a 101-73 thrashing of the Golden State Warriors.
It never gets old. That's why I've always landed on the Atlanta Braves side of the coin per the age-old discussion of consistently making the playoffs with no title or rarely making the playoffs, but winning titles. Like the Florida Marlins.
In baseball, I think the argument is cut and dry. In a 162-game season, you always take the playoffs and the chance you'll win at least one title. There ain't nothing worse than bad, meaningless baseball in August. Plus, in baseball, the team with 102 losses (and its fans) can't look forward to the top draft pick. For one, the MLB Draft is in June. Two, taking a high school kid with the first pick only to see him (maybe) in four years is not as fulfilling.
In the NBA, it's different. A bad team can get lucky, get a high draft pick and watch their fortunes change. Look at what Blake Griffin's done for Los Angeles despite them probably missing the playoffs.
Still, I like the playoffs and I like that the Mavericks are playing in them. I think turning a bad, so-so or good-but-not-great NBA team around is relatively easy with the right financials.
Unfortunately for the Mavericks, I think they're hands are tied. Meaning, I hope we do enjoy the playoff clinchers and 50 wins because that's, currently, all this team is capable of.
Case in point: Recent losses to Los Angeles, Portland and San Antonio where the Mavericks, frankly, looked like the lesser team.
In all three losses I never thought, "Man the Spurs (or Lakers) are 1 and the Mavericks are 1a."
I think it's the Spurs and Lakers. Then the fall off to the second-tier teams like the Mavericks, Blazers, Nuggets and Thunder. Don't look now, but the Mavs are a full game below the Lakers for the No. 2 seed and are set to face ... the Blazers in the first round.
The Blazers are a bad match for the Mavericks. Certainly, the Mavericks could win and if their testicular fortitude is worth a red nickel, they should win. But, I think, the Blazers are kryptonite and a bad draw for the Mavericks. Then again, I think the Mavericks have a tough road with anyone.
