[Maringa]

Man...I hope this trade is beneficial...The beginning of this season was one of the most optimistic I've seen over the past few years since the Miami finals debacle. Everyone was happy with Marion, Thomas, Gooden etc. and look how it turned out. Marion is not near the player we expected...Thomas played well when he was playing but for some reaon, never cracked the rotation...Roddy was going to quickly get the back-up pg spot...Hump was showing that he was equal to Bass...

I just hope this trade is not another series of failed expectations...We still have Dirk who is only taking 10-12 shots a game, where he should be taking at least 20. He also looks very disinterested.
Terry is a sieve on defense, and is either hot or cold....no consistency...Dampier looks like he will have a season long injury, JJB is the coaches favorite player, and Marion....has the ugliest, unclutchest play of all Mavs to the point where the coach makes him disappear in the 4th quarter. Caron and Haywood unfortunately have a huge burden on their shoulders...they are supposed to fix everything that is wrong with the Mavs....I think the Mavs will continue to skirt 500 ball the rest of the way and get the 7th or 8th spot with a first round exit....

I hope I'm wrong and am pleasantly surprised, but many of the underlying issues are still there. I am glad that we will no longer have to watch the perpetual jump shooting machine named Howard settling for the outside shots. If I begin to see some driving, and foul shots, then I will become more optimistic.