Literally speaking, yes the only game that's a 'must-win' is an elimination game. Personally, I label both the SA and Detroit games as 'must-wins' because of where we are in the season. Losses at this critical juncture would suggest to me that we lack "it" whatever "it" may be - the mental/intestinal/testicular fortitude...to reach deep inside and win when it matters. That's why I was hit harder by the Spurs, Suns, and subsequent Kings losses than alot of the other posters on this board, I felt that it boded very poorly for a team that is making a Championship run to lack the intensity and hunger to pull out wins against its primary competition. I made the same criticism of the Heat in a different thread: Championship-calibre teams are not bred from beating poor or mediocre teams - they earn their stripes by beating the best...consistently - something I think we demonstrated earlier in the season but have been unable to demonstrate as of late.
Will we be out of contention if we lose both the upcoming SA and Detroit games? No, certainly not. Will it say something...a
big something...about the Mavericks as a team if we lose? Yes. To me, it's more than just a confidence issue, it's an issue of a Champion's mentality. The value of these games is far greater than just a win, loss, or HCA. I believe we are capable of winning a Championship, as such, I believe that we are capable of being a better team than both the Pistons and Spurs. What excuse do we have then, if we mean to break the ranks of these two ultra-elite by becoming the only other team since 2002 to win an NBA Championship? None. True, technically, if we lose these two games, all we have to deal with is 2 more L's in the loss column.
But, if we allow ourselves to lose these two games, it would suggest to me that these Mavericks are not yet ready for their place in
history.