[MavsFanFinley]

Mavs' season, makeup in jeopardy
A first-round loss to Kings may break up Nellie, Big Three

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News

Don Nelson called it a day of mourning and, yes, the Mavericks clearly had gone from believing to bereaving.

Precisely what it was that kicked the bucket was left to the imagination. Most likely, Nelson was talking about the Mavericks' playoff hopes that all but flat-lined Monday night at American Airlines Center when the Sacramento Kings went up 3-1 in the best-of-7 first-round series.

But it could have been the six-year collaboration of the Big Three that Nelson was alluding to. Or perhaps Nelson's seven-year tenure as coach of the Mavericks. At times like this, everything is open to speculation.

"You can't worry about any of that," Nelson said Tuesday in the downcast aftermath of the Kings' 94-92 win. "Nobody knows the future. All that talk doesn't really matter."

Nelson worries less about his future these days, regardless of what happens in the playoffs. His contract calls for two more seasons as coach. But if the Mavericks lose in the first round, changes will be inevitable, and they may include a coaching change. This is a fact of life that was reiterated at what could be the last practice session at AAC this season.

"You can't worry about things you can't control," said Michael Finley, who with eight seasons is the player with the longest tenure among the Mavericks. "We won 60 games last year and we still made changes."

Changes that are one defeat away from rendering the Mavericks as first-round fodder a season after they reached the Western Conference finals. Reverse is not a gear that goes over well with any sporting organization, but the Mavericks could be faced with that reality by Thursday in Game 5 at Arco Arena.

Tuesday's mood was glum. Dirk Nowitzki slumped in a chair and talked about how dire the situation is.

The spring in their steps that was so obvious on Sunday had turned into tired souls on Tuesday.

"It hurts," said Antawn Jamison. "It was like a funeral in the locker room it was so quiet."

For now, it is Nelson's job to try to prop his team back up as best he can. It won't be easy. Only seven teams in NBA history have come back from a 3-1 hole to win a playoff series.

"It's not a pleasant place to be," Nelson said. "All we care about at this point is getting one win and getting it back to our place.

"It sounds insurmountable when you talk about [winning] all three. It's not so bad if you talk about [winning] one. We just need to seize the moment and win one game."

That's been a problem all season on the road. It was a problem Monday when the Mavericks couldn't hit a shot. And that's why they must win three in a row to avoid a first-round ouster for the first time since 1990, when Portland beat them, 3-0.

"We haven't played up to our capabilities, so we have to believe we can come back and win this series," Jamison said.

The belief is waning, although Nelson mentioned that the Mavericks are not far from being ahead 3-1 in the series. And after the 83-79 near-miss in Game 2 at Arco, there is no doubt in the Mavericks' collective mind that they can break through there.

"We know we're capable of winning in that building," Finley said. "We were up 3-0 last year against Portland, and then it went to 3-3. We were down 3-1 to San Antonio last year and won a big game down there without Dirk. You never know what can happen if you win one game."

Right now, that's the only hope to which the Mavericks can cling.