[Moore] My bad: Mavs are real good

[kriD]

My bad: Mavs are real good

By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News

The final few days of 2005 gives us all time to reflect on what's important.

I'd like to say I was right about Brad and Jennifer breaking up.

I was wrong about people going to see a movie about gay cowboys.

And I was wrong about the Mavericks.

Want to know what separates the Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs heading into the final five days of the year? Nothing. The Mavericks' 102-80 win over Indiana on Monday night at American Airlines Center puts each team at 21-7.

Where these teams stand the third week of April is much more important than what they're doing now. You can't even goad owner Mark Cuban into bragging about how his team is closing the gap on the defending world champions.

"It's still early," Cuban said.

It is. But more than one-third of the season is complete, which is enough to realize my prediction that the Mavericks would have to fight for the fourth- or fifth-best record in the Western Conference was off base. Two factors led to this miscalculation.

The first is speed. The Mavericks have it, especially on the perimeter with Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Devin Harris.

Speed can break down a defense. It broke down the Pacers. The Mavericks seized control early when Harris came off the bench to score eight of his 20 points in the final 2:54 of the first quarter.

Dribble-drive and penetration. That's what the game has become. That's what Howard, Terry and Harris do best.

"Transition is a key for us," Harris said. "We can run with the best of them."

Speed can also compensate for defensive mistakes. The Mavericks are improving, yet flawed on this side of the ball. Coach Avery Johnson has talked about how his players don't go into a game believing they can win with defense.

A few more games such as Monday's will begin to change that mindset. The Mavericks held the Pacers to 80 points and 40.3 percent from the field. They finished with nine steals and six blocked shots.

"I mean, it helps a lot getting the loose balls, things slow people really can't get to," said Howard, who led the Mavericks with four steals. "Those are the extra possessions we need."

Versatility is the second factor that has been crucial to the Mavericks' success.

The top seven scorers on the roster haven't been available in the same game all season. The Mavericks have 45 player-games missed to injury already. Keith Van Horn and Marquis Daniels were out against the Pacers. So what did Johnson do?

Go small.

When those players are back and the Mavericks face Detroit, Minnesota or Denver, Johnson will compete by going big.

Rebounding is a key barometer. The Mavericks are 16-2 when they beat their opponent on the boards. If Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop combine for 15 rebounds, the team usually wins.

Those two combined for 21 rebounds and three blocked shots against Indiana.

"We don't want to discredit any early-season wins," Johnson said. "But we all know you can't win a championship now."

We do. But a team can use this part of the season to establish itself as a legitimate threat.

That's what the Mavericks have done. It's early, but the Mavericks and Spurs have separated themselves from the conference pack.

"It's a game within the game," Jerry Stackhouse said. "We don't want to be close and all of the sudden, play as well as we did last year and end up with the No. 4 seed. So why not try to shoot for the best and have the advantage throughout the playoffs if you can?" Why not?

[shaw-xx]

Hope Sefko also admits it.

[Murphy3]

Originally Posted by shaw-xx

Hope Sefko also admits it.

That he's a gay cowboy?

[HexNBA]

Originally Posted by shaw-xx

Hope Sefko also admits it.

Along with pretty much every other NBA writer. They just never learn

[nowitzki_prophecy]

"Dribble-drive and penetration. That's what the game has become. That's what Howard, Terry and Harris do best."

What about Stack?

[raefformvp]

Originally Posted by nowitzki_prophecy

"Dribble-drive and penetration. That's what the game has become. That's what Howard, Terry and Harris do best."

What about Stack?

Stack's one of the best at that, but since he's only played in 2 games this season, he didn't deserve to be mentioned...yet.

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Once we're fully healthy, nobody is gonna be able to stop our dribble penetration. He didn't mention Quis either who always penetrates to get his mid-ranger.

[greensborohill]

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Once we're fully healthy, nobody is gonna be able to stop our dribble penetration. He didn't mention Quis either who always penetrates to get his mid-ranger.

I think Quis at midrange is one of our teams most reliable shots. Everytime he puts it up aI always think "that's in!"

Also, Josh's one hand running push shot in the lane is also a "that's in!" shot.

[dude1394]

Josh most consistent shot is a layup off the board going to his right. He's almost unstoppable doing that.

[alby]

but to his left... =(

[mavsman reloaded]

Sweet. Taking about Mavs greatness without even mentioning Dirk. That's the way great teams should be talked about.