Losing four of the last five games is definitely cause for some serious self-evaluation and an in-depth investigation into whatever it is that is ailing the Dallas Mavericks. But one thing it isn’t is cause for complete and total panic. There’s no need to “blow it up” as some fans and local media would have us believe, and firing head coach Rick Carlisle is not the answer, either. Perhaps it will be easier to find the answer once we start asking the right questions.1. How did a team that went 22-10 from October 30 through December 31 suddenly drop to a less than .500 ball club once the calendar turned to the new year?
2. Who is the backup point guard behind Jason Kidd, Roddy B or JJ Barea?
3. What, if anything, is Josh Howard's role on this team? Is he a starter, a sixth man, or something else entirely?
4. We all know Dirk is always going to be the primary option when it comes to offense, but who is #2? Is it Jet, with his on-again off-again streaky shooting, Marion with his athletic ability down in the post, or Josh Howard when he's dialed in and focused?
5. What is the identity of this team? Are they a halfcourt grind it out group like the Spurs, a run and gun offense like Phoenix, shutdown defenders like the Celtics, or a mismatched mishmash somewhere in between?
6. Whatever happened to our defense? The Mavericks started out this season looking like they were going to be a true defensive presence for the first time in a long time, but as the season has worn on, they have become nothing more than a middle of the pack, mediocre defense.
7. Why do point guards keep coming into our arena and having career nights, i.e. Andre Miller and Monta Ellis? Why are we unable to either get the ball out of their hands or stop them from penetrating the paint?
8. Wasn't Drew Gooden supposed to be an enforcer type down in the post, someone who could put a body on an opponent when Dampier was out of the game? Where has that tough as nails mentality gone, not only for Gooden, but for the team as a whole?
9. Is Coach Carlisle no longer able to reach the team, or have the players slowly begun to tune him out, much the way they did with Avery Johnson? If this same group of guys no longer believes in the coaching system currently in place, was Avery really the problem or was it the mindset of the team?
10. How does a team that has built its name on keeping a level head and pulling out wins when the game is on the line suddenly start dropping close games, even to bad teams, more often than not?
11. If a change in players and/or personnel is imminent, when is the best time to shop around? Would it be more beneficial to fight our way through the season with essentially the same group of guys we have now and make a major move during the offseason, or to make a trade before the deadline that will help us make that championship dream a reality?
12. Can this team rediscover the fire, intensity, and passion it played with, on both ends of the court, for the first thirty-some-odd games of this season?
13. Will these Mavericks, as they are currently constructed, be legitimate championship contenders or will they be playoff pretenders making another first round exit?
14. Does this team still believe in itself? Earlier in the season at one of his press conferences, Coach Carlisle said the Mavericks expect to win every time they walk on the court. Does that still hold true for this group of guys?
15. Lastly, Mavs Fans, do you still believe?
I know I do. I may not have all the answers, but I honestly believe these Mavericks can pull it together, regain their confidence, and play like the winners that they are for the remainder of the regular season. And it all starts tonight at Golden State.
LET'S GO MAVS! I STILL BELIEVE!
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