This is Where It Begins

I started out watching the Mavs-Golden State game last night and it didn't take long before I became disgusted with what looked like another lackluster performance. Before I knew what happened, we were down by double digits to an undermanned and far less talented team. My frustration began to grow and a few choice words started flying from my lips before I could stop them. And then, when I saw Dirk pick up his third foul just 30 seconds into the 2nd quarter, I thought that was it, the Mavs were done. Mark another one down in the "L" column.

But then, late in the third quarter, when I had all but given up on my team (which is always painful for me, for the record) the most amazing thing happened: they started playing like it mattered. And as the third quarter progressed into the final twelve minutes of playing time, a smile crept back on my face as I saw, for the first time in a long time, my Dallas Mavericks playing with purpose and a sense of pride. They started playing better defense and making better shot selections. They found ways to get the ball to Dirk and get him going after he had barely been involved in the offense most of the game. Josh Howard and Jason Terry started hitting open shots from all over the court. And Jason Kidd once again proved why he is so indispensable to this team. He is their on court leader, and his actions speak louder than his soft spoken words. He throws his body around the court at both ends, doing the little things that add up to make a victory. How many key plays and defensive stops did J-Kidd make during the fourth quarter? I literally lost count. All I know is that he is the one who turned things around for the Mavs last night. His intensity, his effort, and his will to win became the mindset of every Maverick on the court during that fourth quarter, and that is what made the difference.

Watching the game during the fourth quarter last night was especially entertaining for me, because my four-year-old great-niece Trystan was watching the game beside me on the couch, like she usually does, only last night, she was really getting into it. If I yelled, “Run, baby, run!” like I’m prone to do when the Mavs grab a steal and head the other way on a fast break, there was an instant echo beside me as Trystan mimicked my every word, but louder and with more passion, if you can imagine that.

Trystan has known Dirk by name since she was two and been able to point him out for quite some time now, so I wasn’t surprised when she stood in front of the screen, pointed at him, and yelled, “There’s Dirk!” as she so often does. But last night was something special. She told me, “I’m gonna show you Jason Terry,” and I said, “Sure, you are!” Next thing I know, she’s standing in front of the TV, patiently waiting, and as soon as Jet enters the screen, she pokes her little finger at him and yells, “There’s Jason Terry!” Wow, she was absolutely right. Then she says she’s gonna show me Josh Howard, and again I’m thinking, Okaaaaaay, sure, kiddo. And I’ll be danged if J-Ho doesn’t walk across the screen and Trystan points and says, “Josh Howard!”

Now she’s really got my interest as Jason Kidd comes on the screen. I say, “Who’s that?” and she thinks for a minute before hesitantly replying. “Jason Terry?” I told her she was close; it was Jason Kidd. So for the remainder of the night, any time Kidd came on the screen, she was screaming, “It’s Jason Kidd!” At one point, Trystan’s mom (my niece) Merenda stopped and looked at me and said, “Dang, I feel bad. Trystan knows more of the Mavs than I do!”

Obviously, I must be doing something right. Phase One of Trystan’s MFFL training seems to be going quite well. It’s just so much more fun to watch the games when I have someone who shares my passion and enthusiasm, even if they don’t always understand what’s happening, to enjoy the games with me. And it’s even more fun when the Mavericks are actually winning, a trend I hope they will continue as they face the Nuggets in Denver tonight.