There Oughtta Be a Test

I couldn’t believe my eyes as I read and then reread the text message that ESPN had just sent to my phone. I must have misunderstood something, because surely the NBA wasn’t one to repeat its mistakes. But there it was, in black and white: Fans can make pick for NBA MVP, with combined fans’ choice counting for one vote on official ballot. Did we not learn anything from the Allen Iverson as All-Star starter debacle earlier this year? As much as I love the game and love the concept that my opinion matters and my vote counts, giving the fans a voice in awards as important and prestigious as the league MVP is a bad idea.

Every year when I see some highly popular but undeserving player receiving a ridiculously high number of fan votes for a spot on the NBA All-Star team, I have the same internal argument with myself. Which is worth more: a fan’s chance to have their vote count, or actually having players of superstar caliber on the All-Star team? And every year, I lean more and more towards removing the fan vote altogether. How in the world can fans justify voting Allen Iverson in as a starter when he barely played ten games this season? Or even Tracy McGrady, for that matter, who was (is) always a fan favorite, but has been injured several times while STILL leading in fan voting? What kind of nonsense is that?

My solution is simple. If you’re going to keep allowing the fans to actively participate through All-Star (and now MVP) voting, then have them undergo testing first. No physical fitness test, no eyeballing inkblots, no battery of psychological testing. What I propose is nothing more than a simple ten to twenty question covering current NBA players, events, and trends. Maybe they could even throw in a few NBA trivia questions concerning legends like Jordan and Bird and Magic. We just need some way to prove that those fans who were voting actually knew a little something about basketball. After all, it’s not supposed to be a popularity contest, but an award based on achievement. How can you possibly know who would be deserving of pro basketball’s highest individual honor if you don’t even follow the game?

I’m sure the NBA powers that be feel they’re evolving and being more proactive by trying to involve their fans in every way possible. In theory, I appreciate what they’re attempting to accomplish by giving the fans a vote. In reality, I fear we’ll see fans voting for Yao Ming or Greg Oden for MVP. Thankfully, no matter how crazily the NBA fandom votes, they’re only going to get just that: one vote.

Dirk, the Matrix, and the Blonde Behind Me

As Dad and I climbed the steps to our seats Monday night, I sighed, realizing just how spoiled I have become to the good seats. I never thought it would happen to me, as I was born and bred in the nosebleed section, so to speak. Be it Reunion Arena or the AAC, the upper deck has been my home away from home more often than not. Until the fall of 2007, when my incredible winning streak regarding all things Mavs first began. After 20-plus years of loyal fanship, and entering every Mavericks contest I could find, I finally started winning. It started simply enough, with a Blue Rhino grill and a BBQ dinner with Josh Howard, myself and 20 friends and culminated with my spending a week (the most amazingly awesome week of my life thus far) behind the scenes with my beloved Mavericks as the HP Insider.

Let’s face it: Dad and I are not now, nor will we ever be, the beautiful people of North Texas. Unlike a few people I know, we can’t just waltz our way down into the lower level, acting as if we belong there, and settle into any two empty seats. We’re the average, everyday fans who sometimes look lost and out of place among the upper class lower level elite folks. If we’re sitting in the good seats, believe me, you’ll find the ticket stubs for our seats in our pockets. As much as we might like to pretend we belong, we both know that, in the words of Miller, we’re “living the high life.” And we relish every minute of it.

I think that’s why it’s been a bit of a transition for me to try and make my way back where I came from: the upper deck. Thankfully, though, due to the fact that I now have a few friends in high places, I haven’t actually had to watch a game from the cheap seats yet this season. Right after the singing of the National Anthem on Monday, a friend showed up and waved me and Dad down with two tickets to the good seats. And I mean really good. We ended up on the end by the Mavericks bench, maybe four of five rows in back of the goal. I was so happy, I even asked my friend to adopt me! At which time my Dad kinda got a look on his face like, Hey, Kiddo, I’m standing right here before he, too, asked to be adopted by my buddy. Good thing Dad has a sense of humor!

We settled into our seats right as the game tipped off and I had a perfect sight line to the Mavs’ bench. It would have been great for taking pictures, but I did as I usually do and got so caught up in the game that I forgot all about it and didn’t even pull my camera out until nearly halftime. I’d really love to be able to get some great shots, especially in the moment action packed photos, but I’m always afraid that through my limited field of vision I’ll miss part of the game – which is SO not worth it. Usually when we’re in the good seats like that, we’re surrounded by nothing but Mavs fans; however, Monday night was a rare exception.

A blonde woman behind me sporting a Denver Nuggets T-shirt kept talking smack about my Mavs and cheering for Denver. Having been a fan of the visiting team in a hostile environment before myself (see also Mavs @ Spurs, January 8, 2010), I can totally appreciate someone who is passionate about their team and bold enough to be rowdy, proud, and loud when they’re surrounded by fans of “the enemy”. But what I cannot stand is people being rude and obnoxious and badmouthing the home team – in this case, my beloved Mavericks. At one point early in the game, Dirk was shooting free throws at the basket just a few feet in front of us. Quite uncharacteristically, he missed the first free throw, and said blonde Nuggets fan behind me shouted out, “You suck, Dirk!” Which, of course, did not sit well with me. It took all the self-control I could muster to keep from jumping over my chair to the aisle behind me and promptly removing the blonde from her high dollar seat. Alas, I had to settle for just turning and glaring at her every time there was a break in the action. Dirk, unfazed by her heckling, proceeded to swish through the next free throw…and every other one of his 17 attempts. As for the blonde behind me? Our unspoken feud continued throughout the night.

But I digress…back to the game at hand. The Mavs played like their lives depended on it, and took an early lead which they would not relinquish, not matter how many runs the Nuggets tried to make. And with this being the Nuggets’ first game at the AAC after the uberphysical hotly controversial playoff series last spring, the Mavericks were ready for Denver’s dirty style of play. Rather than spend the whole night whining to the officials about it (maybe because they saw their old buddy Joey Crawford in the black and whites), they played their way through it. Jason Terry even picked up a technical foul for a retaliatory shove, which I was glad to see because it meant the Mavs weren’t backing down, period.

As expected, the crowd went crazy when Roddy Beaubois entered the game. And although he didn’t have another 40 point showing, he did play some meaningful minutes in a critical game, more proof that Coach Carlisle is starting to believe in Roddy’s abilities and realize what an impact he can have on this team, regardless of the fact that he’s “just a rookie.” In the limited minutes Beaubois has seen this season, it’s quickly become clear that he is not an average rookie, but something special, a block around which the Mavs can begin to build their future without having to give up their championship aspirations in the process.

Shawn Marion played some hella defense on Carmelo Anthony, holding him in check the majority of the night. Anthony finished the game with just 10 points on 3-of-16 shooting. At one point in the game, the blonde behind me leaned over to her friend and complained about ‘Melo’s lack of scoring, blaming him for the fact that Denver was in a double digit deficit at the time. She questioned why ‘Melo wasn’t scoring more…at which point I couldn’t help myself. I turned to Dad and said (loudly enough that anyone in earshot could have heard me), “Maybe the reason ‘Melo’s not scoring is because Marion is in his jersey playing some killer defense.” After that, it was suddenly quiet behind me again for awhile. (Hey, at least it wasn’t anything that would get me thrown out of the arena or thrown in jail – Rickey already warned me that he wouldn’t bail me out when I updated my Facebook status about wanting to kick the chick behind me.)

J-Kidd had a good all-around game with 10 assists, eight points, six boards, and only one turnover. Kidd and Beaubois tied for team high honors with three steals apiece, and Brendan Haywood held his own, blocking four shots to go along with his 10 points. But the man of the hour, the man of the night, was without a doubt my hero, Dirk Nowitzki. Not only did Dirk fight his way through some physical play and dirty defenders, but he managed to post his second career triple-double – and this time, I was there to see it, live and in person. Some days it’s good to be me! Dirk was so aggressive on the offensive end, he made it to the charity stripe 17 times during the game, well above his season average. And while some, including myself, have question Dirk’s decreased production over the past several games, on Monday night, he again reminded us just how special and unique a player he is, scoring 34 points (including 4-of-5 from behind the arc), pulling down 10 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists, as well as recording one blocked shot. When the final seconds ticked off the clock and the Mavericks walked off the court with the tiebreaker (vs. Denver), the victory (109-93), and their heads held high, I once again let my mouth start running. As I high-fived my Dad, I half-turned in the direction of the blonde behind me and said as loudly as I could, “Doesn’t look like Dirk sucks now, does it?”

Victory is sweet…

GO MAVS!!

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a...Flying Frenchman?!?

One thing was clear on Saturday night in San Francisco as the Mavs walloped the Golden State Wienies, 111-90: Brandon Jennings isn’t the only rookie who can put points on the board. Roddy Beaubois exploded during the second quarter, scoring 26 of his team-high 40 points in only 15 minutes and becoming only the third rookie in Dallas Mavericks’ 30 year history to have a 40 point game. Not even former MVP Dirk Nowitzki or future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd share Roddy’s claim to fame. Only Jay Vincent and Mark Aguirre ever had 40 point games as Mavericks’ rookies, leaving Roddy B in some superstar scoring territory. What we saw Saturday night as the Oracle Arena truly was history in the making.

Beaubois was nothing short of amazing as he nailed shots near and far, but particularly behind the three point line, where he shot 9-of-11 for a whopping 82%! He finished the night with 40 points (15-of-22 shots), eight rebounds, and three blocks, all of which were new career highs. But as amazing as he was shooting the ball, he was still passing the ball to open teammates and playing great defense as well. For instance, Roddy B nailed another of his nine three pointers before dishing out assists on the Mavericks’ final two possessions of the third quarter. He ended the night by blocking Golden State’s final shot attempt in a game that was truly decided once he set foot on the court late in the first quarter and provided the Mavericks with some much needed energy and enthusiasm. Beaubois finished with three assists and only one turnover in 29 minutes.

Fans aren’t the only ones loving it when Roddy B is inserted into the lineup. Word has it that after the game Saturday night, when Roddy, who was the last one on the first bus, climbed aboard, the entire bus 9including players, coaches, assistants, and staff) gave the young phenom a rousing ovation for his remarkable performance. It seems that everyone wants to play with Roddy B and they genuinely enjoy watching him on the court. While the coaching staff finally seems to be realizing they have a diamond in the not-so-rough with Beaubois, his teammates seem to genuinely like him and appreciate all the effort he has put in trying to improve himself and his game this year. He has been patient and has been a willing and eager student under the tutelage of the legendary Jason Kidd, which has been a great benefit to both Beaubois and the team alike. But the one reason I think so many of his teammates want to see Beaubois get more playing time is simple: he puts the fun back in the game of basketball. Roddy makes the game more entertaining and maybe he helps remind a few of the more veteran players how much fun it can be to push aside everything else in life and just get out on the court and play basketball.

The win over Golden State on Saturday was wonderful (as it always is when we whip the Wienies), but it’s time for the Mavericks to really crack down tonight as they face the Denver Nuggets in a game that could very well determine where the teams will wind up in the Western Conference playoff picture when all is said and done. Denver and Dallas have split the season series thus far, meaning tonight’s game will be the tiebreaker. Denver is coming in on the second night of a back to back, having lost in Orlando last night and dropping three of their last four games. The last time the Nuggets set foot in the AAC was during the much heated playoff series last year, so the atmosphere at the arena tonight should be a great one. The Mavericks need to play like their playoff lives depend on it….because in a sense, they very well might.

Less than two hours to tipoff and I can’t wait for the game to start.

Tick, tock, tick tock.

A Wild and Crazy Week

It's been awhile since my last blog, but it as been a wild and crazy week around the house, even at work. I've barely had time to watch my beloved Mavericks over the last eight days, but that is definitely going to change next week as Dad and I are attending not one but two games. Monday night we will be watching the Mavs take on the Denver Nuggets in a crucial must win game for Dallas if they hope to have any chance of claiming the 2nd seed (and the potential matchup against the aged and all-too-familiar Spurs) in the Western Conference playoff picture. On Thursday, we'll be in attendance as the Mavs return from Memphis on the second night of a back to back to face the Orlando Magic for the final time this season. Thursday's game will also be the Mavs' final regular season game against the Eastern Conference.

I missed last Saturday night's loss to the Celtics as we were out of town visiting family way out in West Texas, where UPN's signal doesn't dare to roam. I did have dad set the DVR and record it for me, but as the final few minutes unfolded and I received message after message (might as well have been a play by play) via Twitter and my cell phone, I learned that all was for naught, and my Mavs had fallen apart in the final few minutes. Shoot. So Sunday night when we returned home, I skimmed through the game and the post game show, somewhat disinterested as I already knew the end result.

Since I was off work on Monday, I had full intentions of sitting my booty on the couch with Little T, my MFFL in waiting, and enjoying the Mavs @ New Orleans in its entirety. But in the words of a country song, "If you wanna hear God laugh, tell him your plans." My appointment at the ear doctor was short and sweet (paid $20 for a 5 minute test to determine what I already knew -- I'm deafer than a doornail in my left ear), but then I had to run my niece to an appointment (we only have one car for the four of us) and in the meantime, pick up my sister from work, run her to the bank, and then go back and get my niece and her daughter before we all headed out to Rowlett to pick up my sister's new car. By the time all was said and done, it was too late for me to set the DVR, so I had to settle for listening to the first half of the game in the background while my sister and I chatted all the way back home. I'm still not sure what exactly happened; at one point, we were up by double digits early in the first quarter, but by the half, we were down, 52-45. Huh?!? What happened? I didn't get to see it, but judging by the rest of the games the Mavs have lost (or nearly lost) lately, I'm 99% sure it had to do with either silly turnovers (love you, JJ, but you got to hold on to the ball a little better) or a lack of focus and intensity on the defensive end -- my guess would be the latter. By the time we grabbed dinner and headed home, all I really saw was the fourth quarter, nothing very remarkable. Although I was glad to see Jet's offense pick up, as he lead the team with 24 points.

Tuesday night, I was supposed to be attending a meeting of the newly formed Social Services Committee for the city, but fortunately, it was rescheduled, which allowed me to watch the majority of the Clippers vs. Mavericks. Now that was a much more exciting and fun game to watch. Granted, we should have been able to beat a team such as the Clippers by a larger margin, but overall, it was a good game. And as far as Jason Kidd was concerned, it was phenomenal. Celebrating his 37th (are you freaking kidding me??) birthday, the seemingly ageless Kidd imposed his will upon the team at both ends of the floor, again leading the charge for Dallas in every way imaginable. Dirk may be our MVP, but without Jason Kidd, there would be no oil in our engine, no caffeine in our coffee. Kidd is the grease that makes the Mavericks' wheels go round and round, and no matter how much praise I may heap on him, I still can't fully explain just how important he is to this team. Don't get me wrong, I still love Devin Harris, but the midseason trade that brought Kidd and his veteran leadership and experience to Dallas in exchange for Devin Harris and his quickness, athleticism, and future potential is still one of the smartest moves this front office has ever made. The only thing that would make me happier than seeing Kidd win a title here and end his legendary career as a Dallas Maverick would be to see Dirk Nowitzki do the same thing. You just gotta love a guy that, at age 37, still dives for loose balls and makes unbelievable passes and can STILL score the ball. After Dirk, who was fire hot in the first half, was ejected for picking up two quick technical fouls (truth be told, the ref in question might have been a little thin skinned as quickly as he rung Dirk up and tossed him) early in the third quarter, Kidd stepped up his game as he has so many times this season and brought the 106-96 victory home to Dallas. He led the team with 26 points on 10-of-21 shooting, including 6-of-11 from three point range, to go along with his 12 assists.

If Tuesday was greatness, Thursday was sloppiness. The Mavs faced Portland, and lost to them, for the third time this year. I keep hearing local radio personalities and other talking head types saying that Portland presents the best potential playoff matchup for the Mavs in the first round, but I couldn't disagree more. In all three games this season, Portland has had the upper hand. They have been better defensively, offensively, on the boards, and all-around. Their length and athleticism have hounded and harassed the Mavs at every turn, and until Dallas can be consistent on both ends of the court, but particularly on defense, Portland -- and other teams like them-- (see also Denver Nuggets) will continue to give the Mavericks trouble. Dallas really needs to step up their game, not only because they have to face the Blazers in Portland again in two weeks, but because the playoff picture in the West is so shaky, they have just as great a likelihood of an opening round matchup with the Blazers as they do with any other team.

Prior obligations will again keep me from watching tonight's matchup with the Golden State Wienies (from San Fran) -- live, anyway. But rest assured, either late this evening or sometime tomorrow, I will make time to sit down and watch my boys in blue do their thing -- which will hopefully include stomping all over the Warriors and getting back on the winning track. With only ten games left, now more than ever, every game counts.

Game on!

JJ and the Jet Lead Mavs over Bulls, 113-106

Two themes were at play in the AAC on Wednesday night when the Mavericks hosted the Chicago Bulls: desperation and aggression. Chicago, who came in losers of eight straight games, was desperate to pick up a win against Dallas. The Mavericks, on the other hand, with Jason Terry having returned to the lineup for the first time since fracturing his orbital bone two weeks ago, were all about aggression. After having their season-high 13 game winning streak snuffed by a brutal beatdown at the hands of the New York Knicks, the Mavs were fired up and ready to get back on the winning track themselves.

From the opening tip, the Mavs played like they were the ones in desperate need of a win. Rather than standing around hoping their jump shots would rain through, as they spent much of Saturday night's blowout loss doing, these Mavericks were running, jumping, passing, penetrating and taking the ball to the basket early on. Caron Butler, who led the team in scoring with 27 points, set the tone by earning his way to the charity stripe time after time. Butler alone had nearly half (16) of the Mavs' 33 free throw attempts throughout the game.

The Mavs' were aggressive on defense as well, both individually and as a team, particularly in the first half. Erick Dampier was blocking shots with his left hand, rather than his right, due to recovering from a middle finger dislocation. And Jason Terry, who subbed in the game late in the first quarter, even got in on the act with a block of his own. It was great to see the fire and passion that Jet brings to this team evident on the court once again. His excitement, enjoyment, and sense of urgency seemed to filter to his teammates as the Mavericks played one of their best halves of basketball all year.

Their offensive prowess was highlighted by several beautiful plays early on, including a behind the back pass in transition from Jason Kidd to Erick Dampier, who was fouled in the process and completed the three point play. Jason Terry started the game by hitting all four of his first shots. With about a minute left before the half, Brendan Haywood missed an easy shot beneath the basket and Roddy Beaubois and his spring-loaded legs jumped up and tipped in the ball for an easy basket. The Mavericks shot 66% in the first 24 minutes and their bench outscored the Bulls, 30-17.

However, in the second half, the Mavs began to slack up, particularly on the defensive end, and the Bulls began playing like their (playoff) lives depended on it, which they very well might in the long run. Acie Law, who led the Bulls with 22 points, seemed to have his way with Dallas, connecting on 7-of-8 shots and going a perfect 7-of-7 from the line. Law even had a remarkable three point play that began with a wicked spin move near the middle of the fourth quarter. The Mavs lead had been cut to 98-90 halfway through the final frame when Chicago rookie James Johnson missed a layup which cut have shrunk the lead to six. His miss was quickly followed by a shot from JJ Barea to put the Mavs lead back to double digits at 100-90. Barea then proceeded to rattle off eight more points, for a total of 10 straight, for Dallas, highlighted by an open three pointer on a cross-court pass from Dirk out of the double team. In the midst of his double-digit solo scoring run, Barea managed to draw a charge on the Bulls with 3:49 remaining. 90 seconds later, Dirk proved he was no pushover as he lunged at the Bulls' Kirk Heinrich, who shoved Nowitzki in the back after the play had ended, resulting in a technical foul on Heinrich. With just over a minute left and the Mavs' victory relatively secure, Barea again drew an offensive foul on Chicago.

"JJ was the one that really saved us the game," Dirk said. That's some pretty high praise coming from the team leader, former MVP, and future Hall of Famer.

JJ Barea finished the game with 15 points, 10 of them coming during a critical push by the Mavs, and a team-high tying five assists. Dirk also had five assists to go along with his 26 points and team-high three steals. Shawn Marion, with 12, and Beaubois, with 11, were the other Mavericks with double digit scoring totals. Jason Kidd had an extremely rare off night, finishing with zero points (that counted), two rebounds, four assists, and three turnovers. I say points that counted because in the final seconds of the third quarter, he heaved a long ball from well behind the arc that would have kept his string of 31 consecutive games with at least one three point shot made alive had it come off his fingertips just a fraction of a second earlier. Due to some soreness and stiffness in his knees, which Mavs coaching staff has assured is not anything unusual or cause to worry, Kidd's minutes were limited. He played the entire first and third quarters, but did not play during either the second or the fourth periods. Kidd was on the bench, icing his knees down, early on in the fourth quarter, but should be available for Saturday night's matchup with the Boston Celtics.

Could Saturday night possibly be a preview of things to come, perhaps an NBA Finals matchup? I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but the Mavericks I've seen since the trade, excusing the debacle against the Knicks last weekend --which I technically didn't see -- have proven to me, if not the league, that they can run with the big boys. I can't wait for the playoffs to start.

Is it April yet??

Life Outside of Basketball?

For years now, my family and friends have been trying to convince me, rather unsuccessfully, that there is life outside of basketball, specifically aside from my beloved Mavericks. Try as they might, though, they have not been able to persuade me to believe them…until last Saturday night, when I finally “saw the light” and couldn’t have been happier.

Since my time in the spotlight ended in January (although I have yet to change the month on my calendar – it’s my way of clinging to my ‘stardom’) and I had to return to life in the real world, I have been trying to work my daily routines around the Mavericks’ schedule whenever possible so that I never miss a game. Thanks to the modern miracle of the DVR, I might be a few hours late watching it, but I don’t skip one entirely. On Saturday night, however, a night when I had originally hoped to be at the AAC taking in the Mavs vs. Knicks alongside my Dad, (the only available tickets were more than we were willing to pay to see the Knicks), I was instead reduced to the mundane task of grocery shopping. Joy, joy! I programmed the DVR as always, with plans of watching the game once we got home and had everything put away.

However, as we made our way through the aisles of Wal-Mart, my cell phone kept buzzing in my pocket. (I never turn the ringer or sounds on as I’m usually too deaf to hear them and they just annoy me when I do). I recently updated several text message subscriptions, including one to ESPN to be notified of games scores and starts for the Mavs and the Spurs, and started following multiple Mavs-related people on Twitter, such as Ben & Skin, Mark Followill, and Shawn Marion. So every time I opened my phone, there was another message from either Skin or Followill via Twitter, talking about how the Mavs were off to a stinky start and New York was opening a can of whoop-ass on them. At halftime, which coincided with the midpoint of our grocery seeking adventure, I was becoming discouraged and wondering if I even wanted to watch the game after all. Let me pause for a moment and fill you in -- over the past six years, the only game I have completely missed was the one where my husband had a stroke, and we were actually at that game when it happened. Even during the playoffs last year, when the Mavs played on Saturday and I was forced to work, I borrowed my Dad’s TV and snuck it upstairs so I wouldn’t miss a minute of the action.

So when the text message came through near the end of the third quarter that said we were down by 25 points, I cringed internally and wondered if I could get away with just pretending there hadn’t been a game at all by the time we got home. I was hoping that, being only four years old and easily distracted, my little MFFL in training, Trystan, would forget about the game. But she didn’t. On the way home, she asked again if we could watch Mavs when we got to the house. I told her she could watch it, but I was going to bed, as by that time, I had already received the text message with the god-awful final score – Knicks 128, Mavs 94 – and knew there was no way possible I was going to sit through 48 minutes of ugly ball, knowing in advance there was essentially no hope for my Mavs and their wonderful winning ways had come to a screeching halt at the hands of the Knicks.

Sometimes, even a superfan like me has limits as to what she can endure. So when we got home and got the groceries put away and all was said and done, I deleted the game without Trystan realizing it. I figured, if she still wanted to watch Mavs, I had several other games on the DVR, Mavs victories at that, which would be much more entertaining, even to a four year old who was still trying to figure everything out.

Every day and nearly every night before bedtime, Trystan will ask when the next Mavs game is on TV, and she is always disappointed when we have to wait a day or two between games. But tonight she is more excited than normal, because she gets to wear her ‘new’ Dirk jersey that her auntie Mandi bought her yesterday. I was on my lunch break and wandering through a local thrift store when I found a Dirk jersey, albeit at least two sizes too big, for just $3. Knowing how much little T loves Dirk, I figured she could just grow into it and couldn’t pass it up. So after supper tonight, we will be plopping ourselves down in front of the TV to see if Dirk and the Mavs can start another super streak as they head into the home stretch of the season. Hopefully, taking on a much depleted Chicago Bulls team who has lost eight straight games will work in our favor, especially coming off the embarrassment that was Saturday night. My boys in blue…or they’ll probably be wearing the green tonight in honor of St. Patty’s Day…have had several days to stew over what happened this weekend, and hopefully they will come out fired up, guns a blazing, ready to kick it into another gear. Plus, Jason Terry is supposed to be back tonight, which can only help us as he provides an offensive punch off the bench. I think maybe tonight, I’ll see if I can get Trystan to recognize the Jet by his face, not just the back of his head. The mask should probably help.

Is it game time yet?

LET’S GO MAVS!

No Win Too Small as Mavs Claim Lucky #13

Sometimes, timing is everything. On a night when perennial All-Star Dirk Nowitzki couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn, the Mavericks couldn’t have been happier to see the New Jersey Nets, who currently have only seven wins and are on pace to be the worst team in NBA history. But as it frequently happens in this league, when you're the owners of the league's longest winning streak, everyone is gunning for you, from the top tier teams to the cellar dwellers of the league. Even the worst of teams gears up and gets ready to test their mettle as they try to take you down a notch. This was definitely the case of the lowly Nets Wednesday night as the Mavs opened up a four game home stand.

Things got ugly early for the Mavs, who were down 17-3 at one point in the opening frame. Although they would drop even further behind, eventually trailing New Jersey by 18, during the second quarter, the Mavs slowly started to regain their composure and remember who they were playing against. They trended back towards team defense and started making a few more baskets courtesy of the fast break. By halftime, the Mavs were only down eight at 47-39.

Dallas really pulled itself together over the middle two quarters, holding the Nets’ offense to only 29 points, while Dallas racked up 51 to retake the lead in yet another comeback effort from a double-digit deficit. Although Dirk can’t have an MVP night every night, his performance on Wednesday was well below his standards. Dirk shot just 3-of-16, finishing the game with just 12 points. He was also responsible for five Maverick turnovers, more than one of which came at the hands of former teammate Devin Harris.

On the bright side, the Mavericks saw the return of two of their big men, Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood. Haywood picked up where he left off, posting another double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with his two blocks, in just 24 minutes. And while Dampier had less of an impact (he only played four minutes), he did manage to grab two rebounds and one steal. Shawn Marion was once again everywhere the Mavs needed him to be, racking up his own double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, in addition to a team-high three blocks and one steal.

Already down two players at the guard position (Jet Terry, recovering from facial surgery, and JJ Barea, who sprained his ankle on Monday), Coach Carlisle was forced to play Jason Kidd some seriously extended minutes, especially once rookie Roddy Beaubois fouled out. Beaubois, one of six Mavericks in double figures, ended his night with 16 points and three assists in 26 minutes. And once again, Jason Kidd was instrumental in the Mavericks pulling out their eventual victory, 96-87. In the nearly 45 minutes of playing time Kidd logged, he not only led the team in scoring (20 points on 6-of-13 shots), but in assists (nine) and steals (four) as well. Kidd was 5-of-8 on threes and continued his streak of hitting at least one three pointer over the last 30 consecutive games.

The Nets did manage to put a scare into the Mavs late in the final frame when they scored 11 unanswered points to make it a one point game. But Caron Butler came through for the Mavericks down the stretch, scoring 10 of their final 15 points. Butler finished the night with 18 points on 50% shooting and boasted a perfect 4-of-4from the free throw stripe.

Even though the start of the game might not have appeared that way, “We want to win every game,” said team leader and future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd. On Wednesday night, Kidd definitely played like it.

Here’s hoping the win streak continues tonight as the Mavericks take on the New York Knicks. Let’s go Mavs!

Is Dirk Tough Enough?

After watching Minnesota's Ryan Hollins take cheap shots at both DeShawn Stevenson and Dirk Nowitzki on Monday night, I couldn't help but notice the completely different reactions by both Mavericks. DeShawn, who looks much scarier and more intimidating than he probably is in real life, took offense at Hollins and got up in his face, resulting in a technical foul. (Of course, the officials only saw Stevenson’s reaction, not Hollins’ initial punch; however, Hollins was later suspended by the league for two games, one for hitting DeShawn and one for swiping at Dirk). But late in the game, when the outcome had virtually been decided, Hollins faked a block attempt as an apparent excuse to whack Dirk upside the head, and Dirk did nothing…literally. He didn’t mouth off, nor lunge at Hollins in retaliation, nor even give the evil eye. He simply swiped the back of his head as if there were a pesky gnat buzzing by his ears and walked away. One of the newest Mavericks, Caron Butler, went after Hollins, in defense of Dirk, and while it was nice to see that his teammate had his back, it was also unnecessary. Dirk doesn’t have to stoop to trash talking or beneath the basket battery to make his presence felt; he lets his game do the talking for him.

Some people mistakenly believe that Dirk’s lack of in-your-face attitude equates to his supposed nonexistent killer instinct, but anyone who has ever watched Dirk play when the game in on the line knows better. Dirk’s passion for the game of basketball is evident every time he sets foot on the court, from tipoff to the final buzzer. Born and bred in Europe and having spent his formative years playing international style basketball as opposed to the more physical American style, Dirk is not viewed as a “tough guy” by fans, media, or even other players within the league. This is where I tend to disagree with popular opinion.

While it’s true you won’t find Dirk being suspended for punching another player and running away (a la Carmelo Anthony) or sucker punching an opponent in the groin while fighting for a loose ball (love ya, Jet!), Dirk is without a doubt one of the toughest players in the league today, both mentally and physically. When it comes to injuries, it takes a hell of a lot to slow Dirk down, and even more to sit him completely. In his career, Dirk has been a virtual iron man, rarely missing games, sometimes even when he should have. He constantly plays through pain and injuries and is often on the court even when he is not at 100%. Two seasons ago, he went down hard with both a high ankle sprain and a knee injury in a game against the Spurs while the Mavs were struggling to maintain a playoff spot. He was expected to be out a minimum of two weeks, likely longer, but fought his way through it and was again in the starting lineup after missing only four games. Dirk knew the Mavs needed him to help secure a playoff berth, and that is exactly what the big German did, even though he was clearly not playing at full strength.

Dirk has shown his share of mental toughness as well. One only has to look at the events that transpired this past summer, when his fiancee Cristal Taylor turned out to be someone totally different than who she had claimed. Dirk had to deal not only with the feelings of betrayal, hurt, and losing the woman that he had planned to spend the rest of his life with, but he had to try to maintain his focus on basketball at the same time. And he did. Granted, the Mavs did not come out on top in the conference semifinal series with Denver, but none of that blame could rightfully be laid at Dirk’s gigantic feet.

Personally, I’m proud of the fact that Dirk doesn’t feel the need to thug it up. While it irks me to see him get pushed around and hear him labeled as “soft,” I appreciate the fact that he is an upstanding man and doesn’t feel the need to stoop to punk like behavior on the court or off. It’s that strength of character and integrity that cause many fans, such as myself, to hold Dirk in such high regard and view him with the utmost respect. When all is said and done, Dirk will never be known as an on-court enforcer. He will, however, be remembered as one of the NBA’s toughest players, in the truest sense of the words.

Mavs Lose Barea, Win 'Dirty' Dozen

The final few minutes of the fourth quarter on Monday night in Minneapolis provided some of the most awkward yet entertaining basketball the Mavericks have been involved in all year long. The final frame included a blatant cheap head shot and resulting ejection, the rare NBA double dribble call, a tweaked ankle and injury substitution to shoot free throws, and too few players on the floor at the 29 second mark. It was a lengthy twelve minutes of basketball time, but there was never a dull moment on either end of the floor as Dallas went continued its winning ways, defeating the Timberwolves 125-112 to win the season series.

Shawn Marion had his best game as a Maverick, posting a team high 29 points and 14 rebounds to go along with three steals. Said Coach Carlisle of Marion, "Every week I tell him how important he is to us, how much...I appreciate what he's done for us this year." And Marion seemed to do a little of everything, on both ends of the floor. He created several of Minnesota's 26 turnovers and broke away for a few fast break baskets. The Mavs scored an incredible 31 fast break points off Minnesota's turnovers.

"Everyone's been contributing," Marion said. "That's the sign of a great team." And the shorthanded Mavericks needed all the help they could get, as they again were only able to dress nine players due to injury. to top it off, Dirk picked up two quick fouls less than two minutes into the first quarter and was forced to take an early seat, which allowed Minnesota's Al Jefferson to have his way inside, leading the Timberwolves to an early double digit lead. However, due primarily to an excellent effort by Marion and the fact that all nine Mavericks that played scored during the first half, the Mavs ended the opening quarter up 34-27.

Despite his lack of playing time early on, Dirk really made his presence felt in the second half, finishing the game with 24 points, three assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Caron Butler added 23 points, including a pair of consecutive three pointers in the 4th quarter as the Mavs pulled away. And the legendary Jason Kidd again earned a double-double, boasting 12 points and 10 assists. Rookie Roddy Beaubois, although he had an off shooting night, contributed five boards, four assists, a steal, a block and 11 points while only turning the ball over once, another sign that the rookie is really improving under the tutelage of Jason Kidd.

Former Maverick Ryan Hollins caused a stir early on when he threw a punch (although the officials did not catch it at the time) at DeShawn Stevenson under the basket. Stevenson got pissed and exchanged words and intimidating looks with Hollins (which, of course, the refs DID see) and Stevenson was called for a technical foul. It was a feisty and dirty night for Hollins again as with less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter, he swiped at Dirk’s head, never even aiming for the basketball, as Dirk went up for a shot, which resulted in a flagrant-2 foul on Hollins, an automatic ejection.

Just over a minute later, Mavs’ guard JJ Barea cam down on Darko Milicic’s foot, spraining his ankle. With roughly 2:30 minutes to play and the Mavs clearly in the drivers’ seat, Dirk talked to Barea and told him to go on back to the locker room and get checked out, not to worry about shooting his two free throws. Barea obliged, and league rules allowed the Wolves’ coach, Kurt Rambis, to choose any other available Maverick to shoot Barea’s free throws. After reviewing the stat sheets, Rambis elected for Eduardo Najera, a 55% FT shooter, to fill in for the injured Barea. Najera hit the first free throw, looked up and smiled, and then nailed the second free throw as well.

The Wolves’ recovered the ball and as rookie Jonny Flynn came across the midcourt line, he double dribbled, a call made first by Jason Kidd and then the officiating staff. With thirty seconds of play remaining, the Mavs’ coaching staff started substituting the bench into the game to replace the starters and as the starters exited the floor, officials realized that there were only four Mavs still on the court. Caron Butler quickly hurried back in for the final two plays of the game, and the Mavs went on to beat Minnesota 125-112, their only double-digit margin of victory during this incredible winning streak.

No Bull: Mavs Stretch Streak to 11 in Chicago

On a night when only nine players were suited up and ready to play, it looked at times as though the Dallas Mavericks league-leading 10 game winning streak might be in jeopardy as they faced the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. What could have easily been considered another scheduled loss for the Mavericks (their second night of a back to back, again in two different cities) turned out to be another all-around team effort as the Mavs held on to win, 122-116, over the Bulls, winning their 11th consecutive game.

Rookie Roddy Beaubois shined once again, putting up a new career high with 24 points. Beaubois' offensive output was matched by Caron Butler, and the team was led by 27 points from Dirk, 13 of which came during the final twelve minutes of play. Jason Kidd, the only player to boast the unusual rebounds-assists double-double this season, did it yet again, leading the Mavs with 11 boards and 15 assists. In the third quarter is when Beaubois really made his presence known, scoring 18 points and helping the Mavs extend their lead to double digits.

Since the All-Star break, the Mavs have posted an impressive 11-1 record, rolling out ten straight wins after losing their first game back to the up and coming Oklahoma City Thunder. By comparison, the LA Lakers, who currently sit atop the Western Conference, have only managed a 5-5 record since mid-February. Dallas passed the Denver Nuggets to take second place in the West and has closed within just three games of the Lakers for first place after the Lakers lost a close one to Orlando on Sunday.

What's really amazing for the Mavericks is the fact that they can only get better from this point. Since the All-Star break, the Mavs have had one of the busiest, most hectic schedules in the league, allowing little to no true practice time to try and work in the three new players that came over in the trade with the Washington Wizards (Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson). But after this coming Monday night, when the Mavs will finish their third game in four nights in Minnesota, the Mavs will play only four games over the next twelve days. This super light schedule should not only give the newest Mavs some serious practice time, but it will also allow those players with injuries (Jason Terry, Brendan Haywood, and Erick Dampier) a chance to recover and allow heavy minute getters such as Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki a chance to get some much needed rest. Coming out of the four games in twelve day stretch, the Mavs should be well rested and ready to make their playoff push as they attempt to surpass the Lakers for the number one seed in the West. What originally seemed an unreachable goal has now become a real possibility, especially if the Mavs can continue their winning ways of late.

And heading into Minnesota to face a team that has won only 14 games all season, their chances look pretty good to gain a little more ground on the flailing Lakers. Especially when you consider that the Mavs are playing with two living legends and future Hall of Famers (Kidd and Nowitzki), the latter of which was just named Western Conference Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. The more I watch this team play together, the more I really start to think this is our year; our time has come. Of course, being the true blue MFFL that I am, I tend to think that every year -- but this time, I truly believe it. 2010 has been a magical year for me and the Mavericks thus far and I have a sneaking suspicion this is just the beginning....

Dallas Dethrones Kings to Make It 10 Straight

Being down the Sixth Man of the Year, two centers, and a head coach wasn't even enough to stop the Dallas Mavericks' last night as they held on to beat the Sacramento Kings, 108-100, at American Airlines Center. Coach Carlisle got disgusted with the seemingly one-sided officiating (Dallas hadn't been to the free throw line one time at the 6:36 mark of the second quarter) and quickly picked up two technical fouls -- and a ticket to the locker room -- protesting yet another non-call on Nowitzki under the basket. Dwayne Casey took over coaching duties, and the Mavs seemed to find a little life on the heels of Carlisle's ejection. Dallas went on a 15-5 run which culminated with 1:59 remaining before the half, when rookie Roddy Beaubois sliced through the lane for an easy layup and drew the foul, sending him to the line for the Mavs' first free throw of the night. Beaubois nailed the free throw, which tied the game at 48. On the Kings' next possession, Eduardo Najera blocked a shot from behind and Beaubois race down the floor to make a basket, giving the Mavs their first lead of the game, 50-48, with 1:35 left in the half.

Although the Kings would take a 53-52 lead into the locker room at halftime, the Mavs lead the league in comeback wins this season and were never worried. The opening play of the second half featured Jason Kidd throwing an awesome alley-oop pass to an airborne Beaubois for an easy bucket to put the Mavs back in front. Due to muscle tightness in his lower back, Brendan Haywood didn't return after the first quarter, which left Dirk playing center. The Mavs had a huge third quarter and improved on their defense to take an 85-72 lead going into the fourth quarter. Around the nine minute mark, Beaubois fell over backwards, basically somersaulting onto his neck in an effort to obtain a loose ball, which resulted in a wide open shot for Dirk. Roddy then limped to the bench at the next timeout, but he was able to walk it off and return to the game.

Dirk hit back to back shots to put the Mavs up 100-91 before Sacramento went on a 9-2 run to make it a one possession game at 102-100. Caron Butler stole the ball as rookie Tyreke Evans drove the lane. Dirk was fouled and hit two free throws to stretch the Mavs' lead to 104-100, then Butler stole the ball a second time and Nocioni fouled Dirk, resulting in two more made free throws, as well as Nocioni's ejection. On the next trip down for the Kings, they missed their initial shot, as well as two putback attempts, before Jason Kidd snagged the rebound and was fouled with 5.7 second left. Kidd iced both free throws and the Mavs went on to claim their 10th straight victory, 108-100.

Beaubois finished the night with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting (3-of -6 from behind the arc) and Barea had eight points, two boards, and seven assists. Dirk led the team in both scoring and rebounds, with 31 and 12, respectively, to go along with his three assists. Immediately following the game, the Mavs had to board the team plane to Chicago, where they will play the Bulls tomorrow night, their second of three games in four days.

Trystan and the Timberwolves

I love the Mavericks, pure and simple, but more than that, I love basketball. It always thrills and excites me when I can share my obsession and pass on my passion for the game to someone else, and last night offered me the perfect opportunity as we took my four-year-old great-niece and goddaughter Trystan to her very first Mavericks game. Trystan has been my couch buddy, watching the games with me off and on over the past two years. For awhile, she was my echo during the games, clapping when I clapped, cheering when I cheered, and sometimes even cursing when I cursed. I’ve since managed to get that last part under control when she’s in the room…mostly, anyway. The past few weeks, though, she’s been a cheerleader of sorts.

“Say ‘defense’ with me!” she’ll yell excitedly, and we’ll holler “Defense!” in unison. Or it’s, “Put your hands up…no, both hands. Now say, ‘Let’s go Mavs!’,” and we’ll cheer at the TV just as loud as if were at the game. Which we were on Wednesday night. And all in all, it turned out to be a pretty good first game for little T.

We had originally bought the $2 special nosebleed seats and figured that would be better for Trystan, because she has really sensitive ears and loud noises sometimes bother her. But once we were inside the arena, we met a friend of mine who offered us some fantastic seats in the lower level behind the T-Wolves goal. As we made our way to the seats, Trystan had a bit of trouble trying to move her little legs down the steep steps. That made me really glad we were fortunate enough to upgrade from Section 324, Row O (way up there!) to Section 101, Row T. I could just imagine Trystan's mom Merenda and I having to switch off carrying her every few steps until we reached the top. We settled into our seats shortly before tipoff and Trystan was excited just to see the players on the floor during shootaround. She went through the list, calling out the names and pointing to the players she recognized: Dirk, first and foremost (she did learn from me, after all) and Jason Terry, although weirdly enough, she can only recognize him from the back of his jersey -- she doesn't know his face!

As the lights went down and the intro music came on, I glanced over at Trystan to make sure she was okay with the darkness and she was standing and clapping and grinning, just as excited as her Aunt Mandi was. We screamed and cheered for all of the Mavs as they were introduced, but as Shawn Marion was the last Mav to be announced, I looked around and couldn't help wondering, Where in the world is Jason Kidd? Once the lights came on, I looked at the Mavs bench and couldn't find him there, either, so I started to panic. I texted my dad (he was at work and listening to the radio broadcast) and a few other friends, as I had listened to ESPN all day but heard nothing of Kidd being injured or out.


The teams met at center court for the jump ball and Trystan looked at me and said, "Go blue!" and I explained to her that, no, the Mavs were in white this game, but she refused to believe me and kept saying, "Go blue, go blue!" until she saw Dirk's face flash on the screen in his white jersey...at which time she said, "Mavs are white, go white!" Silly girl. As the first quarter played out, the PA announcer tried to get the lethargic crowd going by asking us to say, "DE-FENSE!" on the beats. Trystan was more than happy to oblige, although she was always on the off-beat, which kept me and Merenda laughing, but also threw us off when we tried to cheer as well.



There was a group of high school girls behind us that thought Trystan was just the cutest thing (who doesn't?) and laughed every time she cheered and were really having a good time seeing how excited she was becoming. Trystan, who never misses an opportunity to steal the spotlight, started turning around and cheering with the girls behind us, leaving her back to the game. Merenda and I had to keep reminding her to turn around so she could see the Mavs, but she was having herself a ball nonetheless, as were her new friends. During a timeout, a Mavs mini-movie spoof of Tron came on the Jumbotron and Trystan turned and asked me, "Is this a commercial? Can you fast forward it now?" Needless to say, she has already become spoiled to the lovely technology of the DVR.



I never can quite keep up with the game (statistically speaking) as much when I'm in the arena as I can watching it at home. When I'm on my couch, I consistently type notes to myself into my cell phone so I can use them for the next day's blog. But when I'm actually there watching the game, I get so caught up in the moment that numbers and stats completely elude me. By halftime, all I knew for sure was that this game was not going to be a cake walk, as some had hoped, and Dirk seemed to be having an off night. It was another slow start, with Minnesota jumping out to an early lead, which had essentially taken the crowd out of the game for awhile. Aside from Merenda, Trystan, and myself, that is. We were on our feet screaming and cheering at every little positive thing the Mavs did.


One thing I did notice was that Jason Terry seemed to be playing really well, and was a big part of the reason we were still in the game. He appeared to have found his shooting rhythm rather early and I only hoped his energy and enthusiasm could revive the crowd, as well as the Mavs in general. After watching Barea and Beaubois take turns running the point, both of them looking good in different aspects, I realized all the more just how valuable Jason Kidd is to this team. As Eduardo Najera said in a postgame interview earlier in the week, everything for this team starts with Kidd. And watching the sometimes sloppy play that took place in the first half, I couldn't have agreed more.


The third quarter started and we settled back into our seats and I got into the game all over again, occasionally shooting a sideways glance at Trystan to be sure she was still having fun and wasn't getting too tired or anything. Far from it, she decided before too long she wanted to go sit on the row behind us with her new friends, because they were dancing and cheering and having more fun, while Merenda and I were just trying to watch the game. So she climbed back there with them during a timeout and they even took pictures together. Who knew we would be ditched by a four-year-old in the middle of the Mavs game?


And then came the face foul by Jason Terry. Corey Brewer of the T-Wolves was running up the baseline and Terry moved in front of him to try and take the charge. Brewer raised his arm in an attempt to go around Terry and inadvertently whacked Terry in the face below his left eye. The impact knocked Jet flat on his back, where he remained for a little over a minute. The foul was called on Terry, and while Terry was escorted off the floor and back into the locker room by trainer Casey Smith, Brewer shot two free throws. Roughly three minutes later, with a nose packed full of gauze to stop the bleeding, Terry re-entered the game and played the entire final frame. Had it not been for the heroic efforts of Jason Terry, who led the team with 26 points, the solid play of Shawn Marion, and the fact that Dirk Nowitzki finally heated up a bit in the second half (scoring 16 of his 22 points), there's no way the Mavs would have won the game, even against lowly Minnesota -- who, by the way, had already stolen one game here in Dallas this season.


The game got too close for comfort in the final few minutes, when a Brewer tip-in cut the Mavericks' lead to one at 107-106 with under two minutes left to play. Following that possession, Dirk nailed two free throws, Minnesota turned the ball over (for the 22nd time, which resulted in 29 points by the Mavs), and Caron Butler nailed two free throws to put the Mavs up 111-106 with under 10 seconds remaining.


After the Mavs claimed their ninth straight victory, Jason Terry headed to the locker room with his eye nearly swollen shut, a result from the impact with Brewer's elbow late int he third period. Further examination revealed Terry had a fractured orbital bone which required surgery, which he underwent successfully on Friday afternoon. Jet is expected to be back on the Mavs' bench within 10 days to two weeks.


Once the game was over, we made our way to the exits, but stopped when we noticed a large group of people gathered around the ManiAACs, who were signing autographs and giving away beads. We made a beeline for the table, hoping to get some beads for Trystan, but by the time we got close enough to ask, the beads were all gone. She did, however, get not one but two autographed posters of the ManiAACS. (She is irresistibly adorable). She also got her picture taken with Bam, the littlest of the ManiAACS. As we walked out to the parking lot, the guards at the exit gave us a handful of coupons for free tacos from Taco Bueno. We stopped and asked some fans standing around outside the arena to take a group picture of us, and Merenda asked Trystan if she had fun. "Yes, I did have a good time!" she squealed enthusiastically. "I wanna go again!"


As we walked to the car, Trystan jumped up and down and said, "The Mavs are my favorite team!" Ah, it looks like my work here is done. Meet Trystan, the newest MFFL. Hopefully, her love for the game and the Mavs will only continue to grow in time. Maybe not to the level that mine has, but hey, we can't all be the number one fan, right?

The Jet is Grounded Until Further Notice

It was one of those bad calls that inevitably leave you wondering if NBA officials routinely have their eyes tested. Corey Brewer of the Minnesota Timberwolves was pushing the ball up the baseline toward the T-Wolves' goal when he collided midcourt with the Mavs' Jason Terry, whacking Jet in the head with his elbow. Terry was knocked to the floor, flat on his back, and unbelievably, when the whistle blew, it was Terry, not Brewer, who was charged with the foul. After essentially assaulting Terry, rather than try and help him off the floor, Brewer quickly ran the other way toward the T-Wolves' bench. It was one timeout and several minutes later before the Jet was finally able to get back up on his feet and play could resume.

And while Brewer shot two free throws (Minnesota was in the penalty), Terry was back in the locker room being examined and trying to stop the blood that flowed from his nose. The Mavs were already shorthanded thanks to Coach Rick Carlisle's decision to rest Jason Kidd (who wasn't even in the arena), so Jet sucked it up, stuffed cotton up his nostril, and was back on the floor in roughly three and a half minutes. Terry
played all twelve minutes of the final frame, scoring seven of his team-high 26 points after sustaining the injuries to his face.

After the game, Terry's eye was nearly swollen shut. More detailed examination revealed Terry has a broken orbital bone and he will be undergoing surgery on Friday afternoon. There is no ETA as of yet for his return as doctors won't be able to assess the full extent of the damage until they can get inside his face for a better look. Traditionally, Terry has been a quick healer, as evidenced by his early return (three weeks) from a fracture in his hand last season which normally could take as much as six weeks to heal. When asked about the timetable for his return, Terry replied via text message, "Not long."

Terry's injury couldn't have come at a better time for the Mavericks. Preliminary reports have Terry missing between seven to ten days, which would encompass the next six games for the Mavericks. Of the teams the Mavs will face during that span (Chicago twice, Minnesota, Sacramento, New York, and New Jersey), only Chicago currently has a winning record. With Terry out of the lineup, the trio of DeShawn Stevenson, JJ Barea, and Roddy Beaubois will b exepected to step up and provide some extra punch and offense off the Mavericks' bench.

Let's hope and pray the Jet is ready for takeoff sooner rather than later.

After Sluggish Start, Mavs Make It Eight Straight

When your team has played two complete games in less than 24 hours, no one expects a victory in the second night of the back-to-back; therefore, Monday night's game in Charlotte was a scheduled loss. And although they were physically depleted and had little energy through much of the game, the Dallas Mavericks still found a way to come out of Charlotte victorious, riding the league's longest current winning streak at eight games.

After a somewhat sleepless night, not arriving at their hotel until 4am Monday morning, the Mavericks appeared to be a tired bunch early on. Mental mistakes were clearly visible all night long as Brendan Haywood was called for defensive three seconds, resulting in a technical foul and free throw for the Bobcats, on more than one occasion. The Mavs' lack of energy and effort was most evident during the final minutes of the first half, when Charlotte scored the final thirteen points to tale a 10 point lead into the locker room.

But the Mavericks refused to give up on themselves. In the third quarter, their defense began improving, as did their offense. Caron Butler and Dirk Nowitzki put on a brilliant show, combining for 18 of the Mavs' 23 points scored. And although he had a rough shooting night to begin with, Jason Terry took it to a whole different level in the final frame, scoring 13 of his 20 total points, which included nine points during a pivotal 13-1 run by the Mavericks. The reigning Western Conference Player of the Week, Dirk Nowitzki, had another MVP type performance with 27 points and 13 rebounds, leading the Mavs in both categories.

The second half defense played by the Mavericks was remarkable, as they held the Bobcats to only 31 points over the final 24 minutes. The Mavs' made it a point to help each other out when covering Stephen Jackson, who has routinely been a thorn in the Mavs' side, and started rotating better to cover the open man. Charlotte's 19 turnovers also helped the Mavs spur their comeback victory on Monday.

Going into Monday night's matchup, the Mavericks were the only team that Charlotte had never beaten since its inception in the 2004-2005 season. And coming out of the game, that statistic hadn't changed. There's always next year, Charlotte!

Bringing Filthy Back to Big D

According to reports, earlier today, the San Antonio Spurs announced that they will release Michael Finley, allowing him the chance to sign with any other NBA team and still make the playoff roster. Are the Mavericks interested in seeing former fan favorite Finley return to Dallas? Here are the top ten reasons why they should be:

10. Michael Finley won a ring with the Spurs, which would make him the only Maverick in the locker room who has championship experience.

9. Although he has aged and can’t do quite as much as he did in years past, Finley can still knock down outside shots, including threes, which would provide the Mavericks with another offensive threat on the perimeter.

8. Finley has an enormous amount of basketball experience under his belt, particularly in playoff games. His veteran leadership could help propel the Mavericks deeper into the postseason.

7. Never known for temper tantrums or attitude problems, Finley is a great locker room presence, a player that other players can easily get along with…with the possible exception of Jason Terry, given the groin punch that occurred during the hotly contested 2006 Western Conference semifinals matchup between the Mavs and Spurs.

6. Several members of the current Mavericks, such as Dirk Nowitzki and Eduardo Najera, have played with Michael Finley in previous years and could quickly recapture their team chemistry.

5. A proven commodity is always a better alternative than a question mark. The newest member of the Dallas Mavericks, Von Wafer, who was signed to a 10-day contract just to fill out the roster, doesn’t have the type of track record in the NBA that Finley does after all these years. Why take a chance on a somewhat unknown player’s abilities when you can acquire the services of a former All-Star?

4. In the eight years he spent here in Dallas, Michael Finley, better known as Mr. Maverick, was always a fan favorite. What Mavs’ fan wouldn’t love to see him in uniform here again, even if just in a minor role?

3. Finley was such an integral part of the turnaround of the Mavericks’ that occurred over the past decade that it would only be fitting for him to reap the long term rewards and win a second championship, but this time here in Dallas.

2. Stick it to the Spurs. ‘Nuff said.

1. The biggest reason the Mavericks should bring Finley back home to Dallas is to make amends for the shameless fashion in which he was released from the Mavericks several years ago. While I understand Finley was let go to save owner Mark Cuban roughly 50 million dollars in luxury tax matching fees, I also know that for many years, Michael Finley was the heart and soul of this team and the only thing that kept many fans coming back to the arena night after night. Basketball is a business, but it’s difficult not to harbor at least some hard feelings when you’re essentially kicked to the curb in the name of the almighty dollar.

Do the right thing, Mr. Cuban, and bring Mr. Maverick back home where he belongs. I’m busting out my old Finley jersey in anticipation of the announcement that once again, Dallas Mavericks’ basketball will be Dirty (Dirk) and Filthy (Finley).