Mavericks-Suns: A Dallas Victory and Waterless Cries from the Big Cactus

Those were the two main events on display at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday afternoon. 

The Dallas Mavericks appeared to be headed to another loss to a West playoff team.  Then, the seemingly impossible happened.  It appeared the Mavericks had their hands on a miracle. 

 Led in full force by Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks executed an improbable comeback in the last eight minutes of the game.  As the Mavericks took a timeout trailing the Suns 91-78 with 8 minutes left in the game, I muttered to my fellow columnist Robert Cenzon that my GameCast showed Devean George was entering the game for the first time of the evening.  I immediately questioned Avery's decision making, as it didn't seem wise to let George play after seeing hardly any action in the game up to that point. 

I was delighted to discover that I was completely wrong.  Devean George may have finished with only 2 points and 3 rebounds, but it was the size-able lineup of Kidd, George, Howard, Nowitzki, and Dampier that jump started an incredible 27-7 run for the Mavericks to close out the game.

 To think that the Suns only scored 98 points in this game is astonishing, as the Mavericks played horrid defense for the first three quarters.  What transpired in the fourth quarter has the potential to be a season-saving boost of confidence for a team that had not experienced an emotional high like this since acquiring Kidd. 

Nowitzki's off-balance left baseline "jumper" gave the Mavericks a 102-96 lead and virtually sealed the deal.  Interestingly enough, as Nowitzki stumbled before getting the shot off, this spot on the court was the same area that Dirk suffered an injury merely two weeks ago on a Sunday matinee game in San Antonio. 

If you were to tell me that Nowitzki's day only two weeks after the seemingly devastating injury would include a comeback leading, MVP-worthy performance against Nash, Amare, and overly confident Shaquille O'Neal, I would've thought you just had a very pleasant dream. 

Thankfully, this is not a dream.  As for Shaq, it's tough to find water in those tears down in the desert, but Dallas knows how this cactus feels now after a humiliating collapse. 

Phoenix has to hope this loss does not serve the same purpose as the loss they dealt the Mavericks which ended a 17-game win streak dating from January to March of 2007.  Will this cactus dry up and crumble to the desert's terrain, or will Shaq muster the tears to drive Phoenix into the playoffs with momentum?

All I know is, the Mavericks, out of all teams for heaven's sake, may actually enter the NBA Playoffs with some momentum.  Imagine that.