Dallas Mavericks Sometimes Play Like Contenders, and That's a Problem

"Day and night, night and day
Under the hide of me
There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me
And this torment wont be through."

--performed by Frank Sinatra, written by Cole Porter

One night and day can indeed make all the difference.

In a loss to the L.A. Lakers last week, Dirk Nowitzki became the 34th player in NBA history to top the 20,000-point mark. He became the first foreign-born baller to reach that plateau without collegiate experience. Hakeem Olajuwon played four years at the University of Houston.

Nowitzki made the jump from Germany straight to the pros, and Monday night, he played like a rare Hall-of-Fame specimen.

His Herculean, 37-point effort helped the Dallas Mavericks crush the Boston Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden, 99-90. The Mavs outscored the Celtics, who again played sans-Kevin Garnett, 48-30 in the second half.

Nowitzki used a diverse offensive arsenal in his team's gritty comeback victory: open 20-footers, his patented fadeaway, running layup shots, and a finger-roll.

He scored 13 points in the decisive third period and brought the Mavs back from a nine-point halftime hole.

Josh Howard hounded Paul Pierce in the second half, Shawn Marion dropped two of his ugly-but-effective floaters, and the Mavs racked up 12 fast-break points, just two less than the Celtics, most of which came in the third and fourth periods.

Monday also marked the 10th time Dallas has erased a 10-points-or-larger deficit to win. The team's two most impressive come-from-behind victories occurred this month at Boston and at San Antonio.

The Mavericks have trailed by more than 10 points in 22 games, according to Dallas Morning News writer Eddie Sefko.

This is a problem. Consider it the chief reason so few are willing to take the Mavs' championship aspirations seriously.

Sunday night, Dallas trailed by a lot more than 10 points in Toronto and could not make up the difference.

The Raptors shellacked the Mavericks 110-88 in an embarrassing, disgraceful display on the part of the North Texas title hopefuls.

Howard does not always defend or compete with the necessary urgency. Marion does not use his size advantage against smaller defenders enough. He should venture into the low post more.

Sometimes, Jason Kidd looks like the Jason Kidd of old, his 17-assist masterpiece in Boston ranking as one of his best efforts of the season. On other nights, he looks like an old Jason Kidd.

He is 36, and most quick-footed point guards give him mega trouble. In outplaying Boston's Rajon Rondo, Kidd distributed the rock with the wisdom to match his years and the exigency of a veteran still seeking that elusive ring.

Rick Carlisle cannot expect Nowitzki—still an oversized jumpshooter, even if one of the all-time greats—to carry so much of the load so often.

When the Mavericks create turnovers, limit their own, run in transition, and play as unselfishly as they did in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day night outing, they can beat anyone.

When Nowitzki's shots fall and his teammates offer enough assistance, Dallas boasts the appearance of a bona-fide contender.

The Mavs are deep, no doubt. On far too many occasions, though, the offense and defense have gone off the deep end. The game in which Nowitzki reached his recent milestone offers a perfect example.

The Lakers limped into the American Airlines Center after playing the night before in San Antonio. Kobe Bryant, already playing with a broken finger on his shooting hand, injured his back in the drubbing at the hands of the Spurs.

He sat out the fourth quarter in San Antonio with back spasms, and then played sparingly in Dallas.

Pau Gasol was again sidelined with a sore right hamstring. Ron Artest and Sasha Vujacic each suffered injuries in San Antonio.

Phil Jackson might call that a desperate situation. I call it a game giftwrapped for the Mavericks. As the 100-95 score in favor of the banged-up champs indicates, Dallas did not open the box.

If the Mavs cannot topple the Lakers without Gasol and an ailing Bryant in one regular season home game, how can they expect to do so in May or June?

There is no need to delve into complicated stats or write three pages worth of verbose analysis. The Mavs are a middling defensive unit with a far-from-championship-ready offense.

Monday night, Dallas responded to Sunday's nightmare in Toronto and clicked the lights on in Boston.  A road win over the Celtics, even without their de-facto leader in Garnett, was impressive.

After these courageous, tough-minded stands, I look at Dallas' title window and see daylight.  Then, I remember how the team has played for most of the month and see pitch black.

Night and day.

Chumps one night, contenders the next.

That's a problem.