Can the Dallas Mavericks Escape the Ghosts of Playoffs Past?

I will always remember the epic collapse of the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals, because it is the first time I have openly cheered for another team due to the defection of Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat.

To be fair, the Mavericks were the victims of some of the worst playoff officiating I have ever witnessed, but the manner in which the games are called is no excuse for the pitiful defensive display of Dallas.

That type of breakdown is capable of leaving a discernible mark on the legacy of a franchise, so it was no surprise to me that the Mavericks followed their failure of 2006 with an equally embarrassing loss in the postseason of 2007.

The Mavericks' first round defeat to the Golden State Warriors represented a new low mark for the team as Dallas became one of the first teams to win 60 games, capture the first seed in the West, and subsequently lose to the eighth seed.

Dallas has spent the past four seasons trying to escape the vestiges of that forgettable past, and appeared to make strides in that direction when they upgraded their roster at this year's trade deadline.

The addition of Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and Deshawn Stevenson added size, depth, talent, and experience to a roster which was lacking in all three qualities.

More importantly, Butler and Haywood brought an assumed defensive presence which could be considered the Mavericks' main flaw in the playoff series' of 2006-07, and initially the move seemed to pay off.

The Mavericks surged to a 13 game winning streak as fans and analysts proclaimed that Dallas had finally returned to their championship form of 2006, and had to be viewed as legitimate contenders in this season's championship hunt.

But then the Mavericks suffered a 32 point loss at home to the lowly New York Knicks, and all the old feelings of failure and disappointment quickly re-surfaced and threw their playoff futures in doubt.

No true contender loses to a team like the Knicks by 32 points at home, because their pride will simply not allow it. But just as their pride fell in 2006-07, it fell again, and the Mavericks were left to ponder another failure.

After the loss to the Knicks the facade was exposed, and the Mavericks have returned to their defenseless ways of the recent past. 

Their status as league contenders looks a lot less solid than it did one month ago.

Many people blame star forward Dirk Nowitzki for the Mavericks' lack of motivation, and the point does have some merit, because although Nowitzki is a great player, he is sorely lacking in the leadership department.

Jason Kidd is a great player and a decent leader, but his postseason career is also marked by failure, and in any case, as Dallas' best player the brunt of the responsibility lies with Nowitzki.

Dallas needed Nowitzki to be a calming factor in the postseason, especially against Miami when the pressure was the highest, and like so many other times he has failed miserably.

This is not an indictment of Nowitzki, because it may not be in his nature to lead, but without a strong voice of reason in the midst of turmoil, the Mavericks' postseason hopes are doomed.

Even Nowitzki cannot be blamed for the wide array of defensive issues which plague the Mavericks, and although they have a wealth of athleticism on the roster, the ability to defend still escapes them.

Dallas is incapable of getting stops, and the lack of a bruising and physical presence in the post leaves them vulnerable to exposure in much the same manner as last year against the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets manhandled Dallas to the point of thuggery, and the Mavericks were unable to respond as Kenyon Martin and Nene turned the series into a battle of wills which the Mavericks lost badly.

In order for Dallas to live up to some of the expectations of their fans, the defense must be addressed, but judging by past results, this may be a fundamental flaw embedded deep into the soul of the team.

So too may be the tendency to roll over and die once the pressure of competition becomes difficult, because there is really no other point in the postseason where Dallas can be judged by their fortitude.

The only examples which exist are failures, and even though Maverick fans may feel this team is different than those of the past, recent events say this postseason is more likely to end in a familiar manner, defeat.