Amid the chaos and banter polluting the airwaves of Dallas radio in response to the departure of one Terrell Owens, the importance of the Mavericks' upcoming road trip seems to have been lost.
They will head west today as the eighth seed in the Western Conference to play four teams, two ahead of them, and two behind them in the conference standings. This stretch could be a valid indicator of what the rest of 2009 holds for the undulating Mavericks; but more important, arguably, is the ramifications that this final run will have beyond this hapless season.
The past week has been an apt cross-section of sorts for a Mavericks team which has scrambled back and forth along the parapets of playoff contention all season. A week ago yesterday, the Mavericks were whipped like dogs by Oklahoma City, prompting Mark Cuban to lash out at his team, promising that changes would be made, either by the players or by him. It was a looming message it seemed, and it got across, at least for a time; Dallas beat a Tim Duncan-less Spurs team 107-102 that Wednesday.
A sixteen-point loss in New Orleans and an ugly win against a badly bruised Washington team has brought us, more or less, back to where we started, though. Consistency is key, and the Mavericks don't have it, unless you count the consistency with which they are beaten on the road by conference opponents.
Throw in a slew of injuries over the course of the year, and it's enough to make you wonder if we couldn't use a lottery pick. I'd hate to advocate a calculated nosedive, but, then again, there's something to be said for being realistic.
If the playoffs began tomorrow, the Mavericks would face the 50-12 Los Angeles Lakers; that's the best record in the NBA and a seven-game series for a terribly inconsistent basketball team. An eighth seed has beaten a one-seed only thrice in the history of the NBA. (At the risk of bringing back painful memories, one of those occurred two years ago when the eighth seeded Hornets beat the Mavs.) This, friends, does not augur well.
There is always the possibility that the Mavericks will find their stride in just the nick of time and run through their opponents like a merciless juggernaut, but not much of one. The NBA is not conducive to Cinderella stories, particularly when Cinderella lacks consistency, and identity.
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Whether or not the Mavericks play good enough basketball to sneak into the playoffs is of little consequence at this point; unless they win an NBA championship, expect big changes in Dallas in 2010. And the Dallas Mavericks will not be bringing any (major) hardware home in 2009.
At this point, a nosedive may be something of a blessing in disguise. This is the beauty of the NBA: It can be cold, unsure and, at times, it seems, unfair (2006 finals); but with a lottery pick and a prayer, the most hapless whipping-boy of a team can become a frightening beast overnight.
If you don’t believe me, just ask the Boston Celtics.
Change is coming. Just how effective that change may be is now the question.
