Hokey Smokes Bullwinkle! Did I see the same game you guys did? Ted and JN are correct, that WAS A TAKEDOWN, and a very intentional one at that! As I posted in another thread regarding their other talentless defensive thug, Eric Dampier, it's what you get when you are asked to play defense and you have no skills.
Dallas looks average, big deal they came back from 18 down to Utah, Utah took the whole 3rd quarter off like they had it all wrapped up, and Dallas capitalized, when Utah realized what was happening, they tightened it up proved they can torch Dallas offensively simply because Dallas has no defense.
In LA they never looked like they could put together more than a keep pace run with the Lakers, props to Dirk for his 4th quarter but unlike LA, Dirk cannot "put his team on his back" like Kobe can, and Kobe did it while Dampier was trying to decapitate him the whole game, I thought at least through 3 quarters Odom handled Dirk pretty well, I think the flop he got away with was evidence he was frustrated at the pressure Odom was applying.
Did not see the Spurs game but I have no doubt in my mind the Spurs a the better team and their steady poise will crush Dallas if they face each other.
The Mavericks really aren't the running team they used to be X3, they have slowly become more of a half court team which is where Kidd helps them very little, he is used to delivering quickly as a team flies up court, way more fastbreak oriented than Dallas plays, at least, that is what I feel. Besides, Harris was more of a scorer than Kidd and Diop a better, at least more consistant and less desperate, defender than Dampier.
Phoenix better watch out, they are only 2 or 3 more losses from dropping to 9th, they lost to every signifcant team they faced except Boston and Dallas in February, and are only 1 game over .500 in conference, and New Orleans and Detroit ran them clean off the floor, IMO, as bad as the trade Dallas made was, I think the Suns really blew it and so far, I think I am right.