Most important, it broke a six-game losing streak. But it also lets them boast this achievement:
Wins this season over the Spurs, Celtics, Heat (twice), Hawks, Magic, Thunder, Jazz and Lakers. In other words, every NBA team that's at least 10 games over .500 has lost to the Mavs. Except, that is, the Chicago Bulls. And lookie who Dallas plays tonight on TNT?
Last night kinda felt like fool's gold. Jason Terry and Shawn Marion scored 22 points off the bench, but it was Jason Kidd who turned the game in the third quarter by making three consecutive 3-pointers. His high point total for a game this season had been 16, and in the third quarter alone he netted 13 en route to 21 points.
The offensive outburst -- Dallas was held to 70 a couple games back -- prompted this post-game outburst of hyperbole from Terry:
"All teams go through tough times. We're going to grow from this. At the end we'll be the last team standing."
Without Caron Butler that's doubtful. But maybe with Carmelo Anthony?
Now that the Nets have stopped pursuing the Nuggets' All-Star, could Dallas be a realistic destination? Simply put, yes.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban said a while back it would take a third team to pull off that kind of blockbuster, but if the Mavs are willing to part with, say, Roddy Beaubois and Butler while taking back some dead weight in salary in the form of Al Harrington, they just may be able to rent Anthony until he becomes a free agent after the season.
If it's me, I do it. Long-term future be damned, the Mavs' window -- i.e., Dirk Nowitzki -- is closing. Considering the way the Spurs are playing, if Dallas stands pat, victories like last night will be the only highlights this season.
