This is always a fun time of the season for true NBA fans because you
get to see and dissect trends that, if they happened between games 35 and 40, they wouldn't mean a darn thing.
But because they are happening between games 1 and 5, they are great fun to analyze.
For instance, New Orleans started the season 4-0 and was the last remaining unbeaten team in the Southwest Division. And the Utah Jazz are the leading scoring team in the NBA at more than 113 points per game.
These things make no sense in the long haul. But they are facts at the moment.
And there's more. What about J.J. Barea ranking in the top 10 in the NBA in field-goal percentage? And Brandon Bass tied for the league in free-throw percentage? And the Mavericks averaging more than 22 assists per game?
None of these things will last past the 10-game mark. But for now, they are fun facts.
And then there are the three teams in the Northwest Division that didn't win a game in the first week of the season.
OK, maybe that one won't change much all season.
Q: How does this sound? Brandon Bass at small forward in a power team and Bass at power forward in a small-ball team, with Dirk at center? Has Bass showed enough to allow these lineups?
Dale B.
SEFKO: Bass has proven that he is worth investing in for the future and probably can help the Mavericks win some games now.
But he's 22 years old and has never played meaningful minutes before in the NBA. That's enough to answer your question.
He's going to get a chance to team with Nowitzki on the front line. But it will almost always be with Nowitzki at small forward and Gana Diop or Erick Dampier at center. Bass also could play some center with Nowitzki at power forward against certain teams.
Bass has been a terrific addition, and the future for him
is bright. But as Bill Parcells used to say, let's not get out the anointing oil just yet. Let's let the kid develop and see what kind of player the Mavericks really have. Then find a way to plug him into different lineups.
• • • Q: Why were the Mavericks so conservative this summer? I personally think they are too high on Jason Terry and Devin Harris. They need a new starting backcourt. What do they do if they go out in the first or second round this year?
Denise K.
SEFKO: Let's go in inverse order. If the Mavericks are quick outs in the playoffs this season, all bets are off. The first-round loss last season could be a fluke. And management made the decision that this group of players deserves a chance to prove it was a fluke.
If that doesn't happen, then you'll see major changes. You can only give a group so long in the NBA. If they don't get it done, they get broken
up before they get old. It happened in Milwaukee a few years ago when Sam Cassell, Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson were flirting with an Eastern Conference title. Two years later, none of them were with the Bucks.
As for the Mavericks' conservative approach this summer, I think it's a little early to be calling Harris a bust. He's off to a nice start, despite a minor injury, and Terry clearly is set to be a blazing scorer off the bench. Maybe he was miscast all these years as a starter.
• • • Q: What happened to Bob Ortegel? Why is Brad Davis on TV with Mark Followill? I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Bob's enthusiasm, analysis and coach-speak. How does Laura Green have a job and not Bob?
Angus M., Dallas
SEFKO: Ortegel is supposed to be splitting time this season between radio and television, but it looks like he'll be doing more radio. If you can get your TV and
radio in sync (not easy depending on your cable/dish company), you can always listen to Ortegel and watch the game with no sound.
And Laura works hard, by the way. Sideline reporting is a hard job to do well, but she rates well compared to some of the others around the league.
• • • Q: After two amazing regular seasons followed by disappointing (understatement) playoffs, any suggestions for fans on how to endure what will be the longest regular season in Mavericks' history?
Jim C., Bossier City, La.
SEFKO: Glad to hear from the greater Shreveport area. Say hello to my money when you see it. I left a big stack of it at a couple of the riverboats last visit.
Well, it was a big stack for me, anyway.
My suggestion would be to try to glean as much enjoyment out of the regular season as possible. Marvel at the athleticism. When you see Gana Diop catch
a pass near his knees, then dunk, remember that he couldn't do that last year and is getting better. When you see Devin Harris pull up from 18 feet – and actually make it – remember that his game is evolving and getting better.
And when Dirk Nowitzki finds Brandon Bass on a backdoor cut to the basket, remember that not only could Dirk not throw the pass last year, Bass wouldn't have been there to catch it.
In other words, don't stress out about the playoffs. There will be plenty of time to do that in April. For now, just be thankful you have a 50- or 60-win team to watch for six months instead of Sacramento or Memphis.
• • • Q: OK, so the early trend this season has Dirk getting more assists. How long until we see Dirk get a triple-double? And is he going to easily surpass his career high of 3.4 assists per game?
Jay M., Irving.
SEFKO: That's what we like
here at Mavs Newsletter Central. We got astute readers/e-mailers who not only see trends, but tip us off about them and give us great story ideas for the paper. If it wasn't for you guys, D-Moore would never have any good ideas.
No question Dirk has the best passing season of his career. He's averaging 5 per game through the first four. If he gets over four assists per game this season, that will put him in some high-brow company. That's closing in on Kevin Garnett territory.
As for that elusive first triple-double, it's going to happen. But I said that last season, too, and Nowitzki never got more than eight assists in a game, his career best.
But this year, it's a dead-solid guarantee. Bet the entire ATM on it.
Now if that's not the jinx of all times for Dirk, I don't know what is.
• • • Q: So it looks already like Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio are the teams to beat in
the West. The Mavs can beat the Spurs. But what about the Suns? It's obvious they don't match up with smaller, athletic teams. The Warriors are the Suns' junior varsity, and they killed us last season. What can the Mavericks realistically do to handle those teams?
Jimmy B.
SEFKO: Avoid them.
No, seriously. Just stay away. Let them run into the Spurs first. Or Houston, which by the way is going to be right there with the other three.
Failing that, there's nothing the Mavericks can do to match up better with the Suns if they haven't already done it. The time for making sure they can handle those athletic teams was in the summer. Will Eddie Jones, Trenton Hassell, Brandon Bass and a commitment to Devin Harris at point guard make the difference? We'll see.
• • • Q: Assuming that the roster is kept as is, who do you think will be the Mavericks' inactive players
when the roster is fully healthy?
Ben R.
SEFKO: First of all, saying that the Mavericks' roster is going to ever be fully healthy is like saying D-Moore will finally pick up a check at closing time.
Not gonna happen.
But hypothetically, if Avery Johnson had 15 healthy bodies, he'd most certainly leave Moe Ager and Nick Fazekas on the inactive list. That third member would be the toughie. My guess is it would come from Juwan Howard, Trenton Hassell or J.J. Barea, depending on the matchups of the night.
• • • Q: I'm happy to see Devin Harris as the primary point guard, and I think 11 points, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals is realistic. But is this team actually confident that if Jason Terry went down with an injury, that Harris and J.J. Barea could run the team?
Chris C.
SEFKO: The Mavericks don't want Terry handling the
ball. They like what he does as the designated scorer off the bench. Jerry Stackhouse is better at passing the ball than Terry. The bigger problem if Terry goes down with an injury is the scoring punch they would lose off the bench. That's what I'd be worried about.
Harris is going to be the floor leader for this team. And if he's not in the game, it will either be Barea or Josh Howard or Dirk Nowitzki.
And by the way, I think all your numbers on Harris are going to be low this year.
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