Dallas Mavericks: Searching For Consistency
On Friday, Dec. 5, the red-hot Dallas Mavericks had a great opportunity in front of them. They were fresh off a road trip in which they won all four games and improved their record to an impressive mark of 15-5. Their opponent on this evening was the Phoenix Suns and they were without one of their leading scorers in point guard Isaiah Thomas.
The Mavericks’ were a home victory away from extending their winning streak to six games and everything was setup for this to happen with the exception of a very important detail: the Mavericks simply did not come to play.
It took only a matter of minutes for it to become clear that the Mavericks were not ready to compete at a high level. Phoenix scorched the Mavericks for 40 first-quarter points and Dallas was unable to muster the necessary effort that a comeback would require against a hot-shooting Suns team. Phoenix was able to answer each Dallas run en route to a 118-106 victory.
Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle tried to absolve the blame when he spoke to the media following the disappointing loss. “When you start out giving up a 40-point first quarter, you’re just not ready to play defensively. I take responsibility for the effort. I have got to get these guys more ready to play than I did.’’
Carlisle may have tried to take the focus off of his team and their lackluster effort, but the players certainly share in the blame. Carlisle can’t force the Mavericks to hustle, fight for loose balls, or will them to put forth the effort necessary to beat a Phoenix team that had yet to win a game on the road against an opponent with a winning record. That responsibility is solely on each player that takes the court. On this night, the Suns were the team that came out energetic and driven to compete.
The Mavericks’ turned things around in their next matchup against the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, Dec. 7. Dallas came out aggressive in the first quarter and built an early lead they would never relinquish, winning easily by a score of 125-102. This game was in stark contrast the Mavericks’ effort in the previous game against the Phoenix Suns.
Dallas will need this same type of effort in their next matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies when the two teams meet on Tuesday, Dec. 9. The Grizzlies boast an impressive 16-4 record and Dallas must bring the necessary effort into this early season test against one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies certainly represent a challenging opponent, but the Mavericks’ should relish this opportunity. This Dallas team was built to contend with the best that the Western Conference has to offer and this game is an excellent early season measuring stick for a talented, but inconsistent Dallas team.
The Mavericks’ won’t be expected to defeat each and every elite team in the Western Conference, which is why home victories against teams like the Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers are crucial.
The Mavericks’ should not need a reminder of how crucial each game can be in the Western Conference. During the 2013-14 season, Dallas made it to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed last season with 49 wins. The Phoenix Suns were watching the playoffs at home despite the fact they had just one less win than the Mavericks.
Losing a hard fought game against a capable opponent is nothing to be ashamed of, but Dallas has now come out completely flat in two of their recent home matchups. Prior to the Suns loss at home, the Mavericks were inexplicably beaten 111-100 on Nov. 24 by an injury-ravaged Indiana Pacers team.
The Southwest division is the best division in the NBA and the Mavericks will need a more consistent effort to keep pace with the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies. Challenges lie ahead for the Mavericks’ in the next two weeks as their schedule includes matchups with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs.
These challenges represent a terrific opportunity for Dallas to prove they are one of the elite teams in the Western Conference, but for them to do that they will have to bring a consistent effort into each matchup on their schedule. Anything less against the Western Conference elite simply won’t be enough.