The Mavericks have been stumbling early on in games all season, but only recently has it begun to cost them. Games have been coming down to Dirk Nowitzki putting the team on his shoulders and coming up with tough baskets. The Mavs stellar record is a testament to the greatness of Nowitzki; his surrounding cast is coming up short. Dirk hasn’t had a real number two to carry some of the scoring load when his shots aren’t going down. Jason Terry is the Mavs number two scoring option, but he’s also the easiest player for opposing teams to shut down offensively. We need a player that can penetrate, get some lay-ups or get to the line. Rumors of the Mavs going after Carlos Boozer keep swirling around the NBA and if this current trend continues, they might need to pursue him. It’d be a mistake for the Mavs to fool themselves into thinking they are legitimate contenders by looking at their record thus far. That record was compiled more from the blood, sweat and teeth-riddled elbows of Dirk rather than great team play.

Upcoming Opponents:
1/22 at Philadelphia 76ers– The Sixers have been hit or miss this season. The Mavericks need to get up early to stamp out any confidence and win the game.

1/24 at New York Knicks – If they stick to the same plan as the Sixers game, it should be a win. Teams who have a losing record will fall into their place relatively easy if you get up on them early.

1/26 vs Milwaukee Bucks – Rookie sensation Brandon Jennings is cooling off, but that’s likely because teams are giving him extra defensive attention. The Mavericks need this home win.

My prediction for this stretch: 2-1