It is official. The 53-29 record is ancient. The first-round playoff victory over the Jazz is history. And the marathon is about to begin.
I expect that Tuesday?s meeting with Detroit will be a difficult opener, for a number of reasons:
The Pistons appear to be very much together with their new, young coach, Rick Carlisle, who is already very well respected around the NBA.
They seem to be focused on the goal of returning the playoffs -- and the Mavericks know what a powerful motivation that can be.
Detroit really does have some talent. Jerry Stackhouse is one of the finest offensive players in the league and Ben Wallace is one of the finest rebounders in the league. Michael Curry will play defense and really get after you. They have acquired a proven veteran in Clifford Robinson, and they have picked up a guy who always seems to play well when he gets close to home in Dallas, Corliss Williamson from Arkansas.
Oh, and a reminder: This is a Detroit team that came into Dallas last year and emphatically beat the Mavericks.
Another a concern of mine: The Mavericks last played on Tuesday, Oct. 23, so they will have gone a week without a game against any outside competition. They didn?t have any choice ? the scheduling of the rodeo at the American Airlines Center made that decision for them. (I wonder if Nellie would have preferred to have played Friday or Saturday night?)
Will the Mavericks return this season with the comparably degree of hunger that has been evident since the end of the 1999-?00 season, when they closed with a 31-19 record? We begin to find out Tuesday against Detroit, as the trek begins ? and continues later in the week with games at Philadelphia, at Toronto, at Memphis. By this time next week, Dallas will have four games under its belt, and we will have a much better feel for this edition of the Dallas Mavericks.
Me? I am like a 61-year-old kid in a candy store. Walking into the American Airlines Center on Tuesday will, for me, be just like walking into the St. Joseph?s Grade School gymnasium for my first game when I was eight years old. You cannot simulate the emotion, the excitement and the enthusiasm of game night
I hope all of you feel the same way.