"I love this team," Nelson gushed. "It's just young."

So the Mavericks' greatest flaw as they concluded their season Monday with a 4-1 second-round playoff loss to the Sacramento Kings might be that there simply wasn't enough time. The current form of the Mavericks played together just 35 games after a Feb. 21 trade brought in Raef LaFrentz and Nick Van Exel.

The Mavericks' Big Three of Michael Finley, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki already have established a solid core. The number of valuable pieces around that nucleus, now, is growing. Chemistry and familiarity are the things the Mavericks lack most.

"It takes a lot of getting bumped around and bruised and battered, fighting your way as a team, to get stronger," Nelson said. "Add a piece, and then, eventually, after all the scars, you learn from those situations.
"It's easier now, as you add a piece here and there and you already have a nucleus to build on. You usually start improving then, and maybe we can get to the next level. We're at a pretty good level now, by the way."