On a spellbinding and exhausting night, the Mavericks place on the growth curve toward an NBA championship became clear to them.

If anybody wondered about whether this team is better than it was a year ago or even a month ago, worry no more.

The Mavericks got incredible showings from Nick Van Exel, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki, then gratefully got unexpected punch from Walt Williams, as they scored a classic, double-overtime victory over Sacramento, outlasting the Kings 141-137 Saturday night at Arco Arena.