The Mavericks are 14-8 one-third of the way into the 66-game season and they're in first place in the Southwest Division.

"If you would have asked me at Christmas and the day after, I would have said we're in trouble," Dirk Nowitzki said after scoring 10 points in Dallas' blowout victory over Phoenix on Monday night. "But I think we've come a long way since the first couple of weeks of the season.

"I think guys got in better shape. I think guys are learning to play off each other. And I've said this almost feels like last year. We've got a bunch of veterans who want to play and are not selfish, like Vince and Lamar."

"I really like the setup of the team. I think we were really worried coming into the season, losing Tyson. But the way (Brendan) Haywood has been playing is some of the same stuff Tyson was doing for us, protecting the paint, blocking shots."