Preseason Game 8, Dallas Mavericks host Indiana Pacers

Theme: Nine Inch Nails, "Every Day Is Exactly The Same"
Game Info: If you can bear to look.

Before I get onto the game, I have something to share. The second live game I ever went to (back in March against the Celtics), the day was a long exercise in cumulative cluster-fuck. First, work was insanely busy. Even with postponing everything I could I got out of work a half-hour late. Second, I missed my bus, making me even later. Third, I had to wait until halftime to be able to get into the game -- I was still under the delusion that one could get tickets at the door. Finally, the Mavs lost.

Yesterday? The arc was eerily similar. Crazy-busy day, leaving work late, and my Mavs laying an egg. Complete with getting manhandled by a bunch of guys in dark uniforms.

- Defense. Yeah, Coach, you have my enthusiastic permission to kick everyone's ass square over this. I saw clear opportunities (defensive rebounds, mostly) for defensive heroics that were not exploited.

- JJ Barea (if he's six foot I'm a vernicious kenid) found his shot and did okay as a backup. Thank God, but the Mavs need to look seriously for a backup mark 2.

- Am I the only one who thinks Jet needs to mellow out? I saw one foul in the game agains the Bulls that probably could've counted as a flagrant, and another one that looked iffy last night.

- Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. The ball is not a pancake, guys.

- This one's hard to take, because this wasn't a matter of gift-wrapping a victory in order to give extraneous free-agents some playing time. The Mavs were out for this game and got themsevles shredded.

- I was looking at the scoreboard at the half and seeing the Mavs up in most categories -- more rebounds, less turnovers, etc. So, I asked myself, why are we only up by one? Then I looked at the three-pointers made/attempted line. Never mind.

- Stack was out last night with a foot problem (bad) and Devean George was out with an injured hand (less bad).

In The Wash: Well that does it for the preseason. T-minus six days, nine hours, and some-odd minutes before things get rolling for real. And we're going to need the time. The offense seems to be "give Jason Kidd the ball and let nature take her course." The problem with that is it puts a lot of playmaking pressure on the backup points -- JJ and Jet Terry. Plans B need to be hammered out and did I mention this team's got a wee bit of a turnover problem?

For the love of God, make the season start!!! Of the teams played in the preseason, the Kings are the only ones even in the conference!

I got faith. But you guys aren't making it easy.

Final: 114 to 91, Pacers
-BJ