Bizzaro World

Anybody who thought San Antonio would be kicking the almighty shit out of everybody raise your hands.

Liars. Put them down again.

The Mavericks are in second place in the conference, 35-15, seven games behind the Spurs and half a game on top of the Lakers. Insert inevitable pooh-pooh'ing of part-time fans who only pay attention to Dallas when required by contract to do so. (If I were of a cynical nature -- and I am -- I'd ask some of these nice men how much money they lost over the Golden State Faceplant in 2007.) Basketbawful -- whose opinion I respect and trust, really -- was caught sniping a few weeks ago about how Dallas was due for a reality check because we had a bunch of games at home early in the season.

Hey, reality check:

- Dallas has been good at home, but not dominant. Personally, I think it's because Humble Billy Hayes isn't in the house anymore. Maybe Stuttering Craig could come in for few games, see how that works . . .
- If looked at in terms of win-loss record, Dallas had the hardest schedule of any team in the league in the first half of the season. Including road wins in San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Miami (after the Heat pulled their thumbs out their butts), Orlando, and Utah.
- We've lost Caron Butler to a patella rupture (out for the season) and haven't gotten Beaubois back yet (broken bone in his foot).
- For nine whole games, we got a free preview of the post-Dirk era; Nowitzki went down with a sprained knee and took another half a dozen games to get back to his normal state of Ubermanliness. Want a case for MVP? Point to those games.

Homerism aside, I think it's got to be now. Worst-case scenario; the league shuts down completely next year. No 2011-2012 season. For 2012-2013, Dirk's 34 and in God knows what shape (there've been noises about him spending the year in the Euroleagues if the lockout goes the full tour). Jason Kidd's done, Jason Terry's probably done, Christ knows what shape the franchise'll be in financially.

So where does that leave us today?

Be clear here -- if there were a chance to get Carmelo, go for it. There isn't. What else is there? Not a lot. Oy vey.
-BJ