The NBA's Irregular Season

The entire summer and fall has been a long one for Dallas Maverick fans such as myself, and to be honest there is not too much to get excited about surrounding the Mavericks - at least yet. But I am sick and tired of hearing about how the Dallas Mavericks are playing "uninspired basketball" and how Dirk Nowitzki has already seen and fallen from his prime play. Living in the city of Dallas, I know all too well all the bashing of the Mavericks that has gone on lately. The fact of the matter is that the Mavericks are 20-11 and right now looking at being one of the top 6 seeds in the Western Conference playoffs. Through 31 games last year the Mavs were 24-7 and in the middle of a 13 game winning streak. In 2005, the Mavs were 23-8 through the same number of games. Yes, that's right folks most of the city of Dallas is freaking out about a team that is 3-4 games off the pace that they have previously set for themselves. Let's just remember where the 67-win team took us last year: no where but an embarrassing first round defeat to the Golden State Warriors. And though we try to forget the year before last the Mavericks were in the NBA Finals.

Dirk Nowitzki is said to be having an off-season while still averaging 21.7 points per game (24.7 the last 7 games) and while most are once again delusional about it, it is perfectly okay. Josh Howard is averaging 21.2 points per game up from last year's 18.9 and Devin Harris is averaging 13.9 points per game up from last year's 10.2. As the Boston Celtics are proving this season with their 26-3 dominant record why have one superstar when you can have multiple ones, which is Josh Howard is steadily starting to become. Dallas Maverick fans don't get too excited - yet, and sure go ahead and know that the Mavericks aren't playing their best basketball; this year they can save it for the postseason.

A Few NFL Week 17 Thoughts

Being an avid Green Bay Packers fan my last two Sundays have obviously been very different from each other. Watching the Cowboys get whooped upon by the Washington Redskins this afternoon brightened my day a little more. It's true that the Packers were going through the same type of game that the Cowboys struggled through today last week against the Bears, but the manner of how the games became blowouts by the underdog were completely different.
Here's a look at stats of the teams' blowout losses:

                Chicago Bears 35 - Green Bay Packers 7 

Net Yards              240                          274          

Rushing                  139                          125                

Passing                   101                          149                

1st Downs                14                             13                 

              

                   Wash. Redskins 27 - Dallas Cowboys 6

Net Yards              354                           147

Rushing                 131                               1

Passing                 223                           146

1st Downs              22                               6

These stats might not look like much but take a closer look. The Green Bay - Chicago stats are remarkably close yet the game was a blowout meaning it was made up of mostly big plays which makes sense given the gusting winds and -1 degree wind chill. Make no mistake that the blowout that the Packers suffered last week was a nasty, ugly game and the special teams (and punting) did not help. But the Cowboys game was complete and utter domination by Washington, on both sides of the ball for all sixty minutes of the game.

With that I will leave you with my picks of the Colts over the Titans tonight to help the Cleveland Browns secure the last AFC wild card spot and Alabama over Colorado in the lowly Independence Bowl.