Mavs Forecast: January 18
I just can’t wait to get back on the road again. That’s actually not really true of my personal opinion, but I hope it’s the opinion of the Mavericks, because that’s where they’ll be all week. Long distances will be covered this week by the players, coaches, and staff members.
A plus for the Mavs, despite being having to make an East Coast swing is the quality of competition. Dallas already took care of Boston on Monday night. That was a huge road win. The Mavs appeared to be a bit sluggish against Oklahoma City, just squeaking by with a 1 point victory. Against Toronto, Dirk Jr. (Andrea Bargnani) hammered the Mavs for 26 points. He was 
shooting the lights out. In short, it was surprising to see Dallas play so sharply against such a ferocious defensive foe.
The rest of the challengers don’t boast a very strong resume’. None of them have anything close to a winning record, and really haven’t hit a hot streak all year. Dallas is really catching all of these teams at the right time.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 6:00 PM CT @ Washington Wizards (14-26) FSSW
Talk about distraction. Former (?) Wizard Gilbert Arenas has been charged with Felony Possession and is in danger of having his contract voided. On the court, that is neither here nor there. Wiz management has distanced itself from Arenas and is obviously more concerned with Ws and Ls. Former lottery pick Randy Foye has been filling in quite nicely in the stead of Arenas. Foye has always had the ability to score, but has never been considered a pure point guard. His game closely resembles that of one Dwyane Wade, minus the elite athleticism. Foye is big for a point guard, but the beefy J-Kidd shouldn’t have any trouble there. With Mike Miller starting at the other guard spot, one could infer that Washington could have some trouble with ball 
movement, as neither guard is particularly good at setting up plays for other players. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison are still elite scorers in this league, and should be treated as such. Despite a poor performance, JJ Barea is back on the bench and J-Ho has taken his place in the starting lineup at the 2 guard. That should help defensively.
Friday, January 22, 2010, 6:00 PM CT @ Philadelphia 76ers (13-27) FSSW
Big money free agent forward Elton Brand has always been the key to the success of Philadelphia. Unfortunately for the Sixers, Brand just hasn’t been very good in his time there. He came in as a 20 and 10 banger who had made runs at MVPs, despite never winning because he played for the Clippers. Brand is averaging 17.1 PPG and shooting 55% from the field in his past seven games. He had 25 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Saturday’s win over the Pistons and added a team-high 18 in Monday’s 96-92 home victory over the Hornets. Thad Young and Mo Speights are the ones who, at times, see less minutes when Brand is on the floor during crunch time. Philadelphia is very strong down low, so Dampier will need to stay out of foul trouble. I have a feel that Elton Brand would be tough for Drew Gooden to handle in extended minutes. AI is a shell of his former self, and is not a candidate to go off for 40 anymore. I’m not worried. AI2 is a worry though. He and Lou 
Williams are the offensive lifeblood of this team, and are responsible for setting up plays for others. Williams is not a true point by any means, but he is an adept passer, and gets the job done while occasionally going off for 30 points.
Sunday, January 24, 2010, 12:00 PM CT @New York Knickerbockers (17-24) FSSW
What is there to say about the Knicks? They just aren’t very good. They have no chemistry, team concept, desire, or defense. They have some very talented scorers though. That kind of scoring talent can win in the NBA on any given night. Just ask the Golden State University Warriors. Don Nelson doesn’t ask his team to play defense, and neither does Mike D’Antoni. Al Harrington is a load on defense, and David Lee is the only one willing to work hard on the glass. Dalino Gallinari is another story. He has shown flashes of becoming a superstar, but with tough defense, he is easily taken out of the game early. Gallinari has had nights when it seems his potential is unlimited, and then there are stretches in which he disappears on the court. If Shawn Marion and Josh Howard are tough on him early, I don’t believe that the Knicks have much of a chance. I don’t think that Chris Duhon has much to say to the contrary anyway.
Prediction (3-0)
With Washington in such a social funk, I don’t see their focus being all there. Even still, some say that Gilbert Arenas was a distraction in and of himself. Maybe that team will play more loosely knowing that the playoffs are no longer expected of them and they have nothing to lose. I hope that is not the case, as this team is not devoid of talent, but I still expect a win.
I’m not sure what to expect from the Sixers. Thad Young has played horribly of last, but the AI brothers will keep their team in the game. Lou Williams does scare me a bit, but his outbursts are few and far between. I like the Mavs in this one.
Dallas had better not lose to New York. End of story.
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