GAME 4: SAS (1-4) @ DAL (3-1) | 104-99 win

[Arioch]

Well...we won a game when Luka is not playing well.  Now that is encouraging.  What is it with these supposedly bottom feeding teams playing so well against the Mavs?

It's hard at this point to actually say who the 'bottom-feeding teams' are. Toronto's 2 and 3, but the 3 losses are against teams two teams with the second best record in the league (Chicago and Washington) and Dallas. Houston's 1 and 4, but those losses include the Jazz (only undefeated team to date), Minnesota and Dallas which have both opened 3 and 1, and the Celtics who were supposed to be a playoff team (though they are looking kind of like an actual bottom feeder). San Antonio's likewise 1 and 4 but those losses are all against teams that were expected to be high play-off teams--Bucks, Denver, Dallas and Lakers (though, again, Lakers are looking like they might be an actual bottom feeder as well).

And while I do expect that at the end of the day all 3 teams will end up out of the playoffs, I'm not surprised they are playing well--all 3 have good young talent they are building around and good coaches (Pop, obviously, Nurse has a ring, and Silas).

Mavs are obviously still figuring stuff out under their new coach, but I like the fact that they are showing the ability to win ugly in the meantime.