The Dallas Mavericks keep giving it the old college try. The star-crossed Mavs under confident coach and general manager Don Nelson keep being one brick short of a load.
Excuses are plentiful.
Scoring machine Cedric Ceballos broke not one, but both wrists when he was undercut driving for a basket and was eliminated for the season. Guard Robert Pack pulled a hamstring and missed some vital games. Guard Steve Nash has been bugged by a variety of ailments, including a broken nose, the flu and inconsistent shooting. Injuries can't be helped, of course, but taking the correct player in the draft is a judgment call. Nowitzki can shoot but is a major project in many other areas, such as defense and court wisdom.