So let’s review:
The Mavericks gave up 127 or more points in four of the last seven games. They gave up 112 in another.
In the other two, they gave up 95 and 90.
Guess which two they won?
In this year’s NBA, there is no way a team is going to be the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons of the late ‘80s. That’s just not the way the game is played these days.
But speaking relatively, the Mavericks and any other team with hopes of making noise come playoff time have to be better than average defensively.