Since the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat in 06′ the Mavs haven’t really been the same. The Mavs have suffered disappointing playoffs losses and have yet to win a championship despite owner Mark Cuban’s best efforts. The 06′-07′ season proved to be one of the most disappointing seasons for a team that went 67-15 in the regular season. The Mavs lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Golden State Warriors.

The Mavs finished 3rd in the Southwest division in 08′-09′ with a record of 50-32. The Mavs were top 10 in scoring in the NBA averaging 102 points per game. Dirk Nowitzki had another stellar season averaging nearly 26 points per game. While Dirk has been criticized for his leadership in the past – he still is one of the best players in the game.

The Western Conference is loaded with very good teams and winning the West will prove to be very difficult for the Mavs. Dirk can’t win games by himself all the time and will need even more help from players like Jason Terry, Josh Howard and newly acquired Shawn Marion.

It seems as if the Mavs can score plenty of points now – but can they stop anyone on defense. To win games in the playoffs teams must stop opposing teams in critical situations, the Mavs do not have a shut down type player. Opposing teams scoring average was in the middle of the league at 15th.

The Mavs have won 50 or more games every season since the 00′-01′ season which shows great consistency. Dirk Nowitzki isn’t getting any younger and he might only have 2-3 more seasons where is he an elite player with an opportunity for a championship. The Mavs would like to get another shot at the NBA Finals – and this time finish their opponents.

Can the Mavs become on of the NBA West’s elite? Let us know at the Dallas Mavericks forum at RootZoo, where you can also enjoy some of the best NBA basketball forums online.