Now that the shimmer from the Dallas Mavericks’ Game 2 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder has partially faded, we can return to reality and admit to truths that remain evident.
The Dallas Mavericks are screwed.
Yes, Game 2 was fun. It was glorious. But the Mavericks cannot bank on repeat performances of that nature. The Thunder’s offense is better than that. Kevin Durant won’t have a career-worst shooting night again. Russell Westbrook can and will shoot better, too.
And if, for some reason, the Thunder continue struggling, the Mavericks are still left to navigate a minefield of injuries. J.J. Barea is dealing with a groin strain; Deron Williams needed to leave Game 2 and tend to his sports hernia; and Chandler Parsons is done for the year after right knee surgery.
Dirk Nowitzki can now be added to that list as well, per Dwain Price of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Dirk has a bruised right knee. He had an MRI today.
— Dwain Price (@DwainPrice) April 19, 2016
Carlisle said he hopes Dirk's injury won't cost him to miss any games.
— Dwain Price (@DwainPrice) April 19, 2016
Dirk Nowitzki remains the one player Dallas cannot afford to lose. He is so important to what the Mavericks do offensively. The lanes for Raymond Felton and Devin Harris, along with Williams and Barea, don’t open as easily if he isn’t on the floor, stretch defenses with his shooting or collapsing rivals with a timeless post game.
Defensively, he needs to be hidden. But Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle does a magnificent job of stashing him on unathletic bigs, and the value Nowitzki poses on offense is worth any trade-off on the less glamorous end.
Here, then, is to hoping the 37-year-old is healthy enough for Game 3 and beyond. The Mavericks-Thunder series won’t be nearly as fun, or interesting, or remotely competitive, without him.
