The Mavericks needed a win, and got just that.

Two players in the eye of the tornado-like trade winds, Josh Howard and Drew Gooden, played key roles in the win. With Dampier out with injury, it was imperative that Gooden respond with a solid game. Gooden responded with a double-double, with a season high 24 points and added 10 boards.

Howard dumped in his season high 25 points, only to be outdone by Jason Terry’s season high 36 points.

The late night flight to Denver should be a smooth one.

Question Maverick fans are asking is where has this Josh Howard been all year? A key for Howard has always been shot selection. Howard was 18-26 from the field, got to the free throw line 12 times, and took only 2 three pointers. He did not force a shot that was not there.

Yet the Mavericks continue to be a half-court style of team. Offensively speaking they can compete with any one in the league. Carlisle still has not enforced his defensive stance.

Experience played a huge part in this game. The young Warriors seemed out of sorts trying to hold onto a lead. While the experienced Mavericks fought back and erased a 14 point deficit. It was a classic old vs. young match-up, with the veterans winning this one.

With the trade deadline approaching, there seems to be only one certainty.

Mavericks take offense to being called a pretender, but in the court of public opinion, they have no defense.

That’s why college football teams typically schedule really soft non-conference opponents. That’s why homecoming opponents are pushovers. For the NBA, that’s why you have the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks.

For the last week the Maveicks were 2-2, beatting the tough Celtics and the dangerous Wizards while dropping to the lowly Raptors and even worse the hapless 76ers. Consistency has been lacking along with stand out play. However, with the team method by which these guys typically play there is hardly ever a single player that stands out (if there is it is generally Dirk). The Mavericks are generally a team where everybody contributes meaning that if one or two guys are off then the team suffers, possibly losing.

Playing the Knicks can definitely get you back in track. For the night, seven players scored in double figures, two of them for 20. If a stand out had to be picked I would have to say it was Drew Gooden who scored 15, but more importantly crashed the boards for 18. Even without J Kidd and Dampier, the team seemed to operate absolutely smooth. When you shoot 58% from the floor and 94% from the line that does not leave much to complain about.

The question then has to be just what the right mix is on the court. Both Kidd and Dampier are stellar players; Gooden seemed to fill in rather well but no one really filled in with the assists that Kidd typically generates. Could it be that the team just needs to run their plays and let guys score rather than have a point man like Kidd doing the distributing?

As the Mavericks look back on being involved in another ignominious first, handing the Knicks there biggest loss, 78-128, (the first handing the Nets their record breaking defeat to begin the regular season) they can rest assured that the offensive explosion is there. Now if they can just find a way to make it happen each and every night.