Power Rankings: Watch Dirk score, watch Dallas win

Updated Dec. 25

Lots has been written and said about the Dallas Mavericks during the last 12 months. Some fair, some not. That's what happens when you go through a situation as unique as Dallas went through last season -- achieving great heights and then falling so fast.

Dirk Nowitzki's numbers are up lately, and so are the Mavericks' win totals. (AP)

Through the first third of the season there has been a hangover. That's now fair to say. Part of it has been getting Devin Harris acclimated to running the show. Part of it has been dealing with getting new pieces like Eddie Jones and Brandon Bass settled in. Part of it has been dealing with the absence of center Erick Dampier the first few weeks.

Most of it, as with everything with the Mavericks, can be attributed to Dirk Nowitzki not being right. It really is that simple.

Nowitzki has been asked to be more of a passer this season, which is exhibited by the fact he's on pace to reach career-high assist totals. At the same time, he's put pressure on himself to be more of a leader, blaming the man in the mirror for the hurting Golden State put on his franchise last spring. Whatever conflicts have been going through his head affected his play, but it looks like he's snapped out of it.

"I think they were tricked into thinking that last season was a disgrace," head coach Avery Johnson said, speaking of his team as a whole, but knowing who the statement really was directed at. "So I had to kind of lay out what other teams have done and lay out where this organization was 10 years ago and where we are now."

Where they are now is nothing to be ashamed of, and perhaps more than anyone, they have Nowitzki to thank for that. That's why it's a good thing it stopped being acceptable to see him third on the team in scoring, behind Josh Howard and Jason Terry, as he was during the initial part of the season.

As it stands now, he's Dirk again. A glance at the team's scoring leaders has him back atop, in his rightful spot. Not coincidentally, the Mavericks have won seven of eight games, including five straight heading into this week's challenging back-to-back against Utah and Cleveland. He's scored 30 or more five times this month after doing so only once in all of November. He's back to regularly taking 20 shots per game.

Some snicker over the fact that he's the reigning MVP and after a lackluster first month, it was worth wondering aloud whether winning that honor ultimately did more harm than good. He's snapped out of his funk, though. If he stays out of it, it stands to reason there will be very little for the Mavericks to be ashamed of.

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Lakers · Trends	1
	Knicks, Warriors, Nets -- it's been a while since Lakers faced a real team. ... Best passing big man in game? Pau Gasol averaging 4.2 assists.
	2	Magic · Trends	2
	Battle of Florida, Round 1, ends in controversy; no Magic in referee's non-call. ... Last road loss: Nov. 8 at Oklahoma City.
	3	Suns · Trends	5
	Tweet: NBA blows whistle on multitasking Amare Stoudemire, but he says he's innocent (and $7,500 poorer). ... Average score in four-game win streak: 119-98.
	4	Cavaliers · Trends	3
	LeBron in the NFL? Might be great tight end, but why take paycut?. ... No consistency: Inexcusable losses at Toronto, Washington, Charlotte.
	5	Celtics · Trends	7
	Truth has $30,000 price: Rasheed Wallace labels "Turkododo" a flopper. ... Time to get serious: Kevin Garnett ties season-high with 35 minutes in win at Miami.
	6	Hawks · Trends	4
	First crack: Joe Johnson shoots 23 for 66, club loses three of four. ... Easy to figure out these guys: 9-1 when scoring 100 or more, 3-4 when held to double digits.
	7	Mavericks · Trends	8
	Wrong side of history: Warriors play just six players, win at Dallas. ... Blowout loss to Cavs nothing new: That's four straight by average of 17.5 points.
	8	Nuggets · Trends	6
	M-V-P? Fans shout it out as Carmelo Anthony scorches Knicks for 50. ... Shocking end to 17-game home streak; club had beaten Timberwolves 10 straight.
	9	Jazz · Trends	11
	Carlos Boozer averaging 23.7-11.1 double-double in club's six-of-seven march up standings. ... Jazz have 36 assists, Blazers 34 hoops in 16-point drubbing.
	10	Spurs · Trends	14
	Room for improvement: Richard Jefferson has nine field goals last four games. ... Softies devoured, three heavyweights (Celtics, Nuggets, Jazz) await in five-day stretch.
	11	Trail Blazers · Trends	9
	Last quality win (at home vs. Spurs) now almost month away. ... Zach Randolph (remember him?) enjoys homecoming at Blazers' expense.
	12	Heat · Trends	13
	Too much stuffing? Heat among seven home losers (to Wizards) on day after Thanksgiving. ... Hope to avoid you in April: Club has lost nine of 10 to Celtics.
	13	Rockets · Trends	10
	Honeymoon's over: Early surprise team hasn't won back-to-back in a month. ... Where's Tracy McGrady? Club shoots 71 of 175 in home losses to Mavericks, Spurs.
	14	Thunder · Trends	15
	Giant-killing continues: Add Jazz to list that includes Magic, Spurs, Heat. ... He can pass, too: Kevin Durant has at least a handful of assists in five of last seven.
	15	Bobcats · Trends	19
	Trade paying dividends: Stephen Jackson averaging 40 minutes for club that's won four straight. ... Gerald Wallace takes Michael Jordan's advice, outplays LeBron James in win over Cavaliers.
	16	Bucks · Trends	12
	Four-game losing streak includes two-, three-point losses. ... What's problem? Brandon Jennings since 55-point explosion: 59 of 160 (369).
	17	Bulls · Trends	17
	Time to move up: After 10 of first 15 on road, nine of next 11 at home. ... No laughing matter: Club now 10-61 last 10 "Circus Trips."
	18	Kings · Trends	24
	Bring on New England: Club sweeps three against New York, New Jersey, New Orleans. ... Another surprise for surprising team: Sergio Rodriguez impresses at point guard.
	19	Hornets · Trends	18
	Last four road games: 0-4, 15.0 average margin of defeat. Next visit: Lakers. ... Good time for Chris Paul to rest: Club follows two-game week with two-game week.
	20	Raptors · Trends	16
	Blown-out club glad Canadian Steve Nash (20 points, 16 assists) comes north just once a year. ... Only Warriors (112.4 ppg) worse defensively than Raptors (109.3).
	21	Wizards · Trends	21
	Antawn Jamison doubles up on double-doubles in two wins, goes double-single in loss to Bobcats. ... Time to make move: Celtics, Suns only elite foes in December.
	22	Clippers · Trends	25
	Marcus Camby climbing rebound list: 62 in last four games. ... Is .500 in their future? The 8-10 club gets next five at home.
	23	Warriors · Trends	26
	Short-handed travelers make total of seven substitutions in shocker at Dallas. ... Scorching Monta Ellis goes for 34, 37, 42, 45 in five-game stretch.
	24	Pistons · Trends	22
	Bloody Charlie Villanueva helps in win over Hawks, then has surgery on broken nose. ... TV truck catches fire, Pistons don't in viewer-less home loss to Clippers.
	25	Pacers · Trends	20
	League leader in free throws allowed puts Monta Ellis on line 16 times in loss to Warriors. ... Mike Dunleavy hits first 11 foul shots after nearly 10-month absence.
	26	76ers · Trends	23
	A.I. II: Ay yi yi. ... Knew it wouldn't be easy: Seven-game losing streak includes Cavaliers, Celtics, Hawks, Spurs, Mavericks.
	27	Grizzlies · Trends	27
	Improvement noted: Club is 5-4 after 1-8 start. ... Jamaal Tinsley puts PT over W's, signs with Grizzlies.
	28	Knicks · Trends	28
	Double your pleasure: Sunday duel with lowly Nets one of two this month. ... Anthony adds to infamy: Four of last 10 to score 50 have faced Knicks.
	29	Timberwolves · Trends	29
	Don't want to make them mad: Club avenges home loss to Nuggets with stunner at Denver. ... Improving Ramon Sessions cutting into Jonny Flynn's playing time.
	30	Nets · Trends	30
	Frank-ly speaking, change needed after noncompetitive Western swing. ... Good news for new coach Kiki Vandeweghe: Bobcats, Knicks, Bulls, Warriors, Pacers in eight-day stretch