The Usual Suspects: Test of Depth

 By Mo Diaby
     Coming into the season, the word out of the Mavericks locker room was how deep this team really was. Both owner Mark Cuban and Coach Rick Carlisle touted how interchangeable guys were. It was the very foundation of what was to be accomplished this season.

     But  as much as they loved that depth, neither of them really wanted it to be tested. Who would? A team that boasted two legit centers (Chandler and Haywood), 2 former all star forwards (Marion and Butler) was loaded and no doubt capable of challenging the Lakers.

      With the hot streak that the Mavs got off to, few would protest that they weren't contenders. They had the occasional let down game in which they played down to their opponents' level, but overall they had very impressive wins over opponents like: (Spurs, Celtics, Thunder, Heat, Jazz, Magic). Their point differential in wins was 3rd best in the west, and the camaraderie they were developing was perhaps the best it had been since the team that went to the '06 Finals.

     But as the saying goes: "Life is supposed to be a series of peaks and valleys". And the Mavs who were in a tight race to catching up to the ever elusive first place in the west received a hiccup, followed by a valley.



     On December 27th, during a road game against the Thunder, Dirk Nowitzki, the teams' leading scorer, went down with a sprained right knee. The team put up a tremendous effort and won that game in a very tough building. However, they lost the next two games at home. One to an injury depleted Raptors team, and the other to their rivals, the San Antonio Spurs.

      During the stretch with dirk out, it was obvious that a new leading scorer needed to emerge, and perhaps as a good sign, Caron Butler did just that with a 30pts performance versus the Spurs. It was all the more interesting to see what Butler would follow that performance with, when presented the opportunity to play in front of his hometown crowd. See Butler, is a native of Racine,Wisconsin and had several family members at the game the day after New years.

    However, as faith would have it, Butler suffered a torn patella tendon, while going for a rebound from a made shot by Jason Kidd. He clutched to the floor as he dealt with the pain.

Jason Terry (right)  consoling an injured Caron Butler (on the floor)

    Though the severity of the injury has not been disclosed by the Mavericks, it is assumed to be bad, as the Mavericks announced this week after Butlers' surgery that he would be out for the remainder of the season. Tough blow for a team that was clicking on so many levels and coming together.

     The injury is unfortunate, as Caron Butler, who is on the last year of his contract, was putting together a solid season to receive a decent contract as a free agent, with the new CBA rules approaching. One is left to think how unfortunate he is, as he will now be rehabbing and maybe just getting back into shape by the time teams are shopping for a new forward this summer.

     Butler however, was not one to be down on himself as he was immediately back upbeat. The day after his injury, Caron was seen at the Milwaukee airport taking photos with fans:

     As if that effort wasn't enough, Caron followed it with very inspirational tweets for the fans and his teammates, that hint at him wanting to stay in Dallas if and when he recovers from his injury:

Caron tweets this picture of him going in for surgery

He tweets: 

"Championship! Remember that fans that's what its about and we have what it take in that locker room to get it done, ill be 100 percent"

"In no time, and I will be the biggest supporter on the sideline until healthy thanks for the support again I'm going in...."

     Caron Butler, brought something to the Mavs that they needed: another scoring option, Defense, and toughness. And the Mavs have to retool on the fly to feel in his output. However, other than Rodrigue Beaubois and perhaps JJ Barea, no other Mavs player can step into the lineup and create their own shot as Caron did so effectively when in an ISO. 

     That is where the usual suspects step in. Shawn Marion and Deshawn Stevenson as a committee can bring in the toughness on defense and help shoulder the scoring load by increasing their aggressiveness on offense. 

     Though, it remains uncertain if the Mavs will trade Caron, or try to weather the storm in hopes that things will turn around with the return of Dirk Nowitzki and Roddy B; Marion and Stevenson will have very big shoes to fill and for now appear to be able to do so.

     

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