Shawn Marion is averaging the least amount of minutes (31) and shots (10) per game since his rookie season in 1999-’00, but he has still been a very strong and consistent player for the 30-15 Dallas Mavericks this season.  He shoots for a good percentage (51%) and is one of the Mavericks’ best defenders.  On the season, Marion is averaging 11.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks.  Despite being in the league for 10 years now, the 31-year-old Marion has not lost much of his athleticism and is one of Dallas’ best play-makers.  He is good complementary player to Dirk Nowitzki as well as Jason Kidd.  Kidd still likes to get out on the break and dish it off to a good fast break finisher, something Marion has always been great at and still is.  Marion is one of those players who does not have to score a ton to make a big impact on the game, but he still can be relied on to give the Mavs some extra scoring on offense when they need it.  Marion will be a big asset for the Mavs in the playoffs.

Jason Kidd will go down as one of the best point guards to ever play in the NBA, and even though he has been in the league for over 15 years he is still one of the best point guards currently in the league.  Although Kidd is averaging a career low in points, he is still a stat sheet filler that sets his teammates up perfectly and plays great defense.  Kidd is averaging 8.9 points, 9.2 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals.  The knock on Kidd has always been his lack of an outside shot but he has been very effective from three point land, hitting 41% of his threes.  His 9.2 assists per game average is good enough for 5th best in the league and he still makes things difficult for opposing guards with his strength and great anticipation on defense.  Kidd is one of the main reasons why the Mavericks have the second best record in the Western Conference and they will need his strong play and leadership come playoff time.

The Mavericks have gotten outstanding production out of the center position this season. Erick Dampier and Drew Gooden are combining to average 47.7 minutes, 15.7 points, 16.0 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 2.8 blocked shots per game. Both players are used to playing bigger minutes so they are fresh and ready to rock for the Mavericks and the team is benefitting big time from it.

Jason Terry was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year winner last season, and although he is still one of the best in the NBA in that role, his numbers have dropped in nearly every category this season.  Last year Terry shot 46% from the field and 37% from three, while averaging 19.6 points, 3.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.3 steals.  Well, this season all of those numbers (except assists) have dropped.  This season he is shooting only 43% from the field and 34% from three, averaging 16.3 points, 3.5 assists, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.  Terry can’t blame playing time for his diminished play as he is getting nearly the exact amount of playing time this year (33.5 mpg) as last year (33.7 mpg).  The Mavericks are going to need Terry to step it up, especially shooting the ball.

Early in the 4th quarter of the Dallas Mavericks’ 100-95 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last night, Dirk Nowitzki hit a baseline-jumper to put his career point total to 20,001.  Nowitzki was part of the first big wave of European players to come to the NBA in the 1990’s, and the German-native was drafted 9th overall in the 1998 draft.  A lot of people questioned this pick at the time and the 7-foot lanky German did not play well his rookie year.  Nowitzki was not used to the physicality of the NBA, as well as the supreme athletes he had to face night-in and night-out.  Nowitzki has even stated he contemplated quitting the NBA and going back to Germany.  Nowitzki and the Mavericks sure are glad he decided against that.  He put in the hard work, got stronger and learned the NBA game so his great skill-set could finally emerge.  He is a perennial All-Star and is the best European player to ever play in the NBA.  He became the first European player to win the NBA MVP Award in 2007 and now has become the first to score 20,000 points in his career.