Why The Mavs Are Losing On Purpose

Could There Be A Strategy Behind Their Struggles?

The Mavs were pushing for the playoffs, winners of 5 straight, and then they ran into the LakeShow and got stopped in their tracks.  The next thing we knew they had lost 4 straight and everyone is trying to figure out what's wrong with them.  Some have suggested that they are soft, others have focused on the absence of a legit second scorer.  The D-Fdub was the first to suggest... that they are losing on purpose.  But, why would they take this approach this year?  After all they've been to this place for over a decade now and never before have they employed any kind of strategic losing for seeding purposes.  They are way past claiming moral victories for any accomplishments short of the championship, so delaying an inevitable bad matchup in any round is inconsequential.  So, what is the deal?

I submit that a light flickered on in the heads of the Mavs braintrust when the Lakers manhandled their team 110-82.  They realized that if they want any kind of chance of reaching the NBA promise land they need more than a win streak heading into the playoffs.  They need to win the matchups game every series, and when they finally meet up with the Lakers... they need Tuff Juice.

The latest reports are that Caron is likely out for the first round of the playoffs.  Even if he was healthy enough to begin playing in the first round he wouldn't really be someone to count on until the second round.  When it became apparent that we couldn't have our Laker stopper ready to contribute until the third round and that we couldn't reach the 1st seed to make it happen... they began to tank.

This may seem like a sign of low team-esteem to the unemotionally involved casual observer or disconnected basketball expert, but for those of us that have lived the pain of repeated failure year after year, there is nothing considered beneath us.  We want the ring and we're willing to support any kind of maneuvering that gets us there (I assume plan B is the Tanya Harding move... and I support that too, if it gets us there). 

So do your part and support the Mavs losing streak, root for the Thunder's success to finish the season, and hope that Caron's knee heals enough to D up Kobe.