The Stealth Team

There is a team that is absolutely tearing up the NBA right now and nobody even notices it. It is the Dallas Mavericks. While all the people who should know better are waxing eloquent over LeBron, D Wade, and the other guy in Miami, or looking at Carmelo as the second coming of Willis Reed, others are talking up the Lakers and Kobe or the Celtics. Yet the Mavs have won 16 of their last 17. They have 43 wins and nobody mentions them, nor the other "stealth team" ahead of them in the standings, San Antonio, whose record is even more fantastic. The Spurs have Duncan, Ginobli, Parker, and that's it. The Mavericks have Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd and the best and deepest bench in the Association. I think the Mavs will still be around in June. Will anyone notice them then?