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For all Mavericks fans the last two years have been very troublesome. We have seen our beloved Mavs fall from the elite to the also ran. We have seen a once young, energetic, and athletic team become old and slow almost overnight.

While this years team is no more younger than last year, it most assuredly will be a better team! The Mavs brass spent a ton of time and effort this off season trying to collect enough legitimate pieces to add to the core group that was already in place.

The acquisitions of Shawn "The Matrix" Marion, Drew Gooden, Rodrique "French Fry" Beaubois, and Tim Thomas have done a few things for this team that they have sorely missed.

First the Mavs now have another legitimate option besides Dirk come crunch time in Marion. While he may not be the explosive player he was, he can still cause serious match up problems for an opposing defense. The addition also will allow the Ganja kid to come out of his two year coma and wreak havoc again.

Secondly we now have a much deeper team than in the past couple of years, allowing Coach Carlisle to mix and match parts without such a severe talent drop off. This very thing is what killed the Mavs last year! The only way they could stay in games against the upper crust of the West was to run the starters the entire time.

Thirdly the Mavs can now get back to running! Run, Run, Run, and Run some more! While I am sure the defensive end of things will suffer from this (Did you really expect the D to be very good?) but I am okay with that. I have come to grips with the fact that the Mavs are not ever going to be a rough and tough body banging type of team. Here is a novel idea! How about the Mavs get back to doing what they know how to do the best?

The final reason that the moves made this off season will make this team better is a two part answer. First part of the equation is simple, Erick Dampier now has a giant flame burning out of control directly underneath his big ass! The self proclaimed "Best In The West" has always played so much better with the threat of becoming "The Best Backup In The West".

Part two of this equation is maybe the best yet, We no longer should be subjected to the shear horror of watching Jason Kidd clank 15 footer after 15 footer! J Kidd only has to be concerned with getting the ball to those who can put it in the basket. After all that is what J Kidd enjoys the most!

I am by no means shouting from the roof tops that the Mavs are back and ready to take down the Lakers, but we are much closer than we have been! and who knows all it takes is being hot at the right time!