Knock Knock Knockin' on LA's door.

Like the Title says it, the Mavs are doing just that.

**I'd like to stop here and quickly say that im not getting cocky or braggy, so don't think im cursing the Mavs. I'm just trying to talk about what i think is happening in the Western Conference.

On that note, we are 2 and a half games behind LA in the standings. Yes 2 and a half. And weve played 1 less game than LA, rather than 1 more(so the chances of being only 2 games down is higher, because we can bank on US winning rather than THEM losing)

Were also 6 games above San Antonio for the top spot in the Southwest, oh and 1 game above Denver.

So what does this mean for the Playoff Picture? And what does this mean for the coveted NBA playoffs? Go past the Jump to see what i think!

Obviously, recordwise we already know it goes

1.LA

2.Dallas

3.Denver

But as far as momentum and RECENT play, the western conference looks like

1.Dallas

2.Denver

3.LA

(Alphabetical Order FTW!!)

SO is this a good thing or a bad thing? I think its both. We are on a hot streak and are not the same team. 13 straight victories has made us a force to be reckoned with, and in Deshaun Stevenson's own words were the hottest team behind (maybe) Cleveland. But again, what does this mean? Is it good or bad?

Being a hot team can be good and bad, for their own reasons and for different reasons. One way it can be bad is that a team can be hot for shooting. Teams can win 10ish straight thanks to 110 or 115 points a game, but also allowing 105 or 108ish points a game. This can be bad. When you rely on 55% 3 point shooting to win, youre in trouble. A win streak can also be bad because its as if you go to Lowe's and get a bucket of paint, and draw a nice target over your teams logo. Everyone guns for you. Everyone circles the Mavericks on their calendar as the game to go all out on.

The good(what i personally think Dallas has been) that can come from a run can be outstanding. A run can produce intimidation, and comfort between players. Everything works chemistry wise when you win. Good morale. Everyones happy. Dallas has this. Also their wins havent had to come from outstanding and hard-to-be-consistent shooting.

Were going hard to the hole and finishing strong. Going to the line and finishing their too. Then hitting out 3's and shooting a high percentage, but its earned. Not lucky or on a hot streak, its penetration and kickouts, or solid screens. We earn our easy shots and thus high percentages. Also, Dallas hasnt boomed out the stats in the past run. Weve scored roughy 3 points a game more in the 13 straight, and allowed about 2 or 3 less too. Thats not being hot and inconsistent. Those are numbers we can keep for the last 15 games and more importantly the playoffs. Also were not getting cocky. Thats important.

A more important issue to discuss, is the whole Hot team vs. Under the Radar team discussion.

Lets look at recent years in the playoffs. Please be aware it pains me to write this, but i have to do this. Dont chew me out for this.

05-06-Fly under the Radar at 4th seed. Sweep Memphis but still stay rather quiet. Beat San An in 7 games and start drawing attention.  Dirk drops 50 on phoenix in game 5 and then  we close them out in Big D for a finals berth. All eyes on Dallas. Then, once were no longer the cinderella we get knocked out**

06-07 - we win 67 games. All eyes on us. We stomp teams and face Golden State and Nelson psyches out Avery "jaws" Johnson and we lose. It was bullshit. But ill stay calm for now..

07-08 Stay low in the Radars again thanks to LA trading for Gasol. However under the radar or not, this roster didnt have the talent to win it all. Thats the truth im sorry to say it. We face the young Hornets with a new team with J kidd, and CP3 and West are too much, and we lose  series where we were just truly outplayed.

08-09- fly under the radar-ish and show our stuff against San Antonio. TP does work on us, but we just played too good for them. Then we face a Nuggets team we were truly underdogged against. The truth is the Thuggets looked to just intimidate our players. Thats just how it seemed. That wont be the problem with the new Mavs. Not at all. Anyways we have a chance to make it a series again and Antoine Wright makes a mistake by ONLY clothes-lining Anthony(sarcasm). Anyways to be honest, we probably would have lost the series in 6 or 7, and if we won LA would have beat us. We were a solid team that year, but not Finals worth

09-10a- We fly under the Radar after a minor deal for Marion. Much pre-season excitement gets shot down by early sloppy and lazy play. A few big wins vs. tough opponents(CLE w/o dirk, LA, Denver) but we flew under the radar becuase we truly werent a great team.

09-10b-Were hot and "above" the radar. Different roster from 09-10a. Now we have to wait and see

**This is the political answer. I need to say this on a side note, so here goes. That series vs Miami was the biggest disgrace in the history of sports. So rigged. So aweful. I don't want to get into it because i will seriously throw my computer like i broke 3 pieces of furniture during the series. Im not joking, This topic still gets me into loud arguments. Im a huge bitter fan.

I think that we do better when were under the radar. But maybe our problems been that when were above the radar, were talented but not intimidating, Not a scary team. Now we have more swagger. More intimidation with a 6'4, 6'6, 6'7, 7'0, 6'11 lineup, but now those big guys have talent. Not to mention we have a consistent SG now.

Overall what im saying here is this team has potential. With LA slumping(not saying theyre still not the best) and us shooting, a 1st seed is good. And if we end up on opposite brackets as LA im happy. Overall, i dont want to get ahead of myself, so please dont kill me for saying this(im just saying it to wrap up the post) i think we can make it past any team to the WCF. And if we face LA, if either underdogs or evens, we can beat them. I truly think we can. Specially if we get home court advantage. Then the East is another conversation, baring David stern doesnt-- i wont get into this.

Thoughts?