Analysis: Hornets, Mavs jumbled in playoff 'crapshoot'

DALLAS -- In the humble estimation of their coach, the Hornets are the third best team in the Western Conference.

He adds a qualifier.

"We're behind the Lakers and San Antonio," Byron Scott said. "From third to nine is a crapshoot to me."

The Mavericks are part of that, err, group Scott referred to in the playoff hunt. While giving an honest assessment of his team, Scott may be overestimating Dallas' standing in the West. Don't look at the standings. Look at the last week.

Yes, the Mavs belong to a cluster separated by a handful of games in the standings. New Orleans only owns a three-game edge on Dallas, even with Wednesday night's 94-87 victory on Dirk Nowitzki's home floor.

For those counting at home that makes four straight losses for the Mavericks. As the defeats mount, so do the questions. Has Mark Cuban's team run its course? Is a major shakeup on the way next month?

Though Dallas coach Rick Carlisle doesn't agree, his group appears as lost as it was during the 2-7 start. Carlisle said that was a different team. It stands to reason that these Mavs should be better at this point of the season.

They're not.

"A losing streak is a losing streak," Nowitzki surmised. "Whether it happens in November or December or whenever, it's never fun."

Carlisle has hardly set the league on fire in his first season on the Big D sidelines. The Mavs have made a bad habit of slow starts and Carlisle's erratic rotation has led to confusion in the locker room.

Josh Howard is out, but don't expect get-well cards coming from Houston or Utah. Nowitzki is playing at an All-NBA level. Jason Terry is the early favorite for sixth man of the year. After that it's shaky.

"Everybody can do something better to help this," Carlisle said.

Dallas' 22-17 record is built on a shabby foundation. The Mavs are only 6-11 against teams with winning records -- you know, playoff-caliber teams -- and have a tendency to get blown out. Not surprisingly, Dallas is currently the odd team out in the eight-team playoff tournament.

The season isn't even halfway done and seven of the losses are by double-digits, with four of at least 19 points. The Mavs lost 11 by at least 10 last season and only two by 19 or more. Dallas squandered a five-point halftime lead to New Orleans and was outscored 53-41 in the second half.

Somehow, the Mavs lost their fourth straight despite shooting 50 percent and going perfect from the line. Fourteen turnovers hurt -- Chris Paul accounted for half with seven steals --- and woeful transition defense, especially in the second half, doomed Dallas.

"The thing that can't happen is frustration building to the point where it gets detrimental," Carlisle said of the team's mental state.

The Hornets aren't without their issues. Inconsistency, especially on the offensive end, has plagued Scott's squad all season. Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler aren't scoring as much as last season.

Ball movement has been a concern. There's been a little too much standing around and watching Paul. That's easy, fun even, to do, but not effective in the long term. In any case, Paul is going to do his thing and had his MVP moments Wednesday.

Just as he did in the first round last April, CP3 tortured the Mavs. Former Mavs coach Avery Johnson called him a Nate Archibald starter kit then. Magic Johnson's name was floated out as a comparison before tip.

"He has separated himself," Scott said of Paul. "The consensus around the league is that he right now is the best point guard in the league."

Paul clinched the first-round win with a triple double back then. He made a run at quadruple this time with 33 points, 11 assists, 10 boards and those seven rips. Paul has four triple-doubles this season.

"That is just every night for him," teammate David West said. "He played really well and we needed it."

The Hornets had lost three of the previous five, including an embarrassing home loss to New York before flying into Texas for the start of a three-game trip. Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland is up next.

LeBron James and his Cavaliers offer a measuring stick comparable to Scott's West pacesetters. The Lakers and Spurs remain the mechanical hare in front of the greyhound.

"I know that we can be on that plateau as well," Scott said. "We've beaten both of those teams, but we've beaten them when we really had our mind set on coming out and playing a great game against a great opponent."

Dallas may or may not qualify.