They have won big games @ Orlando, @ Atlanta, and @ Charlotte. The combined "home" records of those three teams is 68-21. All three teams are playoff contenders and have one 20+ home games this season. So Dallas being able to go on the road and pick up those games was not easy, and in no way is it expected for them to win those types of games. Its more like a bonus that they did. The other big wins during this streak include at home over Phoenix and Los Angeles. Both are legit and Dallas played well at home which they struggled to do before the trade.
when I say they "beat the schedule makers" I mean that they were dealt a very tough hand this year. Chuck Cooperstein (the voice of the Mavs') said when the 09-10 schedule was released that "this is the least favorable schedule Dallas has been given." The Mavs' have 20 back to backs this year and a couple of 4 games in 5 days situations. During this current eleven game stretch they have faced a couple of those hurdles; on February 16 & 17 they had a back to back, @Oklahoma City then home against Phoenix; then on the 19th and 20th they played @Orlando and then came back home to play Miami. Thats 4 in 5 nights going from OKC to Dallas to Orlando to Dallas. Then on the 28th of February the Mavs' played a late (8:00) game against New Orleans, then flew to Charlotte North Carolina to play the Bobcats early (6:00) on March 1st. They didn't get to Charlotte till 4 in the morning. They had another home and away back to back that weekend too.
So through 12 games the Mavs' have played 8 games in back to backs and won 7 of those 8. Again, what the Mavericks have been able to do with the schedule they were dealt is amazing. Coming up they have their most favorable stretch of the season, 4 games in 13 days, all of which are at home. They have a road game @Minnesota tonight before beginning the home stand. This upcoming home stand will give them a chance to have some real practices with their new guys. The team has been so busy traveling and such that they have only had 1 real practice since the all star break...another thing that makes this 11 game win streak so impressive. Three new players, all learning a new system and having to do so on the fly. Jason Kidd has helped make the on court transition so much easier than anyone could imagine because he simplifies the game so well and gets players involved in the fast break. Without JKidd there is no eleven game win streak.
The other impressive thing about this streak is the fact that the Mavs' have suddenly become injury prone. Erick Dampier has not been available for any of the 11 games making Brendan Haywood the lone big man! Problems got worse when he went down with a lower back problem a couple games ago...yet the Mavs' keep winning. They've kept winning even without reigning sixth man of the year Jason Terry who took an elbow to the face in Wednesday's win over the T-Wolves. He had surgery to repair the broken orbital bone in his face that will keep him out for another week. The Mavs Also won a game without Jason Kidd who they sat for the night to rest due to the previously discussed schedule.
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