Grading the Mavericks: Inconsistent effort proves fatal for Dallas again

The Mavericks finished the last week 2-2, bringing their season record to 5-3, putting them in a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference. The two wins came in blowout fashion at home against Orlando (108-85) and Chicago (119-99) . Dallas' two losses came against familiar foes when they fell to Houston (108-102) and Indiana (134-127) . P.J. Washington (knee) and Dereck Lively (shoulder) both got hurt during this stretch and missed the last two games, respectively. Maxi Kleber and Dante Exum have remained out with no timetable for their return.

Grade: B- After coming out of the gates with three wins in four games, the Mavericks' hot start cooled off and they did not gain any ground this past week. It was a mix of a few fun quarters (like the third against Chicago) and a lot of blah stretches. The Mavericks showcased their ability to look both energized and uninspired in the same game and remain one of the most frustrating teams to watch, given their expectations. Sometimes they will take care of business, like they did against the Bulls, and sometimes they just do not get up for big games, like they did against Houston. This is not surprising this early in the year considering Jason Kidd likes to try different things and experiment. However, despite who is on the floor and what the circumstances of the game are, Dallas can afford to give a little more effort and avoid these avoidable losses.

Straight A's: Defense Their defense has been far and away Dallas' most consistent attribute through eight games. They have stifled bad offensive teams and have done enough to give themselves a chance to beat every good team they have played, outside of the Indiana Pacers. However, that game was the second night of a back-to-back against a team they haven't beaten in three seasons now, so it is hard to put any stock into their effort that night. Their length and rim protection sticks out like a seven-footer in a crowd and they seem to have buy-in on that end from every player.

They held Orlando and Chicago under 100 points this past week and while both teams were missing their primary scorers, Dallas did so in dominant fashion. A combination of turning the opponent over and quick scores on the other end left the Magic and the Bulls in the dust. Of course, as evidenced in the Pacers loss, Dallas still struggles against teams that spread it five out, penetrate, and kick. Even still, they were in the game the entire time and just could not put their foot down. With the offense being incredibly streaky to start the year, the fact that Dallas is third in defensive rating currently is a fantastic sign of things to come.

Currently Failing: Bad habits The Mavericks have now lost three consecutive games to the Pacers and five of the last six, all coming after Rick Carlisle left Dallas for Indiana. The defensive effort was putrid, as they allowed 76 points in the paint and looked uninterested in guarding the ball. This came just four days after Dallas' effort against Houston in the first three quarters sank any hope they had and forced them to try and mount an improbable 23-point comeback. These games are not new territory for Dallas; they have had plenty of low-effort outings in favorable situations for the past few years. Games like these will make you pull your hair out, especially with how good Dallas is. If they are going to play the role of a serious contender they have to eliminate these types of games.

Extra Credit: Naji Marshall After a slow start that put him in fan-made trade proposals, Marshall settled nicely into his role. He is defending, getting steals, leading the break, and finding the open runner for easy dunks. His 20 points against Indiana were a season-high and he finally looked comfortable scoring again. With the injuries to Washington and Lively, he has been and will continue to be important until they get back, and even when they return.