THANK YOU FOR PLAYING, DALLAS MAVERICKS: You cannot beat the Lakers and a first-round meeting with them looks inevitable at this point. It was such a promising season; we all wanted you to succeed, we did. But the Kings and the Spurs look like they've figured the Lakers out while you guys stiiiiiink. We wanted the team that was winning the NBA championship to be as entertaing as it was successful. Sadly, it was not to be. The Kings and Spurs will have to do what they can to be entertaining, which they are capable of, because, Kobe aside, the Lakers are not a joy to watch.