Still only November

Does this sound like somebody who is upset?

“Everybody wants to win the championship. I want to win the championship here. It’s our goal. It's the same every season. It’s a lot of work to do. There are so many great teams in the league. Anybody can beat you at this point. You have to be really ready.”

Sounds like a guy who has to play a EuroBasket final three or four times a week, in a league where the Orlando Magic can show as strong as any contender. Luka Dončić has a grasp on things, the Mavs are ninth in point differential in a league where 29 teams can beat you.

The Mavs are also 9-10 entering Tuesday’s tilt with Golden State, 30th in pace, gross. Coach Jason Kidd even managed to drag the sporting world out of the World Cup and the NCAA’s pom-pom sweat on Saturday, drawing all of Texas’ ire after re-inserting Dwight Powell into the starting lineup.

That’s the problem. Not Kidd, but that the answer in Dallas is Christian Wood.

See, first quarters are tricky for Dallas.