A New Record

Right off the opening tip, Link dunked on the Mavericks. This year's MVP frontrunner immediately gave Dallas a harsh welcome.

Carter, sitting on the Mavericks' bench, watched Link's outrageous dunk with envy in his eyes.

Back in the day, he too had been able to soar through the sky as freely as Link. Sadly, time had dealt him a cruel hand.

But Carter did not feel flustered. Link's dunk had indeed been spectacular, but it was not enough to intimidate the Mavericks.

Carter knew his teammates were the most experienced and patient players around. On the next possession, the Mavericks would immediately tie the score!

Jose Calderon began to orchestrate the offense. The Spanish veteran had already played ten seasons in the NBA. He was no superstar, but he understood better than anyone how to control the tempo.

Calderon paused beyond the three-point line, waiting for his teammates to get into position. The Mavericks' offense was fairly intricate, with all manner of off-ball screens and weaving cuts that left Joerger dizzy.

Carlisle truly deserved his reputation as a tactical mastermind. Who knew how many brain cells this seemingly ordinary possession had killed?

In the end, Monta Ellis shook off Iguodala and curled out beyond the arc. He received Calderon's timely pass and gained a fleeting shooting opportunity.

Ellis rose as if to shoot, drawing the attention of everyone on the Grizzlies, only to turn his shot into a pass in midair and send the ball to Nowitzki, who was standing beneath the basket!

Ellis's improvement this season had been obvious, mainly because he had begun to play basketball the right way.

In the past, Ellis definitely would have taken that shot himself. But now, he was willing to give the ball to a teammate with a better opportunity.

Nowitzki caught