By Mike Fisher -- DallasBasketball.com
      The good news from Indy? The Mavs exerted themselves. The bad news? We’re reduced to being excited about that.
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      “I thought we played pretty well and pretty hard,’’ said Mavs coach Don Nelson after the 103-99 road loss. “I can take a loss as long as everyone gives it their all.’’
      Granted. The Pacers – even without standouts Jermaine O’Neal and Jonathan Bender – are a formidable bunch, especially at home. And the Mavs – without Michael Finley, nursing a calf problem – are an inconsistent bunch, especially on the road, especially against the East.
      Still, being satisfied with effort isn’t exactly the goal we had in mind for a team that should’ve been able to make some headway this week, what with all the turbulence being experienced by its main competition for a precious top-4 spot in the Western Conference Playoffs seeding.
      Going into Wednesday night, the Spurs had lost three straight. Going into Wednesday night, the Lakers were bracing themselves for the three-day, two-game sandwich featuring the Kings (who were 2-0 against LA) and the T’Wolves (who are 3-0 against LA) and Kobe Bryant’s travels back and forth from Colorado courtroom to California basketball courts.
      The opportunity, with Dallas now having lost two straight, is slipping. And so are the Mavs, who are actually now out of fifth place and down in sixth, behind surging Memphis.
      We suggested before the game that maybe Nelson, as concerned as he is about his players’ lack of defensive urgency, should handle all of them with the same short leash he’s got on Shawn Bradley’s neck. That is, when Bradley plays poorly or without inspiration in his opening appearance, Nellie often pulls him and buries him on the bench – and maybe that same treatment is due even this team’s stars, should Nelson note an early lack of passion.
      At least for one game, though, the passion/motivation issue got flip-flopped, as it was Bradley himself who provided early inspiring effort. Bradley hit shots, blocked shots, wrassled effectively, catapulted himself head-first into the crowd for a loose ball, you name it. When the zone worked, it was largely because he helped work it, and when the Mavs went to the locker room with a seven-point halftime edge, he deserved some of the credit for fueling it.
      Bradley’s chippy on-court nature contributed to the fact that Dallas totaled a franchise-record eight technical fouls, plus a flagrant foul, and wasn’t necessarily a terrible thing. At least they cared.
      "It was a pretty rough game," Nelson said. "We had to buckle down and play physical.’’
      The Mavs did that, and even when down nine points with under two minutes remaining, fought to stay in the game. Even Bradley hit a big jumper to help the Mavs close to within two points. But Reggie Miller and Austin Crosere (!?) combined for 21 of Indy’s 24 fourth-quarter points to cement the Dallas loss.
      A strategic issue from this one: The Mavs largely stayed in the zone when Miller was in the game late, and maybe it’s a six-of-one-half-dozen-of-the-other argument because Dallas is best suited to play zone. … but isn’t Reggie Miller still in the league for one reason only – his zone-busting shooting skill?
      An emotional issue from this one: On paper, the Mavs can win their two games in Florida this weekend and then get healthy at home while hoping the Lakers and Spurs experience more turbulence. They really can. … but with all of us rooting for at least some effort, they aren’t generating much confidence that they will, are they?