Kevin Sherrington

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When Mark Cuban says the team that the Dallas Mavericks will put on the floor for tonight's opener against the Wizards is more talented than his Finals squad, and Jason Terry calls the chemistry the best since he's been in Dallas, the question seems obvious:

Are ticket sales really that flat?

Anytime someone makes unsolicited comparisons with the best team in franchise history, you should be a little dubious about their intent.

But upon further review, the claims may not be a blatant attempt at hucksterism after all.

Might not be a whiplash effect from Gerald Green's 11 starts last year, either.

Good news: The Mavs really do appear more talented than the bunch that blew the '06 Finals. Deeper and more diverse, they're much better suited to the style of the coach.

Bad news: Everyone else is better, too, and it's a larger field of contenders.

And then there's this: The Mavs' odds are all tied up in the health of Shawn Marion and Josh Howard, already a prickly issue.

For all who doubted what Marion could bring the Mavs at 31 – and it was a pretty vocal contingent, at that – he's simply the best complement the Mavs have had to Dirk Nowitzki at forward: athletic, good rebounder, good defender, creates his own shot. Basically, he's a bigger, better, more consistent Josh Howard.

The issue with players on the descending arc of their prime isn't always skill set. Most can still bring it. They just can't do it for 82 games. Or 70 or 60. The last two seasons were the first since his rookie season in Phoenix that Marion failed to play in at least 79 games. He gets here, and the first thing he does after descending from the rafters is blow a tire.

He's all patched up for now, anyway. In all fairness, it's not like he has to play 79 games anymore. If he gives the Mavs 60 healthy starts, it's all good.

Of course, there remains the issue of Howard's health.

"It could be awhile," is how Rick Carlisle put it Monday. "Could be weeks.

"Could be . . ."

Hello, bench.

Fortunately for Carlisle, he has more and better options this season with a starter down. The Mavs' bench is bigger, more athletic and can shoot it better, too.

Did I mention that Devean George started 16 games last season?

When Carlisle calls on a player now, he'll rarely have to ask him to do something he's not equipped for. This is where Avery Johnson got into trouble. He demanded defensive commitment from a roster that wasn't so inclined, and he got results for awhile. Long enough to drag the Mavs to the Finals, anyway.

But under duress, players eventually revert to their true nature. Gregg Popovich gets defense from his Spurs because that's who they are. Carlisle may have enough of the type now to get a stop when he needs it.

The team is a better fit in other ways, too.

Carlisle learned last season that he needed to give Jason Kidd the keys, resulting in a jumpstart that helped the Mavs to 50 wins. But Kidd needed more than just his coach's confidence if the Mavs are to improve on that total. He needed teammates who could play his tempo.

My solution was Tyson Chandler, beneficiary of more than an occasional alley oop from Chris Paul. Cuban came up with Marion, who has no more health issues than Chandler and gives the club more options.

The new addition certainly has blended right in.

"We're all on the same page," Marion said. "We're a family, on and off the court.

"We're family, all love."

And then as if to demonstrate his point, he surveyed the reporters encircling him.

"How y'all doing? Anybody want a big hug?"

A long and interesting season will do just fine, Shawn. We're not the touchy-feely types.