Nowitzki continues to use the offseason to improve his game.

WHAT DID THEY DO ON THEIR SUMMER VACATION?
Not much, for a change. No mystifying draft-day deals. No free agent tours of Mark Cuban's cabana. No luck in trying to persuade Rashard Lewis to take $15M instead of the $60M Seattle offered. (What a shock.) Still, Dirk Nowitzki is an elite forward and Steve Nash and Michael Finley form one of the game's premier backcourts. Dallas is still good but -- after a suspiciously quiet and uncharacteristically frugal summer -- not necessarily better.

STARTING FIVE
Being the league's top scoring and most exciting team -- that's entertainment. Not being able to stop opponents -- that's embarrassment.

Midwest Division

1. Mavericks

2. Spurs

3. T-Wolves

4. Jazz

5. Rockets

6. Grizzlies

7. Nuggets

Scouting Report Index

Raef LaFrentz, PF: Has never averaged 8 rebounds in a pro season
Dirk Nowitzki, SF: What, there's more?
Shawn Bradley, C: Size usually matters. Usually, not always
Michael Finley, SG: Detroit took Randolph Childress instead
Steve Nash, PG: 45.5% from three-point range? Are you kidding?

BENCH
Nick Van Exel is back. Depending on his mood, that's either a big plus or a huge minus. Adrian Griffin, Eduardo Najera supply energy and D.

GLOBAL VIEW
Nowitzki (Germany) was MVP
at the 2002 World Championships.

FREEWHEELIN' WITH WALTON
How long can Nellie overplay his real players to hide his overpaid stiffs?

This article will appear in the November 11 issue of ESPN The Magazine.