Now What for Mavericks, Rockets?

There's too much going on in the NBA playoffs right not to try to touch on every series. Let's take a look ahead to Monday's games, as well as a look back at Sunday's games ...

-- It's really too bad that Game 3 of the Dallas-Denver series had to be decided the way it did, with the officials missing an intentional foul and allowing Carmelo Anthony to hit a game-winning 3-pointer.

But now on Monday we're really going to find out about the Mavericks, and it could go a long way toward whether they're completely dismantled this offseason. Do the Mavericks have a little Houston in them?

Nobody gave the Rockets much of a chance to win on Sunday without Yao Ming. Instead, the Rockets came up with an inspired effort and blew out the Lakers. They still have a long way to go, but who knows?

The Mavericks already have been given last rites, and nobody is expecting anything from them. They've pretty much got a built-in excuse, if they want to use it. They got hosed and the league admitted it.

OK, so where do they go from here? The Mavericks aren't being given much of a shot to win one game in this series, let alone more. If Dallas does go down on Monday night, it will be worth watching how it comes down.

-- If you came into the postseason without a rooting interest, you're probably on board the Cavaliers' bandwagon by now. LeBron James has actually raised his level of play from the regular season, pretty amazing considering he was the league's MVP.

It's intriguing watching the Cavaliers, who certainly aren't the most talented team in the league, win games by defense and chemistry. The Cavaliers know exactly how they have to play and what they have to do to win.

Not that it means a whole heck of a lot, but the Cavaliers are playing better than any other team remaining right now.

If there are still those out there nit-picking James' game, they are really missing the big picture. The guy's figuring it out.

-- The Rockets' 99-87 win over the L.A. Lakers on Sunday afternoon, without Yao Ming, was as impressive as it was surprising. The fundamental question remains the same, however: Can the Rockets win the series?

Quite frankly, it was tough seeing the Rockets win with Yao; without him it's just not very realistic. And that's with an acknowledgment to how well Houston played on Sunday in Game 4.

For Houston to have any chance of winning the series, two things are going to need to happen. First, Aaron Brooks is going to need to keep playing like he did Sunday. And, second, Ron Artest needs to do a better job of handling his newfound offensive responsibility.

Brooks is a completely different player without Yao in the middle. Brooks was less tentative and far more willing to take some chances offensively. The Lakers will clearly try to contain Brooks more in Tuesday's Game 5, but he shouldn't let that deter him. Brooks is the best option the Rockets have for creating shots right now.

Artest should be that guy, but he isn't right now. In fact, Artest has been pretty awful the past six quarters. What's worse, he's showing a scary kind of stubbornness at just the wrong time.

It's not that he went 4-for-19 from the field on Sunday, it's how he went 4-for-19, with questionable shot followed by questionable shot followed by forced drive. Artest isn't a great passer, but he understands the concept of a double-team. That's why it's got to be driving coach Rick Adelman nuts that Artest continues to put his head down and bull his way toward the bucket while teammates stand still on the perimeter.

The more Artest tries to do, the worse he usually plays. And with Yao out, Artest was trying to do too much.

By the way, and I know I'm not the first to say it. But it bears repeating: The Lakers could really use Ronny Turiaf right about now.

-- Glen Davis' game-winning jumper on Sunday ensures another barn-burner of a series for the Celtics. But as gutsy and tenacious and never-say-die as the Celtics have been, it still feels like they're just killing time till the Cavaliers roll around.

If, of course, the Celtics beat Orlando so that Cleveland does roll around, then the only thing that can save Boston is the return of Kevin Garnett. The Celtics might be putting on an admirable show without him, but they sure aren't the same when he's not playing.

And neither is Ray Allen, one of the game's best 3-point shooters and an all-around class act. Garnett's absence has really affected Allen. Without Garnett there to create an advantage for Allen, he's struggled to find consistently good looks in the postseason.

That's made Allen run hot and cold, going all the way back to his 1-for-12 in Game 1 of the Chicago series. Allen's been so-so against the Magic, and as far as I can tell, the matchup with J.J. Redick has been a draw.