The Super Celtics

The Mavericks’ trade for Karon Butler and Brendan Haywood seems to be the move of the year in the NBA as the Mavericks have won 13 games in a row. Owner Mark Cuban and general manager Donnie Nelson strengthened there team by adding another scorer in Butler and another inside threat in Haywood. The additional firepower has made life easier for Mavs stars Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd. Kidd is averaging 9.4 assists a game and playing some of the best basketball of his career at the age of 36. The Mavericks are playing like a balanced team this season, where in years past they were a team that didn’t have the defensive strength or offensive versatility to be considered the NBA’s best team.

Early on in the season the Miami Heat looked like a team that would be fighting for a final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but following a March where the team went 12-3, the Heat are the hottest team in basketball. Defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves last Saturday night 97-84 in Minneapolis, the Heat won their 8th game in a row. Dwayne Wade has been phenomenal during the team’s run as usual, but his game has seemed to rub off on his teammates. Though he typically start off the bench, Udonis Haslem has been a terror on the boards for the Heat, almost averaging a double double in March. Michael Beasley is progressing in his second year in the league and Quentin Richardson gives Miami another attacker in the starting lineup with Wade. Small forward Dorrell Wright started the season playing sparingly, but has developed into a solider contributor on both sides of the court. The Heat are sitting in the fifth spot in the East heading into Wednesday’s game with the Philadelphia 76ers and are just above the surging Milwaukee Bucks. The Eastern Conference playoffs might be more competitive than people will expect with the resurgence of the Heat and Bucks.