A championship hangover appears to have an early grip on the Dallas Mavericks. And it’s severe enough to make one gag.The Mavericks suffered their second straight embarrassing loss in as many days, falling to the Denver Nuggets 115-93 on Monday night.The reigning champions fell behind by 27 points at halftime (69-42) and trailed by as many as 33 points in the third quarter.On Sunday, the Miami Heat bludgeoned the Mavericks in a rematch of the NBA Finals, building a 35-point third-quarter lead in a 105-94 rout.Dirk Nowitzki, the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals, described Dallas’ plight in succinct terms.”We look old and slow and out of shape — a bad combination,” Nowitzki said.The fact that both losses came at home made Dallas’ 0-2 start more stomach-churning, although a moment of comic relief was provided by reserve Sean Williams.In his first game with the teams, Williams made an indelible impression on his new teammates by scoring 12 points in 11 minutes — and then vomiting while sitting on the bench.The Mavericks have lost key players Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea from its title-winning team and are trying to incorporate newcomers Lamar Odom, Vince Carter and Delonte West into the rotation.Dallas also labored in two preseason games against Oklahoma City, trailing by more than 20 points in each contest.“I still think this team has a lot of potential,” Nowitzki said. “But we have to turn the corner.”

By Jaime Aron
The Associated Press

DALLAS – While Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks were on the court celebrating the championship they won over LeBron James and Dwyane Wade last season, the Miami Heat were gathered in another part of the building.

It wasn’t because they dreaded watching the ceremony, they insisted.

They were simply getting ready to show everyone why they are favored to win it all this season.

James and Wade led a series of scoring waves that put Miami ahead by 35 points midway through the third quarter, the lead peaking when James soared to the rim and tipped an alley-oop pass to Wade so he could have the dunk instead. The game was essentially over then, although the Mavs reserves fueled a late rally that made the final score look close, 105-94.

“We tried to play aggressive,” James said. “We’re a focused team. We had a great training camp. We came in with the same mindset we had at practice, use our speed and play with mental focus.”

James finished with 37 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Wade had 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Miami scored at least 30 points in each of the first three quarters.

“Celebration or not, we had a game plan and implemented it,” Wade said. “We came out and played a good game.”

Maybe the pregame festivities left the Mavs emotionally drained because they were down by 15 after one quarter and 21 at halftime. They then gave up 14 straight points early in the third quarter.

The blowout had less to do with an emotional hangover and more to do with exposing the slow process of breaking in a new rotation. Dallas lost center Tyson Chandler and backup point guard J.J. Barea and added guard Vince Carter, do-it-all Lamar Odom and backup guard Delonte West.

“We’re going to have to forge an identity with this team; it’s a different team,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “That’s work, and it’s going to take honesty, and it’s not going to be easy.”

Carter took Dallas’ first two shots, an 18-footer and a layup. Both missed. West started the second half in his place and finished with 10 points. Carter had five points, two rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes.

Odom – the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year, who was acquired from the Lakers a few weeks ago for merely a trade exception – entered to a standing ovation, and got fans roaring again when he made a 3-pointer that tied the game at 11. He missed his next five shots before getting ejected midway through the third quarter, but still left to loud cheers. He had four points and four rebounds in 13 minutes.

“We’ve got to get better and it will take a little time to get better,” Odom said.

Jason Terry sparked a Dallas rally, that started after Odom was tossed, and wound up leading Dallas with 23 points. Nowitzki scored 21 in three quarters. Shawn Marion scored 12 and broke the pinky finger on his left hand.

While the NBA lockout teetered on disaster for the league, it did produce one excellent consequence: the Dallas Mavericks will open the season at home against the Miami Heat on Christmas day to open the season — and raise their championship banner prior to the game. The lamest member of the superfriends in Miami, Chris Bosh, thinks that the ceremony is going to suck.

Bosh, who is a Dallas native, thought that there were too many Mavericks fans during the offseason as well.

Bosh spent only a week back home in Dallas during the offseason, partly to enjoy the Miami surroundings with his wife, but also to avoid the negativity from fans back in Texas — fans, he added, that weren’t so abundant when he was growing up.

“I didn’t want to hear all the fans,” Bosh joked. “But it’s funny because there wasn’t a lot of Mavericks fans when I was a kid. But now all of a sudden, everybody’s a Mavericks fan.”    

That’s funny. Before the superfriends teamed up in Miami, did anybody care about the Heat? As if teaming up with two superstars in Miami, in a league dominated by player interest more so than team interest, isn’t going to invite bandwagon fans. 

Maybe Bosh can have a few tissues ready for LeBron James when they raise the banner, since it’s going to suck so much – it wouldn’t be the first time LeBron cried in Dallas.

The Mavs will see their title banner raised to the rafters while their NBA Finals foes sadly look on during the season opener on Christmas, but Mark Cuban hasn’t gotten their rings made yet. From the Star-Telegram and ESPN: “The Mavericks won’t receive their NBA championship rings on opening day against the Miami Heat after all. Owner Mark Cuban said, after much consideration, he has decided to give his players their rings on another game night. ‘Banner only [on] opening night,’ Cuban said via e-mail. ‘Rings will be another night.’”

“Mavs owner Mark Cuban has not had the 2010-11 championship rings designed because he wants to get input from Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Jason Kidd as to how the rings should look, Cuban confirmed Thursday night. ‘I think he is waiting for J-Kidd and Dirk and I to come up with something,’ Terry said Thursday when he was the lone Mavs player to work out at the American Airlines Center on the first day that locked-out players could return to their teams’ practice facilities. Cuban added that he considered handing out fake rings at the opener, but decided to hold the banner raising ceremony and ring presentation on separate nights, giving fans that might have attended the canceled Nov. 1 opener, but have other plans on Christmas Day, a chance to see one of the special moments.”

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made the unpopular claim that his team wouldn’t be getting title rings for winning the championship back in June, but he appears to have changed his mind. Wise move, Mark. From the Dallas Morning News: “Mark Cuban, after careful deliberation, has decided that the Mavericks will receive championship rings for their title that was won in June. By ‘careful deliberation,’ we mean it probably came after one night of partying with the players after the Miami series. Back when those things were legal. As you recall, Cuban had an off-the-cuff remark after the championship series against Miami that he thought rings had become too old-school for this day and age. Turns out old-school works for an old team. Anyway, Cuban said: ‘I will get rings, but maybe not quite traditional in one way or another.’”