For years, Western Conference teams like the Mavericks feasted on usually weaker competition from the Eastern Conference.
Those days are long gone.
The Mavericks fell to 2-7 against teams from the East this season as the Indiana Pacers overcame the loss of head coach Rick Carlisle and planted a 106-93 loss on the Mavericks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
A fourth-quarter swoon doomed the Mavericks. After being tied at 87, the Pacers took charge. But they could also look at another familiar culprit as they had a horrible shooting night from 3-point range (4-of-29, 13.8 percent). The Mavericks scored just 13 points in the fourth quarter, when the game was very much in doubt.