"The Dallas Mavericks will be 20 games deep into the season after playing Memphis on Friday. So what have we learned?

Three things.

First, we know that Jason Kidd remains a top-tier point guard, even if his defensive abilities now are limited more to playing the angles and passing lanes for steals. He's been more than solid in virtually every game and downright excellent at times.

Second, we know that Erick Dampier, Tim Thomas and Drew Gooden are better players when they are fighting for next season's contract. This is a key point in moving forward into the guts of the season.

Third, Dirk Nowitzki is the man."