" Shawn Marion was standing in front of several hundred children at Edward Titche Elementary School with a message to deliver.

"It's getting harder and harder to succeed in life," Marion said. "But y'all got a great start. And if you keep working hard, you'll make it."

He was speaking to kids who had won the Mavericks' Reading Challenge. But he could have just as easily been talking about the team and the 11-game winning streak that has everybody walking on clouds. All it really means is the Mavericks have run out to a really nice start this season and the hard part has only just begun.

Utah's visit to American Airlines Center today contributes to that difficulty, even though the Jazz had to play Orlando late Friday night in Salt Lake City.

Marion has established himself this season as part of the Mavericks' three-way power pack at forward. Along with starters Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler, Marion splits up the playing time and all of them are averaging between 27 and 36 minutes. Added together, they eat up just under 94 minutes per game, which is two fewer than are available at the two forward slots.

The setup is working. One superstar and two former All-Stars parlaying their abilities to give the Mavericks as stout a forward trio as any.

"We've got a good thing going with our forwards," coach Rick Carlisle said. "Recently, it's been a different guy finishing every night. It's a little unpredictable for them, but they're rolling with it. And we're winning. So that's what's important."

They feel the same way. If Dallas were 4-18 instead of 18-4, it might be different.

But it's been a thing of beauty to watch the three of them mix their diverse abilities into a dominant front line.

Marion almost always comes in for Nowitzki in the middle of the first quarter, which means he has to play power forward at 6-7.

"I'm guarding most of those big guys," Marion said. "Power forward is one of the dominant positions in the league. It's a challenge, but it's cool. "