"Rick Carlisle knows Shawn Marion would stop short of saying the move to a sixth-man role has been a career jump-starter, if not a career saver.

That's exactly the case, however, based on Marion's sharp play and the Mavericks' early season mojo.

There is no debate Marion's production through the first 18 games is a primary reason the Mavericks are cruising with the second-best record in the conference. Aside from Tyson Chandler, Marion has been perhaps the most crucial cog in making this thing go.

"He's made it work," Carlisle said of Marion's acceptance of the reserve role. "You're talking about a guy who's a four-time All-Star and has been a franchise cornerstone in Phoenix. The adjustment he's made to this role has been really important to our success to this point. He's not only playing great, but he's become one of the real leaders of this team.

"I don't know that he'll agree that it's the best thing that ever happened to him. But at this point, he's making it work. He's getting everybody's attention. I know our crowd appreciates him and I know his teammates do. And our opponents are taking notice, too."

They have no choice. Marion and efficiency have been inseparable partners so far. He's averaging 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds. He's hitting 50.6 percent of his shots. Those numbers are actually slightly below what he averaged last season, his first with the Mavericks. "