Of all the ways to end a half

The Mavericks destroyed the Timberwolves in the first half, leading by as much as 20 points and holding the Wolves to 34-percent shooting.

And yet, the end of the half was about as bad as it could be.

What's the one thing you don't want to let happen when you're cruising along with a 17-point lead in the last seconds of the half?

That's right. Don't let Mike Miller shoot a 3-pointer.

But that's exactly what the Mavericks did. He made it and the lead was hacked to 61-47.

They're still in command. But given the Mavericks' third-quarter problems this season, it's fair to wonder whether that flicker of momentum will grow into a fire hazard for the Mavericks.

--Eddie Sefko