A lot has changed in Dallas since the Lakers last saw the Mavericks on November 11. Back then, the Mavs were in the middle of what ended up as a five-game slide. Now, they’re on a five-game winning streak. Stops in New York, Charlotte, Memphis helped in that cause, but wins are wins.

So what’s changed?

The simple answer is that the Mavs are figuring out what they do best. Namely, getting out and running, then letting Jason Kidd do his thing.

“They’re playing with more urgency,” Lakers forward Trevor Ariza said. “They’re starting to come together and get up and down the floor a little more.”