The EA NBA Live 09 simulated season predicts that Dallas will finish 54-28, and third in the West. Ah, if only the game was played on paper. Or joysticks. Or whatever. However, in an interesting parallel between Man and Machine, our Mavs Season-Opening Analysis Column – the Greatest Mavs Season-Opening Analysis Column Available Online -- is almost as optimistic, despite the thoughts of Shakespeare, Franklin and Nietzsche and due to eight scientifically valid and vetted reasons.