Test.....passed?

Well, they kept the three PG lineup out there for the end of the Hawks game. And they barely escaped with the win.

Let's break it down:

J.J. Barea enters the game with Dallas up by 11, 77-88, and 3:55 to go.

Joe Johnson hits two free throws, then Barea is blocked by Pachulia, leading to a Joe Johnson three.

Dallas up by six: 88-82.

Joe Johnson continues to exploit the size mismatch, by hitting another jumper, only Terry's pair of buckets keep Dallas up by ten.

Two turnovers (by Dirk and J.J.) lead to consecutive threes by Bibby and
Johnson. The size mismatch is hurting them. Badly.

Bibby scores again on a runner, bringing the game to two, Dallas up 94-92, all in the span on 36 seconds.

Two steals and two key outlet passes from Kidd to Bass are able to stem the tide, but this should show Carlisle that he needs to find another crunch time lineup against teams like that.

Of all the teams with big, athletic two-guards (Lakers, Bobcats, Hawks, Rockets, Celtics, Cavs, and the Blazers) the Hawks are the second worst behind the Bobcats.

The Mavs only won by two (five if you take away the last minute, uncontested three from Joe Johnson)

The other five are playoff teams, three of which are in the Western Conference.

How do you think a Kidd, JJ, Terry, Dirk and Bass lineup is going to fare against Alston, T-Mac, Artest, Scola and Yao?

Or against Fisher, Kobe, Odom, Gasol and Bynum?

I don't like those odds.

So the Mavs need to get themselves a different crunch time lineup. Sure, it will be different when Howard and Wright are back, but how does the lineup shake out then?

I would guess: Kidd, Terry, Howard, Dirk and Bass, but that presents the same size problems.

If you put Wright in at the two, then you lose Terry's shooting, speed and energy.

At this point neither Mavs center can be counted on to be in good shape foul-wise at the end of the game. Not against a team that drives to the hoop.

I don't have too many concerns about rebounding, Bass makes up in presence what he lacks in size, but with a 7-foot center in there, what's to stop him from backing to the basket and knocking down five-footers all night?

I'm not saying the new lineup (which needs a nickname by the way) doesn't have a place, I think it's a good way to either end the third quarter or start a fourth quarter with some energy.

But they'll need some size if they're to go deep into the playoffs. Either that or be ahead by more than 15 in the closing minutes.