Caron Butler missed the potential game winner, but the
Wizards just didn’t have the right ingredients to cook up
a win last night. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Mavericks 94, Wizards 93: Shawn Marion’s block of Caron Butler’s last-gasp jump shot will get the lion’s share of attention, but if I’ve learned anything from watching basketball for most of my life, it’s that a one-point game is hardly ever really decided on the final possession. There’s always plenty of reasons that one team lost, and it’s rarely just bad luck or one poor play at the end of regulation; in the recipe for every loss, close or not, there’s always an ingredient list. How about starting with the fact that the Wizards didn’t have a single fast break point? Add a dash of Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler shooting a combined 9-30. Then consider Dallas’ very impressive 2.45 assist-to-turnover ratio, and we’re practically there. The defensive play by Marion on Butler at the end of the game was simply the garnish. Of course, one reversal of fate and we’re talking about Randy Foye’s season-high 26, Mike Miller’s bounce off the bench, and an overall resiliency; sadly, those materials didn’t quite make a meal last night.