NEW YORK -- Don't try to stop me; I've officially decided the Dallas Mavericks have peaked.

Either that or they're unswervingly on course to break the Lakers' NBA 1971-72 record of 33 straight wins this season, as well as finalize such flawlessness with whipped cream and a chocolate cherry championship on top.

Even though they had their 13-game win streak halted by the Lakers on Sunday, there is no in-between, no middle ground, no hemming or hawing or hedging.

Only the Lakers of yore -- Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Jim McMillian and Happy Hairston -- twice seized 11 or more victories faster (31 games) than these steamrolling Mavs, who routinely squash opponents' poise and point production.

Friday's come-from-behind, 90-85, dry-gulching of the Spurs in their own barn made it a dozen for Dallas, which did its "early" season 12-game string one better.

What's more, San Antonio became the 12th straight victim held submerged under 100 points by Avery Johnson's baby "Bowen" constrictors.

Think about this; after starting the artificial ball/leather ball/odd ball season 0-4, the Mavs have succeeded 27 of 30 times. That's a .900 percentage for nearly two months.

Since last losing (by 22) Dec. 11 at Utah, Dallas has reeled off five consecutive road victories, limiting hosts to 79, 91, 95, 85 and 85 points, disrespectfully.

The Mavs may very well be the league's lone ensemble capable of putting four good-to-great red stop lights on the floor simultaneously without sacrificing any firepower at the other end of the equator.

As mentioned in the previous communiques, minus any blinking neon sign or trumpet blast, Devin Harris has emerged as the pre-eminent point defender on active duty.

On Thursday, Jamaal Tinsley got unnerved when unable to shake or slither around Harris.

On Friday, Harris reduced Tony Parker, the league's most poisonous penetrator, to non-factor status -- four assists, three trips to the line and 6-13 from the field.

Harris harasses playmakers.

Josh Howard, flaunting inimitable All-Star scoring and rebounding stats, shrinks the harvests of twos and threes.

On account of their cosmic tangible and intangible improvement, and the advent of Devean George (Greg Buckner, too, but to a lesser degree), Dallas has become the team to beat.

Again, almost unnoticed, more and more George is courtside for the Mavs' fourth-quarter clampdowns. Surely there isn't a power forward in the league that moves his feet more shrewdly.

As for Erick Dampier, his game has advanced beyond recognition from his primitive years at Golden State, even his first couple in Dallas, whereas co-conspirator, DeSagana Diop, was the free-agent steal last season and continues to do defensively what he does best.

If they've been outplayed more than once or twice, and the opponents' name isn't Yao Ming, I must have winked.

Oh, yeah, and Dirk Nowitzki ain't so shabby, either.

In fact, sometimes his defensive upgrade even staggers himself.

In the third quarter against the Spurs he picked Manu Ginobili's pocket near the arc and had a free three-quarter court path to the basket.

The singular opportunity got him so excited he aborted the open layup, but managed a season-high 36, anyway.

If I'm not mistaken, Nowitzki, Harris, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse all were on the shelf until the last two preseason games.

Nowitzki had played approximately 230 games in 24 months, so Johnson justifiably restrained his activity.

The others had minor enough injuries that they could have played, but the plan was to play it safe.

As a result, the above four players weren't in game shape when the season began.

Even so, the Mavs led at halftime in three of those first four defeats.

In other words, they were confident they weren't that far off.