Twelve years. That's even ultra long by Biblical standards. We've gone through three presidents and two Jordan retirement/comebacks since the Dallas Mavericks last won a game against the Lakers in Los Angeles.

Overall, the picture isn't pretty in either venue for the Mavericks. In the last 46 meetings between the teams, the Lakers have won, um, 41 of them. If that's not outright ownership, it's certainly common law ownership. They've won with Shaquille O'Neal dominating, with Shaq watching and with Shaq still in Orlando.

	With Michael Finley's career-high 15 boards, the Mavs easily beat L.A. 98-72 on Nov. 19.

But all things come to an end and, as someone once noted, "Tonight could be the night." The Mavericks are back in their house of horrors -- having lost the last 23 to the Purple and Gold in L.A. -- this time arriving with the NBA's best record. The Lakers limped home following a flogging in Utah and have been mysteriously Clipper-esque in the first month of the season. With Shaq, without Shaq, it hardly matters. They struggle to beat Memphis -- twice. They lose at home to Minnesota for the first time in years. They lose at Utah.

Can we actually call tonight's tilt at the Staples Center a Statement Game? Well, it depends on who's doing the talking.

"I really think every game is a statement game," observed Allen Iverson after his Sixers had taken care of the Celtics in a supposed Statement Game. "Especially when it's somebody that you potentially could meet in the playoffs. If you get the win, then they remember that you beat them the last time."

One gets the sense that the world will not end after the game for either team. The Lakers know that a win would be a small, but welcome, step in their march back to respectability. (And whoever thought we'd be saying that?) Shaq already is grumbling about attitude and commitment, even though the Lakers are pretty much the same group as last year, when they had plenty of attitude and commitment. Who knew Mitch Richmond would be so critical?

"I just want eight guys out there with me who want to play," O'Neal said.

How about two? Other than Kobe Bryant, everyone else seems to be hurt, underachieving or utterly humdrum. Look at it this way: They're already 12 games behind the Mavericks in the All Important Loss Column.

The Mavericks have been splendid all season and, either way, they'll still be splendid even at 17-2. Here's what's been great about the Mavericks so far: They know they've accomplished nothing. As Donnie Nelson accurately noted, "Most of these guys have been on the other side. We all know how quickly things can turn in the NBA. We've been on the other side. We didn't like it and we never want to go back there again."

This is a much bigger game for the Lakers. They're home. They're waffling around with an alarming aimlessness, apparently content to believe that it will all come together for them when it usually does. They have been the ultimate playoff team the last two years, winning two series without home-court advantage, in part because they understand titles aren't won in November.

But they also are in last place in the Pacific Division. When's the last time a defending champion with realistic title aspirations (in other words, not the 1999 Bulls) were so horrible, so early and so often? They've lost to Cleveland, for goodness sakes. Minnesota hadn't beaten them in L.A. since December 1993. No problem this time. Even without Wally Szczerbiak, the T-Wolves still won, scoring 60 second-half points in the process.

But this also is a big game for Dallas. The Mavs should be beyond the point where they have to prove themselves. They've won at home, on the road, in the East and in the West. But those still hesitating to jump on the Nelson bandwagon point to a cushy schedule -- no games against the so-called Iron of the West (San Antonio, Sacramento) and already two games each with those Eastern leviathans Chicago, Toronto and Cleveland.

	There's no better time to show the hoops world that they're intent on reminding the hoops world who they are and why they should be feared. This is not only a Statement Game. It's a Marquee Matchup, and the Lakers know how to play in those kind of situations. Or, at least, they used to.

They've had only one game with Houston -- and that was at home and featured an electric performance by Yao Ming. Dallas still won. The Mavs also beat the Lakers earlier this season when Shaq was still stylin' on the bench. It was a rout. But it was at home and Shaq wasn't playing and, well, you know the rest. Not even a dismantling of Portland on the road counts for much anymore because the Blazers are so hopelessly dysfunctional. You wonder how Paul Allen made so much money and apparently can't see the mess in front of his nose. (Then again, how 'bout them Seahawks!)

The Mavs went East and beat Boston and New Jersey on successive nights. That's no small feat. They've beaten the Pistons twice and both games have been blowouts. They will not be fazed in the least by the gold uniforms, the Laker girls or what's sure to be a celebrity-packed audience at the Staples Center. And a win would reverberate throughout the West for, well, at least 24 hours. Then they have to do it all over again up the state in Oakland.

Unfortunately, that's the nature of the NBA. Regardless of the outcome, the Mavs have to play again the next night, while the Lakers get a day before hosting the Jazz, who are merely one of the three hottest teams in the conference now behind Dallas and Sacramento.

If you're the Lakers now, every game is a statement game. It's an assertiveness training course by the day. No one really believes they'll stumble along like this much longer. But no one really believed they'd still be in the cellar eight games after Shaq returned to the lineup.

There's no better time to show the hoops world that they're intent on reminding the hoops world who they are and why they should be feared. This is not only a Statement Game. It's a Marquee Matchup, and the Lakers know how to play in those kind of situations. Or, at least, they used to.

Dallas has been like the slow learner in the back of the room who has steadily started to figure it out. Twelve years is a long time to figure. The Mavs won't really know how it all really goes until spring. In the meantime, there's work to be done and they've done it better than anyone else to date. Go against them at your own peril.

Peter May, who covers the NBA for the Boston Globe, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.