With one team on the upswing and one slowing more and more, this game was a good example of the shifting power in the West.

After a great month of January for the Mavericks, a month in which they handily beat the Golden State Warriors (albeit without Steph Curry), the Mavs are coming back to earth, falling to 4-6 in January after a beating at the hands of perhaps the hottest team in the NBA in the San Antonio Spurs.

Big ticket free agent Lamarcus Aldridge poured in 23 points, and the team that many think will be the Warriors biggest challenge defeated the Mavericks 112-83. The Mavs, whose leading scorer was Dwight Powell, were bested in every facet. The machine that is the Spurs grinded possessions to a halt, while their whirring, pass-happy offense dominated. In a battle between contender and pretender, it’s pretty clear which team is which.

Collegian NBA Blogger John Scriffiny can be reached online at blogs@collegian.com or on Twitter at @JScriff.