DALLAS -- So maybe the Rajon Rondo deal wasn't a death sentence for a Dallas Mavericks offense that was humming at a historically elite level when the trade was made.

There have been a bunch of bumps in the road for Rondo and the Mavs' offense over the past few months, but something seems to have clicked all of a sudden, just as Dallas' season seemed to be circling the drain.

With Rondo running the show, the Mavs' offense has morphed back into a thing of beauty during this desperately needed two-game winning streak over West playoff contenders. The pace is fast, the ball is flying around and the shots are falling.

Rajon Rondo has kept the pace fast for the Mavericks during their two-game win streak. Danny Bollinger/NBAE/Getty Images

"We're on a good path," coach Rick Carlisle told ESPNDallas.com in his office after Monday's thrilling 119-115 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. "We've just got to continue to work. He and I are spending a lot of time together working on our offense. He wants to be the quarterback, which is great.

"The thing is I want to make sure he's keeping pace in the game, because he has the ability to keep pace in the game and to mix in play-calling, not just call plays every time. He's getting really good with the play-calling, but our mission is to defend and rebound better, keep pace in the game and then run the right stuff. He's doing a great job."

This might have been Rondo's most impressive performance with the Mavs, as he registered an 11-point, 13-assist double-double while spearheading a defensive effort that made MVP candidate Russell Westbrook (24 points, 12 assists, seven turnovers) appear to be somewhat mortal.

It came on the heels of arguably the Mavs' most impressive victory of the season, a 129-99 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers that prompted Carlisle to heap praise on Rondo despite just a decent stat line from the four-time All-Star point guard.

Carlisle, whose hesitancy to hand the keys of the offense to Rondo has been well chronicled, is extremely encouraged by the feel the point guard has developed for the Mavs' scheme and his teammates.

"What's different is they're getting me the ball a lot faster on the break," Rondo said. "I've earned these guys' confidence, knowing they're going to get the ball back."

There's no hesitancy in Rondo's game right now. He's attacking in transition -- something Carlisle has demanded more of, hoping to avoid the need to call so many plays -- and doing a splendid job of spreading the ball around.

This is the Rondo the Mavs hoped to get when they made that blockbuster deal with the Boston Celtics.

"I think if you trade for the 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-man, I think it's easier to adjust on the fly," said power forward Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 22 points in the win over OKC, only his second 20-plus-point game since the All-Star break. "For a point guard, it's pretty hard to come in and play -- especially a point guard that runs the show like he does. I think it took him a little bit."

Added small forward Chandler Parsons, who led all scorers with 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting: "It's really easy for him. He's one of the better passing point guards in this league. When he does that, it seems like everything flows so much easier."

Of course, it makes Rondo's job much easier when his highest-profile teammates are knocking down shots.

Nowitzki has shown signs of busting out of an extended slump. He scored a total of 36 points on 13-of-27 shooting in the past two games, including a 13-point third quarter against the Thunder. That might even have caused his longtime mentor/shot doctor, Holger Geschwindner, who arrived in town Monday afternoon a month earlier than his usual late-season visit, to crack a smile.

Rondo's vision and timing as a passer particularly benefited Nowitzki against the Thunder. Five of Nowitzki's eight buckets were assisted by Rondo.

Parsons has been lighting it up since he returned from a seven-game absence due to a sprain and bone bruise to his left ankle. He's been especially scorching during the modest win streak, scoring 53 points on 18-of-26 shooting in the two games. He's on fire from 3-point range (8-of-11 in the two wins), and Carlisle and Rondo have made a point to give Parsons more pick-and-roll opportunities to take advantage of ballhandling skills that are elite for a 6-foot-9 small forward.

"I love it," Parsons said. "It's what I came here to do, and that's what I want. I've got to continue to play well. I think I'm a really good playmaker and can make the guys around me better."

Rondo's poor shooting still presents challenges when the Mavs have to execute in the half court, although Carlisle has found ways to mitigate it, such as having him roam the baseline, almost like Wayne Gretzky working behind the net, when Parsons operates the pick-and-roll with center Tyson Chandler.

But the best solution for the spacing issues is for Rondo to get the Mavs running. It starts with the Dallas defense getting stops, and then the Mavs can really present some problems for opponents by pushing the ball at breakneck speed.

"If he's got the ball and he's pushing it, he's got to be played," Carlisle said. "If they're not going to play him, he's going to get in the lane, he's going to find somebody. Our spacing challenges are being resolved because we're learning what works, and he understands. We've got to stay the course, but we've got to be vigilant about it."