NBA Betting Preview: The Dallas Mavericks took some big steps forward this past season. How will this team be able to follow up on an encouraging 2013-2014 run and become a championship contender in 2014 and 2015?
What Went Wrong Last Season?
The Mavericks didn’t get out of the first round of the playoffs. That’s what went wrong for this team. Overall, Dallas had to like what it did over the course of the full season. The Mavericks did not make the playoffs in 2013, so the team’s return to the postseason had to make a lot of people relieved in Big D, especially team owner Mark Cuban, whose investments in the franchise and in superstar Dirk Nowitzki had seemingly gone nowhere since the 2011 NBA title that changed the history of the organization. Dallas seemed to relax after winning that championship. The 2013-2014 season was significant in that it revived the franchise’s championship expectations. Taking the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the playoffs, something no other NBA team was able to do this past spring, should give Dallas a huge boost of confidence heading into the new season. When you then consider the possibility that the Mavericks have improved their roster relative to what they had a season ago, this team really does seem to be a contender in the loaded Western Conference. That might seem like a hard statement to grasp, since Dallas was the number eight seed in the playoffs, but this team really does feel like a top-four team in the West.
Offseason Changes
The Mavericks won the NBA title in 2011 with Tyson Chandler serving as the team’s primary rebounder and rim protector. He’s been taken back by Dallas, plucked from the New York Knicks in a move that could give the Mavs just what they needed. Chandler had to be secured by Dallas, because the Mavericks lost DeJuan Blair, a strong rebounder in his own right, to the Washington Wizards. Chandler fills that gap and stabilizes Dallas’ defense near the basket. The Mavericks also made a splash in free agency by landing Chandler Parsons, who comes over from the Houston Rockets and will help the Mavs not only by being on their team, but by not playing for a division rival in the state of Texas. The other really big acquisition made by the Mavericks in the offseason was Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson, who should fit in so well with the other pieces Cuban has put together. There is some dead weight on this roster, such as Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva, but the good pieces on this roster are so good that Dallas now has a strong rotation of Dirk Nowitzki at power forward, Chandler at center, Parsons at small forward, Monta Ellis at shooting guard, and Nelson at the point. That’s a great starting five, not merely a good one. Devin Harris can back up Nelson at the point. Ivan Johnson can bang inside and provide solid rebounding as a reserve forward. Bench scoring might be a bit of a concern, but the starting five is so good that it might not matter.
Projected Finish
The Mavericks might not be as good as the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Los Angeles Clippers, but they’re better than anyone else in the West. Fourth place looks like a solid bet for this team, and third is a real possibility.
Pick: Fourth In The Western Conference, Second Round Of The Playoffs
