buckalis
Trainer of Don Diego de la Vega
The Mavs are the only West team that the Bucks are watching and "count" for being among the obstacles that could challenge them from winning multiple NBA titles during the following decade...
To have a shot at 4-2 in this last bunch of games without Luka for most of them is pretty damn impressive. And - you KNOW Luka is watching and taking notes.
Just need to improve the home record. But beyond that, there is little to nothing one can complain about right now. This team (players and coaches) is in sync.
I believe they can win the West and play in the finals against the Bucks from this season, if they take advantage of their depth and have a couple of well calculated trades until the trade deadline...
Everybody was expecting for this to be a "preparation season" for them and have their real shot by next season, but given the circumstances that caused the West conference to significantly weaken this season with the Warriors, the Thunder and the Blazers stepping back to join the Pelicans and the Wolves from the 18-19 season and then the Lakers and the Clips being practically unable to do a significant move until the trade deadline, it's a big opportunity for the Mavs and the Heat to challenge both the "Zorroland" teams (circuses) and win the West from this season...
They certainly have the cap space required, they have the assets and have also saved their MLE...
Therefore, why not save an entire season and instead postpone contending for later?
Yeah, most teams need at least one playoff run before getting over the hump.Talk of the Mavs coming out of the West this year is a bit premature.
They are a very good young team with a lot of promise, but they are still a young team without a lot of playoff experience.
Having said that, they look like they can age like the Thunder when they had KD, Westbrook and Harden, or more recently the Warriors.
Like them, the Mavs will probably have to take their playoff lumps for a season or 2...but if they keep improving, they'll be the ones handing out the lumps soon enough.
Talk of the Mavs coming out of the West this year is a bit premature.
They are a very good young team with a lot of promise, but they are still a young team without a lot of playoff experience.
Having said that, they look like they can age like the Thunder when they had KD, Westbrook and Harden, or more recently the Warriors.
Like them, the Mavs will probably have to take their playoff lumps for a season or 2...but if they keep improving, they'll be the ones handing out the lumps soon enough.
It is easy to predict the Mavs as future contenders for years to come. They have Luka and they have an owner willing to spend to put pieces around him. On the brightest future list, the Mavs simply have to be #1. That is no guarantee, but they will be in the conversation for sure.
That said, the West still goes through LA this year, and probably next year too.
problem with free agents in recent history, nobody wants to come to Dallas. I guess now that Cuban and Carlisle have built a team up from scratch, Dallas might be a little more attractive to the pieces they are missing. Wish they could afford Drummond, but those future first rounders for Porzingis really screws up their trade value.
Mavericks got a nice winning streak going, albeit against lesser opponents. Losing to Lakers and Nuggets back to back proves they need to improve. Luca doesn't seem comfortable being the "tie it" or "win it" shooter at the end of close games. Seth Curry playing much better than his brother this season. Hardaway Jr. still getting it done. And 6-7 bench players that are still putting in time when needed in a most surprising and productive way.
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