NBA Team Preview: Dallas Mavericks

Having suffered back-to-back round one playoff exit, Dallas Mavericks will look to work on the foundation they’ve built with Luka Doncić and push for the franchise’s first title in 10 years.

Perhaps this offseason’s shakeup, parting ways with the long-time president of basketball operation Donnie Nelson and the resignation of coach Rick Carlise will bring the changes needed, but only time will tell.

Team Intro

Since drafting the Slovenian superstar, in the 2018 NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks put all their faith into Luka Doncić and his magic hands to build a new legacy, succeeding the franchise’s most successful period, led by Dirk Nowitzki. And while Doncić proved to be a massive asset to the Dallas outfit, the success was hard to come by for the 2011 NBA champions.

Failing to qualify for the 2019 NBA playoffs, with a .402 record, Dallas Mavericks found some traction in the 2019/20 season, when they finished second in the Southwest with .573. But, unfortunately, the excitement was relatively short-lived, as the Mavs crashed out of the first round, falling to Los Angeles Clippers (2-4).

The history nearly repeated itself in 2020/21, when Dallas mavericks further improved their regular-season record, winning the southwest division with a .583 W/L, yet again had to kneel to LA Clippers (3-4) in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

A two-year-long drought brought in massive changes for the 2021/22 season, the most impactful of which happened off the court. The franchise’s president of basketball operations, Donnie Nelson, parted ways with Mavericks, while Rick Carlise resigned after a remarkable 13-year-run in Dallas.

Replacing the two key figures are Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd as Dallas Mavericks’ new coach and Nico Harrison, who took over as general manager.

Big Additions

Besides the arrival of Kidd and Harrison as a new coach and general manager in Dallas respectively, the Mavericks also introduced some changes on the court. Evidently, the team explored the free agency looking to build around Doncić, who will team up with three veterans in Reggie Bullock, Sterling Brown, and Frank Ntilikina.

The addition of Bullock and Brown can easily be viewed as the two most impactful changes Dallas Mavericks have made this offseason. With Bullock, Dallas Mavericks added another efficient three-point shooter, further adding to their threat from downtown.

The strategy fits in perfectly for how Dallas Mavericks want to play since spacing the floor and letting Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis do their magic will ultimately dictate whether Mavericks will succeed this term.

Meanwhile, the addition of Brown adds a highly experienced veteran figure to the squad, which seemed to lack the synergy to put all the pieces together last season.

While the Mavs did not choose the path of making a splash by signing big names, they don’t really need to. Building around Doncic and helping with the Doncic-Porzingis chemistry is their recipe for success. Even though it remains to be seen whether Dallas will achieve that goal, the offseason moves make a lot of sense.

Impactful Subtractions

This offseason, Dallas Mavericks didn’t have any notable departures since they’ve decided to bring back Tim Hardaway Jr. and Boban Marjanovic during free agency. While many fans would want the Mavs to chase big players such as DeMar DeRozan or Kyle Lowry, that wasn’t possible since the Dallas outfit didn’t have much cap space to afford the players.

And while there weren’t any major subtractions on the court, the addition of Kidd as the new head coach is definitely a change that will be under the spotlight. Filling in Carlisle’s shoes won’t be easy; however, it’s hard not to be optimistic about Kidd and the experience he brings as a former Milwaukee Bucks coach and assistant at Los Angeles Lakers.

Key Players

• Luka Donic – star of Mavericks who should find a new gear under Kidd
• Tim Hardaway Jr. – exceptional 3pt shooter, having hit 207 last season (second-most for a Maverick player)
• Dorian Finney-Smith – an extremely versatile player who has shown immense improvement with his 3pt shooting
• Kristaps Porzingis – An injury-free season and a full offseason could help him show the Porzingis we knew from New York
• Maxi Kleber – Is off his career-best 41% from the 3pt line season
• Reggie Bullock – was a key piece for Knicks last term, thanks to his defensive versatility and strong shooting
• Sterling Brown – having played with both john Wall and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brown knows how to play alongside and enable star players; will be important in Doncić’s further development 

2021-2022 Win total, Divisional/Conference Odds, Odds to win Title

The expectations for Dallas Mavericks in the 2021/22 season are clear – make the playoffs and avoid (another) round one exit. Can they achieve that, however, is another question.

The online sports betting Dallas Mavericks odds show them priced as clear betting favorites to win the Southwest Division, which is fair given their past success; however, things turn sour when you look at Mavericks’ chances to win the Western Conference.

Priced as one of the underdogs to shine in the West, Mavericks’ chances to make a huge splash this season seem very slim. Consequently, Dallas Mavericks are considered as one of the least likely teams to win the championship, priced as 11th favorites, well behind the top-dogs in Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Milwaukee Bucks, who lead the NBA betting lines.

On a more positive note, Dallas Mavericks’ total regular-season win line is set at 48.5, suggesting that Doncić and co. should look better than across the last five seasons, having never managed to win more than 43.

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.