A year ago, the outlook seemed bleak for the Dallas Mavericks.
They failed to reach the play-in tournament just one year after getting to the Western Conference Finals, even though they had traded for future Hall-of-Fame guard Kyrie Irving at midseason.
But now they’re just one win away from getting back to the West finals, and Irving has teamed with Luka Doncic to give the Mavs arguably the NBA’s best backcourt.
Nick Wright even said on FS1’s “First Things First” that they’re “as dangerous of a team as anyone in basketball.”
“The Mavs are as dangerous of a team as anyone in basketball.”
— @getnickwright on Dallas taking a 3-2 lead over OKC: pic.twitter.com/ozYYDqGWrG
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 16, 2024
Doncic has been very inconsistent offensively in the playoffs so far, but he had 31 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
When a superstar such as him is inconsistent but his team continues to consistently win, it is a very good sign as far as that team’s stability and overall potential.
Dallas’ big improvement this season, as Wright pointed out, has come on the defensive end.
They have held their opponents under 100 points four times in 11 games so far in the playoffs, and on Tuesday, they held the Thunder, who were third in scoring and offensive rating in the regular season, to 92 points.
The Thunder were also first in 3-point accuracy during the regular season, but in Game 5, they went an ice-cold 10-of-40 from downtown.
Ultimately, it was two midseason trades for big men Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington that may have propelled the Mavs to this point by giving them two men who can rebound, defend, and score on occasion.
They may not have much of a chance against the Denver Nuggets, or even the Minnesota Timberwolves, should they reach the next round, but thanks to the clutch abilities of Irving and Doncic, anything is possible.
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Skip Bayless Makes Bold Prediction About Thunder, Mavericks Game 6
