Dallas Mavericks: Are They a Top-3 NBA Team?

The Dallas Mavericks are very excited about the 2014-15 season, and truly believe that they have a chance at competing for another championship. Dirk Nowitzki is still the franchise player and leader of the team, but they have surrounded him with tons of talent. Chandler Parsons, Tyson Chandler, Jameer Nelson, and Monta Ellis are the core group of players around him, but they have established a lot of depth on the bench as well.

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger stepped out and made some very interesting comments about the Mavericks, calling them a top three team in the Western Conference.

It’s certainly a very intriguing statement for a head coach to make during preseason action, but the Mavericks do look like a very strong playoff team. That statement from Joerger asks the question, are the Mavericks truly a top-3 NBA team in the Western Conference?

Offensively, there aren’t many teams that have more weapons than the Mavericks do at this point in time. Nowitzki may be getting old, but he is still one of the most consistent scorers in the game. Monta Ellis and Chandler Parsons will both be lethal scorers from the perimeter and getting to the rim, and point guard Jameer Nelson is the perfect floor general to lead the way for the offensive juggernaut that the Mavericks have the potential to become.

Nowitzki ended up averaging 21.7 points per game, and shot 49.7 percent from the field. Both Ellis and Parsons put up nice numbers on the offensive end of the court, averaging 19.0 points and 16.6 points per game respectively. Nelson averaged 12.1 points and 7.0 assists per game and will be asked to run the offense, with Ellis also chipping in 5.7 assists of his own last year.

Defensively, they will have some work to do before getting to the point that they want to be at but they aren’t far away. Acquiring Chandler from New York this past offseason will be a huge step in the right direction, and they have smart players that can play solid team defense. Parsons will be able to bring more length to the perimeter defensively, and the signing of Aminu will also help out the second units defense.

On the defensive end of the court, having a rim protector like Chandler is going to help take the Mavericks’ forward from their 22nd overall defense last year. Parsons has received most of his attention due to his offensive prowess, but his defense cannot be overlooked. Last season with the Houston Rockets, Parsons allowed an average 14.6 PER to opposing small forward and that will be an upgrade over Shawn Marion allowing 17.1 PER.

Dallas needs some players to step up coming off of the bench in order to have the type of second unit that they will need in the West. Jae Crowder, Raymond Felton, Al-Farouq Aminu, Richard Jefferson, and Brandan Wright are five guys that are expected to have major roles. Ricky Ledo, Devin Harris, and possibly even Charlie Villanueva will also be given opportunities to play off the bench.

There is no doubt that the Mavericks have the type of talent to form one of the best teams in the league from the bottom to the top of their roster. Dallas has the perfect mix of veteran presences and young athleticism, and that is going to be very difficult for most opponents to contend against.

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Are the Mavericks a top-3 team in the Western Conference? It’s hard to judge at this point in time, but the injury to Kevin Durant might just give them enough to make it happen. San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Portland, and the Los Angeles Clippers are going to be very difficult to beat out at the top of the conference.

All of that being said, the Mavericks have built a very well-rounded team that will end up proving Joerger correct. They have a more balanced team on the offensive end of the court, and have improved on the defensive end of the court as well. Dallas is primed for a big season, and will be a top-3 seed in the Western Conference assuming they stay healthy.