Dallas Mavericks: Staying Healthy In Training Camp Is Key To Fast Start

The Dallas Mavericks could potentially enter training camp without any injuries, which would set them up for a fast start to the 2016-17 season.

For the Dallas Mavericks, the 2015-16 season was all about injuries.

They entered the season battling injuries, as both Wesley Matthews and Chandler Parsons were coming off of major surgeries. Matthews, who had been injured in the previous season, was still recovering from from a torn Achilles while Parsons was recovering from major knee surgery that he had in the spring.

Once the season got going, it took both of those players roughly a month and a half before they finally started to get near 100 percent.

About that time, point guard Deron Williams suffered his first minor injury of the season, which was the beginning of a few other injuries that would keep him out for 17 regular season games. Not to mention the fact that back up point guards Devin Harris and J.J Barea missed a total of 11 games through November and December.

As the season progressed the Mavs would have a few more minor injuries that served as the normal results from the wear and tear of an NBA season, but their injury issues turned into an unbelievably bad situation come playoff time.

As the team played the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, the injuries continued to pile up. By the time they got to Game 5 — which served as the last game of their season — they were missing Deron Williams, Chandler Parsons, David Lee and Salah Mejri while players like Devin Harris and J.J. Barea played through smaller injuries.

While there’s no denying the fact that the Mavs would’ve likely lost the series even if they were completely healthy, you could make the case that it wouldn’t have been such a lopsided five-game matchup if a few key players hadn’t been forced to sit at the time when the team needed them the most.

Fast forward to the present, where the Mavs have made some younger signings in Harrison Barnes, Seth Curry and Quincy Acy.

Though they still have veterans with injury-filled pasts, like Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut, the Mavs don’t have any injuries at the moment and are set to enter training camp with the roster at 100 percent.

That would be a major break for a Mavs team that has had to live with injuries in camp throughout the past few seasons.

Wesley Matthews had this to say on what being healthy means for the team (via Mavs.com):

"“God willing everybody stays healthy as they continue to work out this offseason. You know, Bogut is playing in the Olympics and Harrison is playing in the Olympics. If they come back and are healthy, the biggest part of the NBA season is developing and bonding through training camp and through workouts before any preseason ever starts. We didn’t get a chance to do that last year.”"

I think the biggest takeaway from his comments was the part where he spoke about how bonding through camp and workouts is one of the best ways to form chemistry for the upcoming season.

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As Matthews went on to mention, the Mavs didn’t get to do that last season and that led to a longer period of adjustment.

If every player is able to stay healthy and enter the season at or near 100 percent, the Mavs will have a great chance to jump out to a fast start in a season where every single game is going to impact their positioning in the Western Conference.

Establishing chemistry and going into the season with every player on the team available to play will be one way to ensure a closer team that is ready to make an impact early.

One major way to keep the team healthy will be Rick Carlisle’s rest pattern, as he often gives the veteran players rest on nights when the team is playing on the second night of a back-to-back or nights when they’re finishing up a long road trip.

Next: 2016 NBA Offseason Grades For All 30 Teams

The Mavs are looking to have their first healthy training camp in quite some time. That could be the key to getting a fast start in November and getting an early lead on other teams fighting for a playoff spot in the West.

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