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The Dallas Mavericks are a playoff team

By Ben Stinar

DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 25: Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks holds up his 2010-2011 NBA Championship ring prior to a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 25, 2012 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JANUARY 25: Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks holds up his 2010-2011 NBA Championship ring prior to a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 25, 2012 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The road won’t be easy, but the Dallas Mavericks are definitely a playoff caliber team.

Over the last 20 years the Dallas Mavericks have been a model for consistency in the NBA. They captured an NBA championship in 2011 and had a streak of 11 consecutive seasons of 50 or more wins.

The past few years have not been as kind. The team has not been to the playoffs since the 2016 season, two years ago. This may seem like nothing, but for the Mark Cuban era, this is astounding.

Before Cuban took over the team, they were perpetual losers; he changed that instantly. Losing does not sit well with the self-made billionaire, arguably the best owner in the NBA.

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A lot of owners do not attend day-to-day operations for their team; the Brooklyn Nets have two owners who do not even live on the same continent. Cuban is a different beast. He flies with them on road trips, he sits courtside at games and is a regular voice around the organization.

In Dallas, the third year without postseason play would be asinine. The case for the Dallas Mavericks to make the playoffs next season is complex, yet it’s far from impossible.

The team has an astounding culture with Dirk Nowitzki at the forefront (presumably his last season) they don’t want to let down. At 40 years old, he is a shell of himself, yet he still can play and his presence alone is an attribute for the team.

This team is unique because they are extremely experienced, but at the same time have astoundingly young studs who may come out of their shell at any moment.

The key young guys include Dwight Powell, Dennis Smith Jr., Luka Doncic, Ray Spalding and Jalen Brunson.

The key vets are Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, Wesley Matthews, DeAndre Jordan and J.J. Barea.

Starting with the young guys, the obvious wild card is Doncic. He’s portrayed by some to be the best guard in the 2018 NBA Draft, while others are not so sure. What is known is by the age of 19 he was already a EuroLeague champion and MVP.

Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks /

Dallas Mavericks

He’s also the dream size for a point guard in this era at 6-foot-7. Then there is last year’s rookie sensation, Smith. He averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 assists his rookie season. He’s only 20 years old.

Moving down the list there’s Powell, who is a freak athletically and had a very productive season last year. As if that was enough young talent, they also have two second-round picks in Spalding and Brunson that are bound to look like draft-night steals.

Looking down at the veterans, there’s a lot to like. There’s championship pedigree. Barnes, Barea, and Nowitzki each have a ring. Barnes is a proven 20-point per game scorer and played a key role at one point in the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

Barea may not be what he once was, but he will always be a player that leaves everything on the line every night. Dirk is one of the greatest players of all time and even though he will be just a shell of himself, he’s still Dirk Nowitzki. 

Injuries and an overpriced contract have people forgetting about Matthews. If healthy, he is one of the better 3-point shooters in the league (38.3 percent career). He also plays defense at a high level and is an above average two-way player. Health will be the key for him.

Lastly, there is the three-time All-NBA , two-time all-defensive and two-time rebounding champ they just added into the fold. Four years late, but Jordan is officially a Maverick.

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    • In an era where perimeter shooting and stretching the floor is the majority of the game, Jordan has still found a way to be an elite player. He averaged 12 points and 15.2 rebounds per game last season.

    There was also a point in the season where he and Lou Williams were carrying the Los Angles Clippers into playoff contention. Jordan is the best prototypical center in the NBA and is a tremendous addition to this Mavericks roster and culture.

    The Mavericks also have a top five coach in the NBA in  Rick Carlisle. He’s a future Hall of Famer who’s got 718 career wins and a Coach of the Year award under his belt. He gets the most out of his players and next season will be no different.

    With all of that being said, there is one problem. It’s still the Wild West these days. The Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz are locks to make the playoffs (barring injury).

    That leaves two spots open for the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Mavericks. Yes. three of those teams will not make the playoffs next season. The West is good.

    The Nuggets were the best out of the five will most likely make the playoffs next season.

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    • That leaves one spot for four teams.

    The New Orleans Pelicans lost Rajon Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins. They added Julius Randle and Elfird Payton, but that is not nearly enough to fill the voids. Anthony Davis would have to be the undoubted MVP next season for them to make the playoffs.

    The Minnesota Timberwolves are extremely talented and (contrary to some beliefs) well coached. None of this matters, however, because they are a circus right now. They made the playoffs last season for the first time in over a decade, they could easily make the playoffs again.

    They are very talented, but it will take some serious soul-searching.

    The San Antonio Spurs had a decent year by their standards last season. They did make the playoffs for their 21st year in a row, which is mind-boggling. However, that streak is in serious trouble.

    They lost Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, while Manu Ginobili at 40 years old has a future in question. They did acquire DeMar DeRozan, but it would take some serious magic out of a hat for Coach Gregg Popovich to pull off his 22nd playoff berth in a row.

    That leaves the Mavs.

    The road won’t be easy by any means. This is the extremely Wild West.

    Any scenario is possible; there may be injuries to contenders, some teams may not live up to expectations, but one thing is for certain the Mavericks have a chance.

    dark. Next. 5 goals for Luka Doncic as a rookie

    There is a lot of young talent in the locker room, but there are also a lot of veterans, and they are going to make sure Dirk Nowitzki has one last hurrah.

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