Dallas Mavericks: 3 bold predictions for 2019-20 NBA season

2. Kristaps Porzingis will play at least 70 games

On the heels of a 2015-16 rookie campaign in which he averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per outing, Kristaps Porzingis has increased both his scoring output and 3-point shooting in each of the last two seasons.

In 2016-17, he averaged 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest while connecting on 35.7 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc. He followed that up with another solid season in 2017-18, as he compiled averages of 22.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per outing and he knocked down 39.3 percent of his attempts from 3-point range.

Based on the numbers, there is no doubt that KP is one of the most talented big men in the league. What is a concern is his inability to stay healthy. For example, during the 2016-17 campaign, he missed 16 games due to an assortment of injuries.

Then, the following season, Porzingis was limited to just 48 games due to combination of illness, back tightness and a torn ACL injury that forced him to miss the entire 2018-19 campaign. With more than year of rehab, not only will Porzingis put up solid numbers in his first seasons with the Mavs, he will surpass the 70-game plateau for the first time since his rookie season.