Dallas Mavericks: 3 bold predictions for the 2021-22 season

Dallas Mavericks bold prediction: 3. The Mavericks make the Western Conference Finals

An early playoff exit to a Western Conference Finals run is as bold a prediction you can find. That’s why we saved the best for last.

This is all dependent on role players stepping up and how the West ultimately ends up standings-wise.

The Lakers are the obvious favorites coming of the West, but after that, you could say things are wide open.

The Phoenix Suns will need a repeat of last season’s success but will certainly be considered a team that could be right back in the West Finals this year. The Utah Jazz have been a successful regular season team but the second-round has been their kryptonite.

The L.A. Clippers and Denver Nuggets will be without huge contributors (Kawhi Leonard and Jamal Murray) for most of the season and the Golden State Warriors’ success will hinge on the health of Klay Thompson and any potential moves they make.

To sum everything up, the West is wide open, and the Mavericks could be a prime candidate to make a surprise playoff run.

Like any team, things must fall exactly into place. We saw the Suns gel after the first 15 games of the season and make a run that lasted all the way into late July.

A budding star in Luka Doncic with a healthy Kristaps Porzingis surrounded by shooters and wing defenders could be the making of a sleeper Western Conference team.

If the Mavericks can get hot at the right time, anything is possible for how their 2021-22 campaign could go.