NBA Power Rankings Week 2: Scorching hot Miami Heat and what scares me
20. team. 79. . 3-2. Previous: 11th. Dallas Mavericks
Last Week: (W) over HOU, (W) over SAS, (L) to DEN
The Dallas Mavericks have won three of their five games but have tumbled down the standings to land at 20th. Why is that? It’s because the Mavericks’ three wins have been relatively close contests against unlikely playoff teams. The two losses, when Dallas played surefire playoff teams, were by a combined 57 points.
The Mavericks are experimenting with things like 15-man lineups and dishing out post-up possessions for non-Luka Doncic players like they’re Oprah giving a few of her favorite things. The Mavs are talented, but they haven’t shown yet that they are all that good. Beating a good team would be a place to start.
Scares Me: Jason Kidd will be Jason Kidd but also become close with Mark Cuban. Jason Kidd is not a good NBA head coach, something he proved in two previous stops and has confirmed here yet again. It’s early to judge the season already, but Kidd is not a modern NBA coach, not a good x’s and o’s guy and leans too much into his tough-guy persona, one that won’t fly with players like Doncic. Yet if he gains the ear of owner Mark Cuban then the rest doesn’t matter as he will get a long runway with which to coach.