- The Dallas Mavericks are 8-5 on the season and fifth in the Western Conference.
- The Mavs have not made the NBA Playoffs since 2016.
- Luka Doncic is the fourth highest scorer in the NBA averaging 29.5 points per game.
DALLAS – The Dallas Mavericks are one of the teams that didn’t make the NBA Playoffs last year but will likely be in the thick of the playoff hunt this year. The franchise hasn’t clinched a playoff berth since 2016 and is in the middle of trying to build a core around budding star Luka Doncic. The playoff drought for the Mavericks could end this season as they currently sit at the fifth seed in the West with an 8-5 record early on in the season.
Making the playoffs in the Western Conference won’t be easy because the west is extremely competitive. It’s likely that a team with a winning record will be on the outside looking in when the Western Conference Playoffs start in April.
However, this Mavs team has already shown signs of a team that’s ready to take the next step out of the bottom of the Western Conference. The biggest difference between last year's Dallas Mavericks team this year’s squad is the addition of Kristaps Porzingis who is still knocking off some rust after missing all of last season with a torn ACL.
Porzingis has been a key contributor for the Mavericks in his return. He’s averaged 18.6 points, and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 35.1% from the three-point line. He’ll have to pick up his scoring output if the Mavericks are going to have any real success this season.
The biggest reason for the Mavs success this season has been the play of second-year forward Luka Doncic. The Slovenian is nearly averaging a triple-double this season with 29.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists through 13 games. The 29.5 points per game give Doncic the fourth-highest scoring average in the NBA.
In his last game against the San Antonio Spurs, Doncic was sensational as he posted a career-high 42 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds in the Mavericks 117-110 victory. The 42-point triple-double was sixth of the season which leads the NBA.
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Betting On Doncic And The Mavs
Doncic has a very strong case to be in the NBA’s MVP conversation but at USA Sportsbooks he’s still considered a longshot at +1600 odds. For Doncic to remain in the MVP conversation, he will have to keep up his elite-level play while also delivering more wins for the Mavs. If he can lead Dallas to 50-wins this season, it will be hard not to give Doncic his first career MVP award.
Despite Doncic’s MVP level play to start the season and the arrival of Kristaps Porzingis this Mavs team still has to prove they can compete in a tough Western Conference. That’s why they’re still considered longshots for the title at +6600 odds. The Mavericks will be a competitive team this year, but the team is still a couple of pieces away from competing with top teams in the West like the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers.
Still, bettors are presented with an excellent opportunity to get in on the action before any changes happen. As the season goes on expect the Mavericks to be very active on the trade market because this team needs another ball handler that can take some of the offensive pressure off of Luka Doncic. The Maverick's next game will be on Wednesday when they host the Golden State Warriors.
As a professional sports writer, Robert has written for outlets such as the FAMUAN and other sports-centric platforms. He focuses mainly on NFL and NBA betting, though he keeps tabs on every major sport.
