MAVS NEWS:

[joshuadx89]

Yeah I don't get it either. Shai is a free throw merchant and their entire team is comprised of undersized wings who can hit a 3. 

But they do win games. They get credit for being a top 2 team the last 2 years. They also handedly swept NOP last playoffs, but that's not saying much. It took literally everything from the Mavs to win against them and a few bounces here or there was the difference between winning in 6 or losing in 5. 

I am intrigued to see, in an ideal perfect world where injuries do not exist, what this Mavs team and OKC team look like against each other. Theoretically the Mavs are bigger, stronger, and dominant inside. OKC's perimeter defense could also just suffocate the Mavs out from ever running a good halfcourt offense. Super interesting to be honest.

Regardless, I'm not even looking at the playoffs being a realistic goal right now. The Mavs are hovering between the 7th-10 seed every other game with 7 guys being out. If AD can get healthy, and most important stay healthy, then maybe they have a shot to get to the 6th seed.

They have a good young roster.  I am by no means a big SGA fan, but beyond him they have a good mid range shooting 2 guard, 2 very good defenders in Chet and Dort, and a decent rim defender/rebounder in Hartenstein.  

They are a better team than last year.  I am not sure you can say that about the Mavericks at this point.  I could see OKC being upset by the #8 if it ends up being the Warriors or the Wolves.  At the same time I am not sure Dallas is going to make it out of the play-in.