The road to 50: It is done

[speedkilz88]

Are they going to play the two postponed games as well? That leaves 12 games if so.

Warriors at Mavs TBA
Hawks at Mavs TBA

[myconsumerclub]

At 44 ands 29 the mavs got 73 games played so only 9 more to go.

HOU
GSW
ATL
GSW
HOU
CHA
MIA
DET
OKC

As I mentioned earlier I think we might be able to win every game from here on out and that would get us to 53 and 29.

[MFFL]

I predict a split with both GSW and HOU. I'd like to be wrong though.

50 to 51 wins

[KillerLeft]

I predict a split with both GSW and HOU. I'd like to be wrong though.

50 to 51 wins

I agree, beating both of those teams twice is going to be a tall order.

[The Jom]

What is the formula for beating the Mavs? Here’s what Sacto has, which apparently isn’t enough:

1. Long, athletic, defensive-minded forward to mess with Luka.
2. Bigs and backup bigs to slow the dunkathon.
3. Guards who can punish weaker perimeter defenders and hit floaters over athletic bigs.
4. A potent 3-point game to force those athletic bigs out to the 3-point line.

Maybe you also need a transcendent star who can get you buckets in crunch time with the same kind of clutch proficiency as Kyrie and Luka?

I dunno. Hometown refs seems like the key to me. We’ll probably get a game or 2 of that down the stretch.

[Scott41theMavs]

What is the formula for beating the Mavs? Here’s what Sacto has, which apparently isn’t enough:

1. Long, athletic, defensive-minded forward to mess with Luka.
2. Bigs and backup bigs to slow the dunkathon.
3. Guards who can punish weaker perimeter defenders and hit floaters over athletic bigs.
4. A potent 3-point game to force those athletic bigs out to the 3-point line.

Maybe you also need a transcendent star who can get you buckets in crunch time with the same kind of clutch proficiency as Kyrie and Luka?

I dunno. Hometown refs seems like the key to me. We’ll probably get a game or 2 of that down the stretch.

LOL, the story of the entire season, until recently, has been that every game against the Mavs for the other 29 teams is a home game for them. However, some have noted that Luka seems to have swallowed his anti-ref whistle the past three games, which fits with the rule changes. We have five dawgs (Landlord, PJail, DLive, Maxi, and DJJ) to lay lumber and make the refs walk the walk with regard to the new rules. It won't be good to play the Mavs in the playoffs.

[RGP1981]

The Nuggets could mess things up by staying in 3rd place.

[The Jom]

Denver schmenver. I want the Clips (again). Unfinished business.

[Scott41theMavs]

The Nuggets could mess things up by staying in 3rd place.

That wouldn't screw things up at all if the Mavs take care of business and end up in the fourth or fifth seed, which should be preeminently doable if they don't lose games they should win at this point (like today). Most favor not having to face Denver until the WCFs. If that's the case, then you *want* them in that 2/3/6/7 bracket. The Mavs would then face the Pels or Clippers in the first round, the pretender first seed (Minnie or OKC) in the second round, and the Nuggets in the WCFs.

[Branduil]

Just 5-3 now.

[KillerLeft]

Denver schmenver. I want the Clips (again). Unfinished business.

I’m right there with you.

[Jason Terry]

I’m right there with you.

It would be so cathartic. They’re older. We’re younger. Looking back at those former mavs squads vs. what we trot out there right now……….we would destroy them in a Utah/Phoenix kind of way. PG13 already rumored to be looking at Philadelphia. Would be fitting to be the ones to break that team up

[Smitty]

Well I’m already on record for 48-34 in the ‘prediction thread’. The Mavs are currently at a 46 win pace. I think they win their next two at home before the ASB, against the 9-win Wizards and 10-win Spurs. Which will put them on the 48 win pace I predicted before the season.

The TDL trades give them a boost. Health gives them a boost. Remaining schedule gives them a boost.

I think they’re now as good as the ‘20-‘21 WCF team that finished 4th in the conference standings.

So… I think they’ll have the same record as that squad. 52-30!

Finish 7-1? Just 2 games back of 4th... I'm willing it into existence.



“At 45-29, the Mavs have caught up to the win pace of the 2021-22 WCF team, that also had the same record through 74 games.

The 2021-22 team went 7-1 in the final 8 games of that season to end the year with a record of 52-30.“

[RGP1981]

That wouldn't screw things up at all if the Mavs take care of business and end up in the fourth or fifth seed, which should be preeminently doable if they don't lose games they should win at this point (like today). Most favor not having to face Denver until the WCFs. If that's the case, then you *want* them in that 2/3/6/7 bracket. The Mavs would then face the Pels or Clippers in the first round, the pretender first seed (Minnie or OKC) in the second round, and the Nuggets in the WCFs.

It looks like Denver and Dallas are playing a game of cat'n'mouse, lol. Mavs went up to 6th, Nuggets went down to 3rd... Mavs moved up to 5th, Nuggets went back up to 1st.

My preference would be for Denver and Dallas to avoid each other until the WCF. The reason being, I don't want either Luka or Jokic to knock each other out before the WCF and give another team from the West a chance of sneaking through to the WCF or go even further. It would also be best for Luka's and Jokic's legacies for them to meet in the WCF, and then may the best man/team win.

So I think Luka and Jokic need to get on the phone and put the fix in for the seedings.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

That wouldn't screw things up at all if the Mavs take care of business and end up in the fourth or fifth seed, which should be preeminently doable if they don't lose games they should win at this point (like today). Most favor not having to face Denver until the WCFs. If that's the case, then you *want* them in that 2/3/6/7 bracket. The Mavs would then face the Pels or Clippers in the first round, the pretender first seed (Minnie or OKC) in the second round, and the Nuggets in the WCFs.

Minny and OKC have been at the top of the West all season, yet they're pretenders?  That's ridiculous. Be careful what you wish for..It's not going to easy beating both of those teams.

[SleepingHero]

@dalton_trigg
The Mavs have to go 5-2 over their last seven games to reach 50 wins. Here's their remaining schedule:

vs. Hawks
vs. Warriors (B2B, but GSW also on B2B)
vs. Rockets
at Hornets
at Heat
vs. Pistons
at Thunder

Will they get to 50 wins?

[Scott41theMavs]

Minny and OKC have been at the top of the West all season, yet they're pretenders?  That's ridiculous. Be careful what you wish for..It's not going to easy beating both of those teams.

I firmly believe that neither of those teams has a prayer of winning rings this year. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. They remind me of the 2011 Thunder in terms of their development. They will deserve more credit next year if they continue to progress. That's the very definition of "pretenders." To me, the true contenders this year are the Nuggets, the Celtics, and maybe the Clippers. If you want a fourth - your Dallas Mavericks. I may be a homer, but I believe that Dallas rings is a far greater probability than OKC rings or Minnesota rings.

[Knutsen]

I firmly believe that neither of those teams has a prayer of winning rings this year. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. They remind me of the 2011 Thunder in terms of their development. They will deserve more credit next year if they continue to progress. That's the very definition of "pretenders." To me, the true contenders this year are the Nuggets, the Celtics, and maybe the Clippers. If you want a fourth - your Dallas Mavericks. I may be a homer, but I believe that Dallas rings is a far greater probability than OKC rings or Minnesota rings.

I‘m with you on most of your points, but I would add the Bucks before the Clippers and the Mavs. They need to stay healthy of course, but they have the championship experience in their core and a hungry and clutch killer in Lillard. Wouldn’t surprise me if they are able to knock out the Celtics in a playoff series. 

I also fear that we are overrating our Mavs a little bit - but hope to be wrong - because we‘re lacking good two way players. Our guys are either great on offense or great on defense and I hope that won‘t get exposed in a playoff series. PJ has the potential to be good on both sides, Green does as well and Lively maybe in a year or two, but nobody proved it consistently this year.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I‘m with you on most of your points, but I would add the Bucks before the Clippers and the Mavs. They need to stay healthy of course, but they have the championship experience in their core and a hungry and clutch killer in Lillard. Wouldn’t surprise me if they are able to knock out the Celtics in a playoff series. 

I also fear that we are overrating our Mavs a little bit - but hope to be wrong - because we‘re lacking good two way players. Our guys are either great on offense or great on defense and I hope that won‘t get exposed in a playoff series. PJ has the potential to be good on both sides, Green does as well and Lively maybe in a year or two, but nobody proved it consistently this year.

The  Bucks?  They just lost to the Wizards on the road, and Memphis just beat them on the road, for the season sweep. They allowed 76 pts in the paint to the undermanned Grizzlies, the most in the NBA this season. The Bucks could get bounced in the 1st round. The Mavs role players have to shoot well every game to beat the good teams in a 7 game series. We know what we're getting from Luka and Kyrie.

[Knutsen]

The  Bucks?  They just lost to the Wizards on the road, and Memphis just beat them on the road, for the season sweep. They allowed 76 pts in the paint to the undermanned Grizzlies, the most in the NBA this season. The Bucks could get bounced in the 1st round. The Mavs role players have to shoot well every game to beat the good teams in a 7 game series. We know what we're getting from Luka and Kyrie.

Lillard wasn’t playing in any of these games. And they don’t seem „motivated“ on the road and against week teams all season - they have a record of 18-20 on the road. Sure they could lose in the first round, but if they are healthy and get their stuff together when it‘s go-time watch out, I think they are build for the playoffs.