Dallas Mavericks Season Preview, Win Total Prediction and Playoff Odds
By Peter Dewey
There’s very few players in the NBA as talented as Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, but that doesn’t automatically make the Mavericks an NBA Finals contender this season.
Dallas took a 2-0 lead on the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, but it was unable to win any of the team’s three games in Dallas and fell to Los Angeles in seven games.
The Mavericks did bring back a key piece in Tim Hardaway Jr., and they added Reggie Bullock from the New York Knicks to improve their wing depth and defense.
However, the biggest hurdle for the Mavericks will be finding a way for Kristaps Porzingis and Doncic to coexist. Porzingis was visibly frustrated last postseason when he didn’t receive the touches he wanted, but he also didn’t play very well, averaging just 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Rick Carlisle is out as the team’s head coach, but Jason Kidd will have a chance to rework Dallas’ team around Doncic and turn the Mavericks into a true contender.
I think the Mavericks face an uphill battle with a rather similar roster to last season in a tough Western Conference, but here’s how the oddsmakers at WynnBET think they’ll fare this season:
Dallas Mavericks Win Total Prediction | 48.5 (Over -105/Under -116)
The Mavericks pushing 50 wins? I’m not so sure about that.
Dallas has won 43 and 42 games in the past two shortened seasons, but the Western Conference is going to have an improved Golden State Warriors team and a healthy Los Angeles Lakers team.
I’m not sold on Bullock completely changing the Mavericks outlook this season, and I think that unless Porzingis finds his All-Star caliber self, the Mavericks are a one-trick show.
Doncic is unbelievably good, but asking him to lead the Mavericks to almost 50 wins with an underwhelming roster and a wild card at head coach in Kidd wouldn’t be a bet I’d want to make early on this season.
Dallas Mavericks Playoff Odds
The Mavericks are -650 to make the playoffs at WynnBET (+450 to miss) heading into the 2021-22 season.
Dallas should be a playoff team as long as Doncic is healthy, but where the Mavs land is another story.
The Mavericks were close to falling into the play-in tournament, but they finished with the No. 5 seed in the West. I think Dallas avoids the play-in tournament again because of Doncic, but the No. 5 or No. 6 seed is probably where the Mavs fall once again.
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