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NBA: 5 most improved teams in 2014-15

By Gerald Bourguet

Sep 26, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 29, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler (6) and forward Chandler Parsons (25) pose for a portrait during media day at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Dallas Mavericks:
2013-14 Record: 49-33

Believe it or not, the 49-win Mavericks were the fourth best team in their division last year. As the eighth and final seed in the Western playoffs, Dallas got a brutal first round matchup with the eventual NBA champions, but they ended up giving the San Antonio Spurs their toughest series of the entire postseason. With an influx of vital role players, that dangerous Mavs team may have just catapulted itself into one of the top four or five teams in the West.

Bringing Tyson Chandler to the team he won a championship with is a happy story, but if he can stay healthy, he’ll also anchor an improved defense by covering for the aging Dirk Nowitzki as well. Swapping Jose Calderon for Raymond Felton hurts, but re-signing Devin Harris and Jameer Nelson provides Rick Carlisle with options at the point guard position. Additions like Al-Farouq Aminu, Richard Jefferson and Greg Smith were highly underrated moves. And no offense to Vince Carter or Shawn Marion, but Chandler Parsons is a major upgrade at small forward.

To be clear, the Mavs’ win total might not see a meteoric launch from last season, but Dallas should improve just enough to contend for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. In the brutal West, that’s no small task. Monta Ellis is coming off a tremendous season and a healthy Dirk plus Carlisle always equals a formidable postseason opponent even without this better supporting cast.

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