We are now just a matter of a couple of weeks away from the resumption of the NBA season, with 18 teams currently in the bubble in Orlando preparing for the action to begin. While we knew who the favorites where when the NBA went into lockdown, things are no longer quite as clear cut. It is impossible to say how players are going to react to this tournament. We have already seen it in other sports that have returned to action with no fans in attendance and strict medical protocols in place. Some are able to adjust and thrive, while other are unable to adapt to the new normal. We won’t get an idea of how things will play out until teams start to take to the hard court, so you do have to say that the favorites when the season ended will still be the favorites when it restarts, but will a dark horse team emerge to make a run at the championship? Might that team be the Dallas Mavericks? Let’s take a closer look at the Mavs to see just how they might do in Orlando so you can make your bets against their NBA odds.
Dallas Mavericks Return to Play Preview
Dallas Mavericks Season to Date
After winning a championship and being a consistent contender in the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks basically blew their team up and went on a rebuilding mission that has now been ongoing for a few years. This season, they are finally having a bit of a breakout, although they went into the lockdown still not having cliched a playoff spot. That, though, is just a matter of time, as their 40-37 record puts them well ahead of the 2 teams sitting directly below them. The Mavericks could move up the Western Conference standings, too, but they will need a good run over the next 8 games to do so.
One of the things that is going to have an impact on this tournament is that home court advantage no longer exists. Every team will essentially be playing road games from start to finish, which is going to be a problem for some. This is where the Mavericks may have an advantage, as they have been better on the road than at home this season, going 21-12 on the road versus 19-15 at home.
The issue that the Mavericks are likely to face once we get to the playoffs is that they have simply not been able to get the job done versus the better teams in the league. They have feasted on the bottom feeders, going 30-11 versus teams with a record below .500, but they are just 10-16 versus teams with a winning record. This is a team that can put up offensive numbers, though, averaging 116.4 PPG, which is 3rd best in the league. They are middle of the pack in defense, giving up 110.3 PPG.
Prediction for the Dallas Mavericks
As good as it has been to see Dallas back in the playoff picture, the reality is that they are still some way off from winning a championship. I think they are likely doomed to be in as the #6 or #7 seed here, which would mean a very tough run in the playoffs. They might sneak a first round win, but I do not see them going any further than that.
