With the acquisition of LeBron James, Kevin Love, and a handful of veterans with championship during free agency, the Cleveland Cavaliers made quite a splash this offseason. But aside from Cleveland, it can be argued that the Dallas Mavericks are the team that made the most improvement from last season.
The Mavericks won 49 games in their 2013-14 campaign despite the clear lack of talent surrounding Dirk Nowitzki and Montal Ellis and gave the San Antonio Spurs the most competitive playoff series en-route to their championship. Now they enter this autumn building upon last season's success and hopefully replicate their magical run in 2011.
So where does the newly rebuilt Mavericks stand in the brutal Western Conference? Basketball Insiders believe that the team are the true sleepers of the West and are legit contenders for the title:
The Western Conference is a dogfight and it would be imprudent to bet against the defending NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. So the Mavericks should not be your favorite to win the Southwest Division, but at the same time, you shouldn't be completely shocked if they do. If they can manage to stay healthy, this is certainly a team that is capable of winning 55 games. In the end, it will boil down to seeding and how much Dirk Nowitzki has left in the tank. If the Mavs secure a top seed out West and Rick Carlisle manages to keep Nowitzki somewhat fresh for the playoffs, a run to the Western Conference Finals is not outside of the realm of possibility. Though the roster could use another solid two-way rotation player, this Mavericks team may be a more serious contender than many realize.
What's more the current Mavs roster are just the kind of bunch that coach Rick Carlisle loves according to ESPN's Jean-Jacques Taylor:
It's deep. It's versatile. And it's full of veterans. This roster will maximize Carlisle's coaching acumen. He can use a traditional lineup. He can go with three guards. He can go small or big. Depending on the opponent, he can run or slow it down.
By the time the playoffs begins, the Dallas Mavericks will be a team that no one wants to face. If they can clinch a top four seed, secure home court advantage in the playoffs, and remain healthy, anything is possible for the newly retooled Mavs.
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