The Dallas Mavericks climbed up Bleacher Report’s power rankings after winning four straight games before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder without Luka Doncic.
As they approach their last 15 games of the season, the Dallas Mavericks are starting to get into a groove, having won four of their previous five games.
In Bleacher Report’s power rankings, the Mavs have risen to No. 10 thanks to their recent success. Dallas (38-29) was ranked No. 11 in the previous edition of Bleacher Report. They also cited the Mavs’ ascent in their power rankings as a result of their play since acquiring P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford.
“If Dončić can get back in relatively short order, it feels like the Mavericks are finally starting to find a little rhythm with a roster that saw plenty of turnover at the trade deadline,” writes Bleacher Report. “Since the moves that landed Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington were made, Dallas is [9-6] and Dončić has averaged an eye-popping 33.9 points, 11.1 assists, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 threes while shooting 39.0 percent from deep.”
Before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder 126-119 on Thursday at the Paycom Center in the absence of Luka Doncic, the Mavs had won four straight games.
In his 15 games with the Mavs, Gafford has averaged 11.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per contest. In addition, he fell three baskets short of breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s record, which stood at 35 consecutive made shots prior to his first-period miss against the Thunder.
Washington, who averages 11 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, has been inconsistent for Dallas. Since joining the Mavs, the 6-foot-7 forward has scored under 10 points five times and at least 17 points in three games.
Dallas is now eighth in the Western Conference and is only one game behind the sixth-seeded Sacramento Kings (38-27). On March 26 and 29, the Mavs will play the Kings back-to-back in Sacramento, giving them an opportunity to decide their own fate.
Dallas is one game ahead of the Phoenix Suns (39-28) for the seventh spot, but Doncic and the Mavs have the advantage in the tiebreaker because they lost to them 2-1 during the regular season. Seven of the Mavs’ final fifteen games are against teams that either would have qualified for the play-in tournament or currently hold a postseason place.
Eleven of the Kings’ remaining seventeen games, including one against the Suns, are against clubs that would either be in the play-in tournament or presently hold a postseason place. Twelve of Phoenix’s final fifteen games are against play-in or playoff clubs at the moment.
The Mavs have a favorable schedule break if Doncic can get back soon. Dallas might be able to advance out of the play-in round and into the playoffs as a sixth seed that few Western Conference teams would want to play in the first round if it can maintain its momentum against a weaker schedule and Phoenix and Sacramento struggle.
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