DALLAS — By the end of the week, Saturday to be exact, the Dallas Mavericks will have played one half of their season.
The first 40 games have been marred by injuries, an out-of-nowhere sale, and the specter of fulfilling the potential of what could be the league’s best backcourt. But for all of their troubles, the Mavs are seemingly heating up at the perfect time.
The suddenly-scorching Mavericks’ offense helped put Dallas on cruise control in two victories over the lowly Portland Trail Blazers to close their first week of the new year. While almost scoring 140 again for the fourth time this season, and slapping Portland around for a combined 265 points in the back-to-back matchups, the shooting got back on track for Dallas last week.
While the dismantling of the Blazers was impressive, it was also expected. Dallas showed that they truly stand on business at home with a season-defining victory over the league’s top ranked defensive unit, a Minnesota squad that had just beaten the Mavericks twice in the last 30 days.
Any team can catch lightning on a given night, but the surprising 115-108 win against the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves showed that the team has worked on its shortcomings after an 18-point loss to Minnesota in early December and another L prior to the new year in which Dallas simply looked overpowered and bullied.
After a couple of losses with Dallas not at full strength, the Mavs’ backcourt was finally intact for round three and it proved to be the highlight win of the season for Dallas thus far, as they willed a clutch victory after seeing the game get close in the fourth quarter.
The All-Star Maverick backcourt duo masterfully closed the game out against the top defensive team in the league, showcasing Dallas’ potential when both of their stars are locked in. It is pretty clear that the Luka Doncic MVP discussion becomes quite real if Kyrie Irving can stay healthy.
If the elite Timberwolves defense is unable to answer for both playmakers, what hope does the rest of the league have?
Surging with a three-game winning streak, the week ahead presents an opportunity for Dallas to continue building on the momentum, especially with the injury circle of life now affecting their opponents instead of just themselves.
Tuesday’s matchup versus the Memphis Grizzlies brings in the league’s worst offense reeling from losing their superstar Ja Morant for the season due to a shoulder tear. Morant’s season ends with just nine games played after a lengthy suspension, as the team has relied on TCU product Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson, Jr. to lead the attack. With the Grizzlies entrenched at the bottom of the Western Conference already, this matchup bodes well for Dallas ahead of an anticipated clash against the New York Knicks on Thursday evening.
The 21-15 Knicks arrive in Dallas with nearly-identical positioning in the East as the Mavs in the West, looking to break out of the 4th-8th seed grouping all within a game of each other.
Former Mavs star Jalen Brunson returns to Dallas fresh off being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season, and has clearly shown his first season in New York was not an aberration.
Brunson is a top-five scorer at his position and has ascended well above any of his seasons in Dallas, with his first All-Star berth likely waiting next month. While thoughts of “what could have been” are likely to be felt by a majority of the fanbase, the reality of Brunson leaving on his own accord must be remembered.
As it stands, the Mavericks’ backcourt still features two bonafide scorers, and Irving has shown why he still has plenty in the tank to be a premier player since his return from injury. The battle between Brunson’s Knicks and the All-World Dallas guards will be must-see primetime theater, with Plano product Julius Randle flanking Brunson in the New York frontcourt.
Waiting for the Mavericks after their New York tussle will be the New Orleans Pelicans, the team that they are fighting for the Southwest Division crown who are currently tied with Dallas in the standings at 22-15. New Orleans will be arriving in Dallas Saturday to complete their second leg of back-to-back road games after a Friday matchup vs. Nikola Jokic’s reigning champion Denver Nuggets.
Pelicans star Zion Williamson has been nursing a quad injury and will likely take one of the Denver/Dallas games off for load management. The Pelicans will then remain in Dallas for a second matchup on Monday to close out the Maverick’s seven game homestand.
New Orleans has the second worst record against the division behind San Antonio’s 1-7 at just 4-5, which positions Dallas to put some breathing room between themselves and their division rival by the end of this homestand.
Do you think the Mavericks will be able to show Jalen Brunson what he’s missing? Share your thoughts with Irvin on Twitter @Twittirv.
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