Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

[vtcha]

Think you'll be able snag a playoff spot?

I'll definitely do my best but it won't be an easy mountain to climb.

I'm hoping Wall meshes well with Ibaka early on and it'll be interesting to see how much further Barnes can elevate his game. Also keep an eye out for A.J. Hammons who had a strong outing in the second half last season - he could potentially be the difference maker.

[vtcha]

Since the Cavaliers went back-to-back last season, NBA teams have undergone a number of changes over the long summer offseason. NBA.com's John Schuhmann will grade each franchise -- from the best team to the last -- in the inaugural Power Rankings for the 2017-18 NBA season.

* * *

NBA.com's Power Rankings, are just one man's opinion. If you have an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for John Schuhmann, send him an e-mail or contact him via Twitter.

1

Cleveland (Last season: 10-4) Head Coach: Tyronn Lue Despite waiving Iman Shumpert, they bolstered their second unit with additions of Sergio Rodriguez, Jared Dudley, Ersan Ilyasova, and Aron Baynes. Until they get knocked off in the postseason, this is still the team to beat.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyrie Irving	Sergio Rodriguez	Shelvin Mack
SG	J.R. Smith	Jared Dudley
SF	LeBron James	Ersan Ilyasova
PF	Kevin Love	Jon Leuer	Channing Frye
C	Tristan Thompson	Jeff Withey	Aron Baynes

2

Golden State (Last season: 11-3) Head Coach: Steve Kerr The bad news for the Warriors is that they have now lost two consecutive Finals as well as losing former Finals MVP, Andre Iguodala, to free agency. The good news is they were able to re-sign Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. With added depth, particularly in the frontcourt, the Warriors are still considered the top team in the West. Could it be third-time lucky for them this season?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Stephen Curry	Shaun Livingston	Isaiah Canaan
SG	Klay Thompson	Patrick McCaw
SF	Kevin Durant	Derrick Williams	Thanasis Antetokounmpo
PF	Draymond Green	Joffrey Lauvergne
C	Marreese Speights	Nene	Damian Jones

3

San Antonio (Last season: 12-2) Head Coach: Gregg Popovich The Spurs will roll with a very similar team as last season minus Patty Mills and Manu Ginobili, who announced his retirement during the offseason. With a 12-2 record last year, can the Spurs finally break the drought and peak at the right time?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Tony Parker	Dejounte Murray
SG	Danny Green	Bryn Forbes
SF	Kawhi Leonard	Kyle Anderson	Omri Casspi
PF	LaMarcus Aldridge	Davis Bertans	David Lee
C	Pau Gasol	Dewayne Dedmon	Thomas Bryant

4

Portland (Last season: 8-6) Head Coach: Kevin McHale With a new coach in Kevin McHale, and some added depth, can the Trail Blazers make some noises deep into the postseason?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Damian Lillard
SG	C.J. McCollum	Allen Crabbe
SF	Moe Harkless	Evan Turner	Jeff Green
PF	Al-Farouq Aminu	Bam Adebayo	Mike Scott	Noah Vonleh
C	Mason Plumlee	Ed Davis	Zaza Pachulia

5

Indiana (Last season: 6-8) Head Coach: Terry Stotts A disappointing outing last year, the Pacers front office weren't kidding when they wanted to run at a much faster pace. As such, they replaced head coach Nate McMillan with Terry Stotts and also brought back familiar faces in George Hill and Roy Hibbert. A bounce-back is sure to be in the making for the Pacers this season.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	George Hill	Melo Trimble
SG	Monta Ellis	Rodney Stuckey
SF	Paul George	C.J. Miles
PF	Thaddeus Young	Kris Humphries	Charlie Villanueva	Josh Smith
C	Myles Turner	Al Jefferson	Roy Hibbert

6

Boston (Last season: 9-5) Head Coach: Brad Stevens With virtually the same roster as last year, the Celtics will look to avenge themselves after the devastating Conference Semifinal loss at home to the Raptors.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Isaiah Thomas	Marcus Smart	Demetrius Jackson
SG	Avery Bradley	Terry Rozier	James Young
SF	Jae Crowder	Jaylen Brown
PF	Amir Johnson	Ivan Rabb	Jordan Mickey	Ben Bentil
C	Al Horford	Kelly Olynyk

7

Toronto (Last season: 8-6) Head Coach: Dwane Casey The Raptors were able to re-sign Kyle Lowry in the offseason and will be bringing back the same group of core. Can they finally dethrone the Cavs?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kyle Lowry	Cory Joseph
SG	DeMar DeRozan	Norman Powell	Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
SF	DeMarre Carroll	Terrence Ross	Bruno Caboclo
PF	Jared Sullinger	Patrick Patterson	Pascal Siakam	Isaiah Hartenstein
C	Jonas Valanciunas	Lucas Nogueira	Jakob Poeltl

8

L.A. Lakers (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Luke Walton Same city, different team. All eyes will be on main man, Blake Griffin. Will he be able to lead a young, rising Laker team to the promise land?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	D'Angelo Russell	Tony Wroten
SG	Jordan Clarkson	Lou Williams
SF	Brandon Ingram	Nick Young	Miles Bridges
PF	Blake Griffin	Julius Randle	Larry Nance Jr.
C	Timofey Mozgov	Boban Marjanovic	Ivica Zubac

9

Utah (Last season: 3-11) Head Coach: David Joerger The Jazz will look to bounce back in a big way after severely underachieving last year, and actually posting the worst record of the league. The good news is they landed a top lottery pick out of it and drafted Markelle Fultz. With George Hill no longer on the team, will the rookie be ready to take the reigns?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Markelle Fultz	Dante Exum
SG	Rodney Hood	Alec Burks
SF	Gordon Hayward	Joe Johnson	Joe Ingles	Devin Robinson
PF	Derrick Favors	Trey Lyles	Caleb Swanigan
C	Rudy Gobert	Kevin Seraphin

10

Oklahoma City (Last season: 11-3) Head Coach: Billy Donovan What will Russell Westbrook do as an encore after a historical season? Mind you, he could also opt out at the end of the season if things start to fall apart.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Russell Westbrook	Cameron Payne
SG	Victor Oladipo	Dion Waiters
SF	Andre Roberson	Luol Deng
PF	Domantas Sabonis	Boris Diaw	Lavoy Allen
C	Steven Adams	Enes Kanter	Jason Smith	JaVale McGee

11

Philadelphia (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Mike Budenholzer With veteran additions of Iguodala and Rondo, along with a healthy Ben Simmons, a one-year experience Emibiid, and two lottery draft rookies, is this finally the year where the process becomes a reality?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Rajon Rondo	Jerryd Bayless	Kay Felder
SG	Terrance Ferguson	Malik Monk	Nik Stauskas	Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
SF	Andre Iguodala	Robert Covington
PF	Ben Simmons	Dario Saric
C	Joel Embiid	Jahlil Okafor	Nerlens Noel

12

Milwaukee (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Jason Kidd The Bucks will be looking to maintain Playoff contention after barely just scraping in last season. After an impressive year from the Greek-Freak, will he go one up or could somebody else, like Jabari Parker, take that next step?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	D.J. Augustin	Frank Jackson
SG	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Rashad Vaughn
SF	Jabari Parker	Michael Beasley
PF	Marvin Williams	Yi Jianlian	Thon Maker
C	Tyson Chandler	Greg Monroe	Festus Ezeli	John Henson

13

Detroit (Last season: 9-5) Head Coach: Nate McMillan Despite posting a 9-5 record last year, Detroit deciding to part ways with head coach, Stan Van Gundy, and instead, hired Nate McMillan could held a 6-8 record with the Pacers. Strange move.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Reggie Jackson	Ish Smith
SG	Kentavious Caldwell-Pope	Lance Stephenson	Tony Snell
SF	Marcus Morris	Stanley Johnson	Reggie Bullock
PF	Tobias Harris	Lauri Markkanen	Meyers Leonard
C	Andre Drummond	Henry Ellenson

14

Chicago (Last season: 10-4) Head Coach: Fred Hoiberg In a way, the Bulls really overachieved last season, posting the best record in the East. Unfortunately, they lost Dwyane Wade when it mattered the most. In the offseason, despite losing Rondo to free agency, they acquired some much needed shooting depth, adding Brandon Jennings, Jeremy Lamb, and Marco Belinelli.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Michael Carter-Williams	Brandon Jennings	Jerian Grant
SG	Dwyane Wade	Jeremy Lamb	Denzel Valentine	Marco Belinelli
SF	Jimmy Butler	Doug McDermott	Paul Zipser
PF	Taj Gibson	Nikola Mirotic	Bobby Portis
C	Robin Lopez

15

Minnesota (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: David Blatt After a disappointing season amidst the hype, Minnesota continue to retool their roster, slowly becoming the darkhorse of the West. They add Duke sensation, Harry Giles, as well as sharpshooter, J.J. Redick, who will be sidelined for the first few months nursing a ruptured Achilles.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kris Dunn	Tyus Jones
SG	Zach LaVine	J.J. Redick
SF	Andrew Wiggins	Wesley Matthews	Kelly Oubre Jr.
PF	Harry Giles	Dwight Powell	Jarnell Stokes	Nemanja Bjelica
C	Karl-Anthony Towns	Jordan Hill	Cole Aldrich

16

L.A. Clippers (Last season: 11-3) Head Coach: Doc Rivers With the loss of Blake Griffin, do the Clippers even care about anything else other than exacting revenge on Griffin and the Lakers?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Chris Paul
SG	Austin Rivers	Jamal Crawford	Ian Clark
SF	Thabo Sefolosha	Wesley Johnson	Luc Mbah a Moute	Rasual Butler
PF	Donatas Motiejunas	Andrea Bargnani	Brice Johnson
C	DeAndre Jordan	Diamond Stone

17

New Orleans (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Alvin Gentry With the squad finally healthy to start the season, can the Pelicans truly become a contender of the West?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jrue Holiday	Tim Frazier	Langston Galloway
SG	Buddy Hield	E'Twaun Moore
SF	Tyreke Evans	Solomon Hill	Quincy Pondexter	Dante Cunningham
PF	Anthony Davis	Chuck Diallo
C	Marques Bolden	Omer Asik	Alexis Ajinca

18

Dallas (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Rick Carlisle Although he's no Dirk Nowitzki, Serge Ibaka is still a solid pickup for the Mavericks. Whether or not this team can get back into the Playoffs will rest on John Wall and the continued development of Harrison Barnes. Still, giving up 4 first-round picks is not an easy thing to swallow so they really need to start winning.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	John Wall	J.J. Barea	Deron Williams	Devin Harris
SG	Seth Curry	Tim Hardaway Jr.
SF	Harrison Barnes	Justin Anderson	Justin Jackson
PF	Serge Ibaka	Thomas Robinson
C	Andrew Bogut	A.J. Hammons	Salah Mejri

19

Washington (Last season: 8-6) Head Coach: Scott Brooks With the number 1 pick in town, a formidable core young group, and possibly more lottery picks coming their way, the only thing pointing for the Wizards is up.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Dennis Smith Jr.	Ricky Rubio	Trey Burke
SG	Bradley Beal	Tomas Satoransky	Grayson Allen
SF	Otto Porter	Shabazz Muhammad
PF	Markieff Morris	Zach Randolph
C	Gorgui Dieng	Marcin Gortat

20

Phoenix (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Jeff Hornacek Jeff Hornacek returns as head coach after much debacle and fallout a couple of seasons ago. It looks as if Suns management are trying to write its' wrongs. Perhaps for fans, it's finally some glimmer of hope for a team trying to get back to its' glory days sans Steve Nash. Okay maybe that's a bit of a stretch considering they signed Jeff Teague in the offseason, further complicating an existing logjam at the guard position. They now have Bledsoe, Knight, Booker, Teague, and 4th pick, Lonzo Ball. Wowsers, somebody's got to go!

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Eric Bledsoe	Jeff Teague	Brandon Knight	Tyler Ulis
SG	Devin Booker	Lonzo Ball
SF	T.J. Warren	Derrick Jones Jr.
PF	Marquese Chriss	Dragan Bender	Bennie Boatwright
C	Alex Len	Jonathan Jeanne

21

Atlanta (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Erik Spoelstra After barely just missing the Playoffs last season, the Hawks will look to bounce back under new head coach, Erik Spoelstra. Fortunately for the Hawks, they were also able to retain Paul Millsap during free agency, re-signing him to a 3yr, $108.19M deal.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Dennis Schroder	Ramon Sessions	Malcolm Delaney
SG	Gary Neal	Jordan McRae
SF	Kent Bazemore	Taurean Prince	V.J. Beachem	DeAndre Bembry
PF	Paul Millsap	Anthony Bennett	Steve Novak
C	Dwight Howard

22

New York (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Frank Vogel So the Derrick Rose experiment didn't work according to plan with the Knicks missing out on the Playoffs last year after posting a miserable 5-9 record. They now have a new coach in Frank Vogel, D-Rose is out of town, they drafted Jayson Tatum with the 6th overall pick, and they signed two point guards coming off ACL injuries. Shall we say it's a two step forward, one step back process or the other way around?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Mario Chalmers	Jarrett Jack	Michael Gbinije
SG	Malcolm Brogdon	Vince Carter
SF	Carmelo Anthony	Jayson Tatum	Lance Thomas
PF	Kristaps Porzingis	Mindaugas Kuzminskas
C	Joakim Noah	Kyle O'Quinn	Guillermo Hernangomez

23

Denver (Last season: 6-8) Head Coach: Mike Malone One of these days the Nuggets are surely going to get it right with all the talent and depth they have. Will this season be it?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Emmanuel Mudiay	Jamal Murray	De'Aaron Fox	Jameer Nelson
SG	Gary Harris	Will Barton	Malik Beasley	Allonzo Trier
SF	Danilo Gallinari	Wilson Chandler
PF	Nikola Jokic	Kenneth Faried	Juan Hernangomez
C	Jusuf Nurkic

24

Memphis (Last season: 9-5) Head Coach: Dave Fizdale Every year the Grizzlies seem to defy the odds and sneak into the Playoffs with a high seed. However, it doesn't get any easier as the years go by.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Mike Conley	Andrew Harrison	Wade Baldwin
SG	Marcus Thornton	Troy Daniels
SF	Chandler Parsons	James Ennis
PF	Terrence Jones	Deyonta Davis	Jarell Martin
C	Marc Gasol	Brandan Wright	Tyler Zeller

25

Charlotte (Last season: 6-8) Head Coach: Steve Clifford A disappointing 6-8 record, the Hornets will look to get back into the Playoff hunt with the help of Khris Middleton, whom was acquired on draft day in exchange for Marvin Williams.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Kemba Walker	Matthew Dellavedova	Raul Neto	T.J. McConnell
SG	Khris Middleton	Iman Shumpert	Josh Hart
SF	Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
PF	Nicolas Batum	Frank Kaminsky	Andrew Nicholson
C	Cody Zeller	Spencer Hawes

26

Houston (Last season: 6-8) Head Coach: Kuba Gooding The Rockets were even lucky to have made the Playoffs last season with a 6-8 record. They won't be so lucky this year and it'll be interesting to see how they run under rookie head coach, Kuba Gooding.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Patrick Mills	Patrick Beverley	Tyler Ennis
SG	James Harden	Eric Gordon
SF	Trevor Ariza	Corey Brewer	Malcolm Hill
PF	Ryan Anderson	Montrezl Harrell	Sam Dekker
C	Clint Capela	Chinanu Onuaku

27

Brooklyn (Last season: 7-7) Head Coach: Lionel Hollins Rather than bringing back the head coach that helped you reach the Playoffs and basically overachieved against everyone's expectations, the Nets decided to bring in the coach they fired previously. Yep, Lional Hollins is back, strangely. On the bright side, at least they get some help on the offensive end by signing Rudy Gay.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Jeremy Lin	Isaiah Whitehead
SG	Sean Kilpatrick	Caris LeVert	Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
SF	Rudy Gay	Bojan Bogdanovic
PF	Trevor Booker	J.J. Hickson	Chris McCullough	Tyler Lydon
C	Brook Lopez	Justin Hamilton

28

Miami (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Tom Thibodeau Despite missing out on landing any big fishes in free agency, the Heat did nab the steal of the draft with Josh Jackson falling to the 8th spot. Miami will look to continue their rebuilding process, under newly appointed head coach, Tom Thibodeau.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Goran Dragic	Tyler Johnson	Norris Cole
SG	Josh Richardson	Tony Allen	Courtney Lee
SF	Josh Jackson	Jerami Grant
PF	Justise Winslow	JaMychal Green	Nick Collison
C	Hassan Whiteside	Miles Plumlee

29

Orlando (Last season: 5-9) Head Coach: Connor James It's now the Magic's turn to experiment the Derrick Rose sage as Orlando looks to climb out of the lottery bound pit.

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Derrick Rose	Elfrid Payton	Nate Robinson
SG	Evan Fournier	Gerald Henderson
SF	Mario Hezonja	Jonathan Isaac
PF	Aaron Gordon	Mirza Teletovic	Darrell Arthur
C	Nikola Vucevic	Bismack Biyombo	Stephen Zimmerman

30

Sacramento (Last season: 4-10) Head Coach: Mike D'Antoni Time is fast ticking for the Kings as Boogie will become a free agent after this season. Can new head coach, Mike D'Antoni, please the big man's needs?

Projected Depth Chart
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
PG	Darren Collison	Frank Ntilikina	Ty Lawson
SG	Arron Afflalo	Ben McLemore	Malachi Richardson
SF	P.J. Tucker	Garrett Temple
PF	Kosta Koufos	Skal Labissiere
C	DeMarcus Cousins	Willie Cauley-Stein	Georgios Papagiannis

[vtcha]

Ibaka a hand and glove fit as Dallas win in cruise control

November 6, 2017 | by NBA News

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It was opening night and a new season for the Mavericks who easily defeated the Denver Nuggets, 98-85.

Dallas got out of the gates early, leading after the first quarter, 28-15. They played excellent defense, limiting the Nuggets to just 38 first half points as Denver never quite recovered since.

John Wall set the tone early, playing suffocating defense on Emmanuel Mudiay and gave rookie, De'Aaron Fox, a welcoming to the NBA he'd rather forget. Wall finished the game with 26 points, 9 assists and 3 steals. He was extremely effective as the floor general, setting up the likes of Ibaka and Barnes, who both saw easy looks all night.

Serge Ibaka, was brilliant in his debut for the Mavs, scoring 21 points and swatting away 3 shots that really amped up the crowd.

As for Denver, they simply couldn't get it going at all, with Mudiay and Gallinari combining for 27 points on 12-30 shooting. Nikola Jokic was the lone bright spot with 15 points and 8 boards.

Box Score

Spoiler

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Mavericks defeat Spurs, 98-90. First win over rivals in two years.

November 18, 2017 | by NBA News

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In the first division matchup of the season, the Mavericks started out hot, ending with a commanding 13 point lead at the half. However, San Antonio made a surging comeback in the third quarter, outscoring Dallas, 32-16. The comeback was largely led by Tony Parker who had a vintage performance, finishing with 28 points and could not be stopped, carving up Dallas' defense in pieces. Parker played a whopping 37 minutes which might've factored late in the game as he appeared to have cooled off, running back-and-forth gingerly. Even Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich agreed, "My bad. I thought he was 28 years old again. I probably could've rested him a few minutes or so."

As for the Mavericks, John Wall again led the way, finishing with 25 points and 9 assists. Harrison Barnes played second-fiddle with 22 points and 3 steals. It appears Wall's driving and kicking ability has greatly been beneficial for Barnes who has been getting easy looks for the past two games, shooting a total of 7-13 from deep.

Despite the controversial trade in which Dallas gave up four first-round picks to acquire Wall, one eventually being the #1 overall pick, in addition to the fact that a few felt Wall's value was undeserving of such trade, Wall said after the game that he's entering this season with a chip on his shoulder. "Oh it definitely motivates me every day. I mean this organization believes in me, and I truly believe I can be one of the greats."

It was recently revealed by owner, Mark Cuban, on Dallas radio, that vtcha, the team's advisor, was initially the one that pushed hard for the trade to bring Wall to Dallas. Despite the initial backlash, the Mavericks are now 2-0 to begin the season and perhaps the pieces may finally begin to fall into place.

Box Score

Spoiler

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Mavericks make it 3 in a row, defeat Lakers

December 2, 2017 | by NBA News

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In a scrappy game where both teams shot under 45%, it was Dallas that prevailed in the end, winning 99-81.

The Mavericks defense is starting to make some noise, having so far held their opponents to under 100 points to start the season. It was no exception tonight as the Lakers scored a season-low, 13 points in the second quarter. Big man, Blake Griffin was awfully passive, scoring 14 points on just 10 attempts.



For the Mavericks, John Wall continues to make his case for MVP as he and the Mavs are now surprisingly, 3-0. Wall once again led the charge, despite going 1-8 to start the game. He finished with 24 points and 15 assists. Harrison Barnes (22 points) was clutch, scoring 8 consecutive points down the stretch and putting away the Lakers from any attempts at a comeback.

The Mavericks will now face the Western Conference champions, Golden State Warriors, in a true test to see whether these wins are for real or simply a fluke.

Box Score

Spoiler

[vtcha]

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The Chicago Bulls have acquired J.J. Barea, Seth Curry and Dallas' 2020 second-round pick in exchange for Denzel Valentine and Marco Belinelli.

Despite the recent shooting struggles from both Barea and Curry, Chicago will now utilize their services in a bid to contend in the East as well as easing the minutes of Dwyane Wade, who will be turning 36 years old next month.

For Dallas, despite getting limited playing time in Chicago, Denzel Valentine will get a fresh start in a new city. Owner, Mark Cuban, addressed the media immediately after the trade stating that Valentine was simply drafted in the wrong situation. "The kids got a tonne of talent, and we believe he can be both an effective scorer and playmaker. He's shown it in his college days, and I think Chicago never used that to their advantage. It was definitely tough to let someone like J.J go, but obviously we need to put what's best for the team first and Denzel is definitely someone that will be good for us for many years to come."

[vtcha]

Warriors bring Mavericks back down to Earth with 102-96 victory

December 23, 2017 | by NBA News

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In a game of runs, it was Golden State that showed Dallas why they've been King of the West for the past few seasons. Despite a poor shooting night from Steph Curry, he did a little of everything else to help his team, finishing with 15 points, 13 assists and 5 steals. Marreese Speights was awesome as well, notching his first double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 boards.

For Dallas, they struggled shooting for much of the game with John Wall and Harrison Barnes combining for 44 points (12-33 FG). Tim Hardaway Jr. fared well in his first start, scoring 13 points, whilst Thomas Robinson's contribution off the bench was duly noted with 17 points on 8-9 shooting. Sadly, it was not enough as Dallas will now look to bounce back when they face James Harden and the Houston Rockets in the new year.

Box Score

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Mavericks survive Texas thriller

January 13, 2018 | by NBA News

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Dallas have beaten the Houston Rockets, 107-105, in a game that went into overtime.

Harrison Barnes led the way with 21 points, shooting 8-22 from the field. With Dallas down 2 points and 40 seconds left in the game, it was Tim Hardaway Jr., that came up big, stripping James Harden and dishing it to the open Barnes to tie the game. Hardaway Jr., had another nice outing, scoring 20 points (4-7 3PT). John Wall had the chance to give Dallas a 3 point lead with 5 seconds left on the clock, however, he went 1-2 on the free throw line. As a result, it gave Houston a chance to tie or win the game, and as such, James Harden made them pay, tying the game and sending it to OT.

Despite starting off slow and scoring just 5 points in the first half, Harden bounced back in a big way, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter, finishing with 30 points. One could argue that the turning point of the game was when Clint Capela fouled out of the game with 6 minutes to go. He was already dominating the Dallas bigs with 15 points and 13 rebounds. But that was not all, as Patrick Mills had the chance to win with the buzzing beating shot in OT. Dallas' defense completely collapsed on the last play, leaving Mills wide open. Unfortunately it rattled out and the Rockets suffer their first loss of the season.

Box Score

Spoiler

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Dallas continues to roll, surge past Sacramento

January 19, 2018 | by NBA News

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The Dallas Mavericks are starting to look like legitimate threats in the West after defeating the Kings 111-104. They've now accumulated their fifth win of the season - more total wins than they did from all of last season.

Serge Ibaka was phenomenal, racking up 23 points, 14 rebounds and 3 steals. Denzel Valentine also played the best game of his career, unconsciously knocking down 5 triples, finishing with 23 points. Valentine, who was the 14th overall pick in 2016, saw limited playing time in Chicago, but is nicely finding a substantial role with the Mavericks. Valentine credits his success to playing alongside point guard, John Wall, who dished out 16 assists tonight. "He definitely makes the game a whole lot easier. He does all the hard part and I just need to stand still and make sure I hit the shot," Valentine said in his post-game interview.

Box Score

Spoiler

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Timberwolves no match for surging Mavericks

January 30, 2018 | by NBA News

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The Dallas Mavericks continue to defy everyone's expectations as they overachieve to record their 6th win of the season.

In a gritty first half battle, it was Karl-Anthony Towns that got the best of Dallas, reaching a double-double with another half to go. He finished with a game-high 31 points and 18 rebounds. Meanwhile, both Wiggins and LaVine struggled on the floor, combining on 10-34 makes. Former Mavericks, Wesley Matthews and Dwight Powell, made their return to the American Airlines Center but it was one to forget as they both combined for just 6 points.

John Wall once again led the team with 22 points and 8 assists. He is currently second in this year's All-Star voting for the West guards, and this performance should surely solidify his spot. Thomas Robinson was also critical in the win, coming off the bench for a double-double (10 points and 12 rebounds).

The Mavericks now have two more games before heading to the All-Star break, with the team visiting the Pelicans on February 12.

Box Score

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Mavericks edge past Pelicans, 107-102

February 12, 2018 | by NBA News

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Dallas has now recorded their seventh win of the season, bringing their record to 7-1.

John Wall, once again, continued to make his case for MVP, scoring 27 points, 9 assists, a 4 steals. Serge Ibaka was a defensive juggernaut, racking up 3 blocks and 2 steals.

For the Pelicans, they suffered a major blow after Anthony Davis fouled out of the game with seven minutes to go. Davis had been plagued by fouls throughout the entire game but still managed to rack up an impressive double-double during his limited time. Still, New Orleans was within striking distance when Tyreke Evans hit a big three to tie the game with 1:40 left on the clock. However, Dallas answered right back with an and-1 play from Wall, followed by a three by Ibaka.

Box Score

Spoiler

[dfsJunkie]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

You guys are rolling! Cuban would love this

[vtcha]

Trail Blazers top Mavericks, 99-92

February 19, 2018 | by NBA News

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In a battle of the top Western Conference contenders, it was Portland that came out on top, snapping Dallas' 4-game winning streak.

Led by the Trail Blazers' dynamic backcourt duo, Lillard and McCollum combined for 49 points, while Mason Plumlee was highly efficient, scoring 17 points (7-8 FG) and pulling down 14 boards and 2 blocks.

As for Dallas, it was a miserable night for John Wall as he simply couldn't buy a bucket, making 5-19 shots, finishing with 16 points and 11 assists. Harrison Barnes was on an island on his own, accumulating a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds, however the rest of his teammates were invisible.

Box Score

Spoiler

[jeremym480]

Re: The Association: Dallas Mavericks

You guys are rolling! Cuban would love this

You jinxed him.

[vtcha]

2018 NBA All-Stars Announced

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Reigning MVP, Russell Westbrook, and Finals MVP, LeBron James, will headline the 2018 NBA All Star Game on February 25, 2018. Both players were the highest vote-getters for their respective conference as per the fans.

Westbrook continues to terrorize the league, flirting with a triple-double in every game and carrying his Thunder team to a 4-4 record (7th in West). He is currently averaging 27.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 9.3 APG, and 2.5 SPG.

Joining Westbrook in the back-court will be John Wall, who is having a career year and coming second in the MVP race. Wall and the Mavericks are currently 7-2 this season (4th in West) after a miserable season last year. He is averaging 22.1 PPG, 11.2 APG, 2.7 SPG and shooting a career-best, 50.0% from three-point.

The West starting forwards will be Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Karl-Anthony Towns. After resigning with the Warriors, KD is a man on a mission, aiming to get back into the Finals. He is averaging 28.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 2.3 SPG. Similarly, Anthony Davis has been very impressive on both ends of the floor with 27.1 PPG, 14.6 RPG, 1.6 SPG and 2.4 BPG. First-timer, Karl-Anthony Towns will make his All-Star debut as a starter after averaging an impressive 21.4 PPG, 14.8 RPG and 2.4 BPG. He is also shooting an absurd 57.4% from the field and has his Timberwolves battling for a Playoff spot, currently 6th in the West.

Rounding out the West reserves will be Chris Paul, C.J. McCollum, DeMarcus Cousins, Damian Lillard, and first-timers, Gordan Hayward, Serge Ibaka, and Mike Conley.

As for the East, 4-time NBA Champion, LeBron James is on a whole different level right now, averaging career highs of 35.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 6.9 APG, 2.4 SPG, all whilst shooting a ridiculous 57.3%. The loss of Kevin Love to injuries are catapulted James and re-ignited talks of him possibly being the GOAT. Joining him in the front court will be Jimmy Butler (27.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2.0 SPG), and Carmelo Anthony, with averages of 27.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.1 SPG, and currently has his Knicks first in the East with a 7-2 record.

For the East back-court, Kyrie Irving will be the starting point guard for the second consecutive year, with averages of 29.5 PPG and 5.7 APG, and 1.9 SPG. DeMar DeRozan will join him, making his 4th All-Star appearance after averaging 25.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 6.1 APG.

Rounding out the East reserves will be Isaiah Thomas, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, Paul Millsap, Al Horford, Kyle Lowry, and comeback player contender, Joakim Noah, who has been a big part of the Knicks' success this season.

Stars

Starters: Kris Dunn, Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, Brandon Ingram, Ben Simmons
Reserves: Frank Ntilikina, Terrance Ferguson, Jonathan Isaac, Harry Giles, Joel Embiid

Elites

Starters: Markelle Fultz, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Jeanne, Ivan Rabb, Jayson Tatum
Reserves: Wade Baldwin, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, Dario Saric, A.J. Hammons

Participants
Kyrie Irving (CLE)
C.J. McCollum (POR)
Chandler Parsons (MEM)
Lonzo Ball (PHX)
Kawhi Leonard (SAS)
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)




Participants
Terrance Ferguson (PHI)
Marquese Chriss (PHX)
Emmanuel Mudiay (DEN)
Larry Nance Jr. (LAL)