The NBA season is just around the corner! With the off-season almost in the rearview mirror, the Dallas Mavericks will be looking forward to receiving a brand-new slate after a disappointing season a year ago. Below till be the Mavericks over/under win total prediction.
Coming into the 2022-2023, expectations in and around Dallas were rather high considering that the Mavericks appeared to be heading in the right direction fresh off of a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021-2022, but they happened to take a massive step back in regards to their winning trajectory after they missed out on the playoffs entirely a season ago. Still, the star power that resides within this roster is extremely difficult to deny and a bounce-back season under third-year head coach Jason Kidd would be welcoming.
NBA Odds: Dallas Mavericks Over/Under Win Total
Over: 44.5 Wins (-128)
Under: 44.5 Wins (+104)
Here are the Warriors NBA Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Why the Mavericks Will Win 45 Games
Despite owning a 31-26 record which was good for fifth-place out west, the Mavericks saw the wheels fall off and went on to go a disheartening 7-18 the remaining of the regular season. Even more disappointing, the epic downslide occurred after Dallas made a blockbuster trade for superstar guard Kyrie Irving who was supposed to bring this team over the top to a championship-caliber state. However, after a full offseason in Dallas, could we be seeing a Kyrie Driving resurgence in which his former Cleveland self shows himself this year?
Even more importantly, staying healthy as a whole will be vital in reaching the 45-game threshold especially after some lingering ailments to their top stars were a major factor in why Dallas only went 38-44 in 2022-2023. In addition, there is no denying that Luka Doncic is a generational star who has rarified skills compared to the average baller, but can he take that next step as a leader? Bafflingly enough, Luka is only 24 years old and is only maturing more with each season under his belt. Simply put, this is a prove-it year for Luka Doncic. He's going to put up points and make remarkable passes that leave fans speechless, but leading this team and being a bonafide MVP candidate at that will be vital for the Mavericks to hit the over in their win total.
Of course, the Mavericks did try to increase their bench production and overall depth as a team by signing sharpshooter Seth Curry and power forward Grant Williams in the process, so there's always that!
Why the Mavericks Won't Win 45 Games
While not staying healthy will be the first order of business why the Mavs won't win 45 games, but keep in mind that Dallas will need to get off to a fast start in the early stages of the regular season. For starters, the worst-case scenario for the Mavericks is if the lingering thigh issue that Doncic has been dealing with of late forces the superstar guard to miss the first handful of beginning contests. Last season alone, Luka had to deal with a left ankle sprain, a thigh strain, and a gnarly right heel ailment. Although Luka didn't necessarily have to sit out too long due to these injuries, Dallas doesn't have the necessary depth to compete without their leader night in and night out due to trading multiple assets for Kyrie Irving prior to the 2022 Trade Deadline. Indeed, the 2023-2024 season might require Luka to play close to every game which is unlikely.
Above all else, another big reason why Dallas will fall flat on their faces for the second straight year will be due to this coaching staff's ability to lead behind the scenes. Are we even sure that Jason Kidd is a formidable head coach at the NBA level? Even though he does happen to be a Mavericks legend as a player and his only two years removed from a Western Conference Finals appearance, he has won at least 45 games in only one of his seven fun seasons as a head coach with three different teams. Arguably enough, this is most likely a make-or-break season for Kidd coming after a horrendous finish to last year's campaign, and why many argue that coaching at the NBA level doesn't matter as much, it is still important.
Final Dallas Mavericks Over/Under Win Total Prediction
On paper, this is a fringe playoff team that happens to have two of the biggest stars in the game with Doncic and Irving. However, there are doubts about just how successful they can be together with last year's small sample size, and Irving hasn't been a part of a legitimate contender since his days in Boston which seems like an eternity ago. Although, Dallas will most likely improve. This Western Conference is just far too loaded for the Mavericks to survive. Instead, hovering around the .500 mark is far more likely.
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