The Dallas Mavericks are preparing for the 2023-24 NBA season. They will take on the San Antonio Spurs in a battle of Texas teams in their season opener on Wednesday. Luka Doncic is dealing with an injury concern but still projects to have a big season. Kyrie Irving is hoping to find more success in his first full season with the Mavs. Dallas will need their other players to step up around Doncic and Irving as well.
Dallas should be in line for a better performance than last season, when they ended up missing the postseason altogether. Just how well will they perform though? Without further ado, here are our four bold predictions for the Mavs' 2023-24 campaign.
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Josh Green breaks out
Josh Green may be on the verge of a breakout season. The 22-year-old recently inked a contract extension with Dallas and appears to be poised for a big year.
He took a step forward in his third NBA season during the 2022-23 campaign. Green averaged 9.1 points per game on 53.7 percent field goal and 40.2 percent three-point shooting. His efficiency was impressive and Green is continuing to develop as a player.
Dallas would like to see him improve as a playmaker. Still, with stars like Irving and Doncic on the roster, Green will have plenty of open looks for quality shot opportunities. The Mavs believe in his scoring ability.
Kyrie Irving posts highest assist per game average of career
Kyrie Irving's current highest assist per game average in a single season sits at 6.9, which he accomplished in 2018-19 with the Boston Celtics, per Basketball Reference. So is there reason to believe Irving can surpass that mark during the 2023-24 season?
His increase last year doesn't lie. While playing with the Brooklyn Nets, Irving averaged 5.3 assists per game. That was on a star-dominated roster which led to no shortage of isolation and stagnant ball movement.
In Dallas, aside from Doncic, Irving received more opportunities to pass the ball, whether it be on the drive or from beyond the arc. He ultimately averaged 6.0 assists per game in 20 contests with the Mavs.
The Mavs feature a roster set for a point guard to succeed. It should be noted that both Irving and Luka can run the point guard position. In fact, Doncic is even listed as Dallas' point guard according to some depth charts. Either way, Irving is going to find players like Josh Green, Grant Williams, and Tim Hardaway Jr. for open looks.
Mavs finish within top four teams in West
This is an extremely bold prediction. The West is stacked with talent and Dallas missed the playoffs altogether last year.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are capable of leading a team to a win on any given night. Josh Green's potential breakout season will only help matters. The addition of Grant Williams went overlooked by many, but he's going to play a pivotal role for Dallas.
The Mavs' feature enough depth to find success as well.
The Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, and Minnesota Timberwolves are projected to be contenders. Again, as we mentioned, there is a lot of depth in the conference.
However, Dallas should be able to find consistency and finish within the top four teams. The Mavs probably won't clinch the No. 1 seed, but Dallas is going to be a dark horse championship contender.
Luka Doncic wins MVP
Finally, Luka Doncic will win his first NBA MVP award.
Luka is arguably the best player in the NBA. People forget that he is still only 24-years old. Luka is still realistically developing as a player. In other words, an already great superstar is getting even better.
Big men have dominated the MVP conversation in recent seasons. But now it's time for a versatile guard/wing to take home the honor.
Luka had an argument last season. He averaged a career-high 32.4 points per game which was second in the league, trailing only Joel Embiid. Embiid, of course, went on to win the MVP. Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers were also competitive while Dallas missed the playoffs.
The Mavs will need to rebound in order for Luka to earn the award. And if our bold predictions come true, then that won't be a problem.
Statistically, Doncic is still going to crash the boards and record a decent amount of assists. He shouldn't have much trouble averaging 30 or more points per game either. It will be interesting to see how efficient he is from three-point range after shooting an unspectacular 34.2 percent from deep a season ago.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Luka shoot at least 35 percent or better from beyond the arc in 2023-24. And with everything else he offers, Doncic will win the MVP while leading the Mavs to a successful overall year.
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