Although the Dallas Mavericks are coming off a disastrous 2018-19 NBA season, there is a newfound sense of optimism building behind Luka Doncic. The NBA witnessed the bulk of its superstars pair up this offseason in pursuit of contending in the postseason. Regardless, Doncic feels confident about the Mavs' chances of making the playoffs in the Western Conference.

Via UMAG in Croatia:

“We will. We’ll make the playoffs. We must. That’s our plan and I think we’ll make it.”

While Doncic's prediction may seem a bit far-fetched to some, there is certainly good reason for him to be optimistic. While the rest of the NBA followed the trend of pairing star players, the Mavs set it with the acquisition of former New York Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis.

As a result, Dallas now boasts two of the most promising young players in the NBA with Doncic and Porzingis. Unlike some of the other teams, they have an opportunity to set their dynasty up for the next decade if the pairing comes to fruition as they hope.

Of course, the Mavs still have plenty of work to do if they hope to compete with other notable duos that now rule the West. The onus will largely fall on Doncic and Porzingis to prove they are talented enough to be considered a truly formidable pairing like some of the others that already have several championships and MVP awards under their belt. While it will undoubtedly take some time, it will be interesting to see how they fare once the 2019-20 NBA season comes around.