Going up against elite teams is usually a solid indicator of the current state of a team. The Dallas Mavericks' matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers is a great example of that being the case.
Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle told Dwain Price of Mavs.com that he is ‘curious' to watch his team play the game against the Lakers ‘to see where we are.'
Carlisle on tonight's game against the #Lakers: "They're all measuring stick. I'm curious to play the game to see where we are." @dallasmavs
— Dwain Price (@DwainPrice) November 1, 2019
The start of the 2019-20 season has been kind to the Mavs. They have posted a 3-1 record with their only loss being to the Portland Trail Blazers by just two points. If the ball bounced differently on a play or two, the Mavs could have been undefeated through four games.
Managing to defeat the Lakers would provide a group led by Luke Dončicć and Kristaps Porziņģis with great confidence about the current state of their organization. It's not easy to defeat talents like LeBron James — Dončić's idol — especially when they are teamed up with the likes of Anthony Davis.
Coming up short against the Lakers wouldn't be a major problem for the Mavs either. A 3-2 record is still a solid start to the season and losing to top teams is no reason for disappointment. It would provide the Mavs with a legitimate look at what they need to improve on over their next few games.
The ultimate goal for the Mavs is to earn a spot in the Western Conference playoff picture this season. A contest with the Lakers will help provide insight into what needs to be done in order to accomplish that.
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