Dallas Mavericks Surrounded by Lakers and Warriors in Preseason Predictions originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
It’s impossible to deny that the Dallas Mavericks boast some of the best talents in the NBA.
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However, how will they fare in their first full season together? Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson are still new teammates, and Kyrie Irving will miss most of–if not the entire–season with a torn ACL.
Throw in D’Angelo Russell, who has played with both Thompson and Davis, and the roster is pretty close to complete.
And then, of course, there’s Cooper Flagg, who is expected to be a transformational star right away, although that’s not a guarantee.
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In the loaded Western Conference, there is more talent than ever, and the Mavericks pose perhaps more questions than anyone else.
“Where are you putting the Mavericks?” asked Brian Windorst. “I mean, how do you assign the Mavericks?”
“You’ve got the Warriors, the Lakers, the Mavericks, if they get healthy, I’d probably have Memphis and San Antonio all in the same group,” listed Tim Bontemps, putting Dallas behind the Thunder, Nuggets, Clippers, and Rockets.
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If the Mavericks can finish as a top-six seed and miss the play-in tournament, there is a very real chance that they can make a Finals run, even without home-court advantage. However, in the single-elimination play-in, even the best teams can be toppled, so Dallas will need a complete regular season to compete in the playoffs.
That means Davis will need to defy the odds and play a full season, Thompson will need to turn back the clock, and Flagg will need to be ready to impact winning right away.
Honestly? We like those odds.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.