DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - With the NBA resuming the second half of the season on Wednesday night, the Mavericks find themselves in sole possession of the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 18-16.
What should can we expect out of them the rest of the way? We asked the 105.3 The Fan team to weigh in.
What will their record be when the season ends?
Mike Fisher: It's weird trying to do the math on a 72-game schedule.
Normally, with the 82-game schedule, you know that "50 wins'' is pretty special. Now? If Dallas can, for the full season, win at a 57-percent pace, they can get to 41 wins. So 41-31 would be a success.
Gavin Dawson: Put me down for 44-28. Outside of the covid portion of the schedule, the Mavs are winning two for every one loss. Add to that their sense of urgency and need to climb the standings compared to their competition and I believe they can outplay that a bit the rest of the way at 26-12 in the second-half to end up with this total.
Zach Wolchuk: Mavs final record 40-32. Math is not my strength but let’s just say I think the team's second-half will be improved from the first.
Jared Sandler: I'm going with 39-33.
RJ Choppy: Mavs final record will be 40-32. Math is not my strength, but let’s just say I think the team's second-half will be improved from the first.
Troy Hughes: "Finish strong" ain't necessarily the Mavs motto when it comes to ending the season. In fact, the 2014-2015 season is the last time they won more than half of their last 30 regular-season games ... but this team has Luka Dončić -- 43-29.
Kevin Hageland: 42-30 ... hear me out! The full-strength Mavs have been playing really well and the second-half schedule is soft, so they are gonna close out 24-14 in the second half.
Reginald Adetula: 39-33. With the safety protocol and injury issues seemingly subsiding, the rotation rounding into shape AND a relatively favorable schedule, this second half should be the perfect slate to display what this team as constituted is; just about the equivalent of a 45 win team in a normal 82 game season.
Will Chambers: 43-29. A lot could change with a deadline move, but this team will have a significantly easier schedule the rest of the way. This team over the last few years remind me of a young college basketball team. They have to feel themselves out at first with new guys and different rotations because of injuries, then eventually find cohesion and better play the later the season gets. Expecting and hoping for that with the schedule.
Matt Galatzan: I'm going with 44-28. I think this team has really found its stride, and with an easier schedule on the back end, I think they could really make some noise in the West playoff race. If KP can get back to even 80% of what he was at the end of last season, this team could be very dangerous.
Josh Clark: I'm gonna roll with 42-30. Injuries and COVID wrecked the first half of the Mavs season. Complicating matters even more was the fact that the Mavs had one of the most difficult first-half schedules in the league. Things get much easier the rest of the way, allowing them to rack up some wins.
What seed will they finish with in the West?
Mike Fisher: If I'm right - and remember, I'm the homer-idiot who on "Shan & RJ'' predicted this would be a top-five TEAM in the NBA - we're looking at the No. 7 seed in the West. Not great.
Gavin Dawson: I believe they will finish with the five seed. It seems lofty but they are only two games in the loss column worse than the teams currently in the four and five spot. The LA teams plus Phoenix and Utah are the only teams clearly set up to pile up wins better in the regular-season.
Zach Wolchuk: The team chemistry already was massively improved in the handful of games leading into the All-Star break. I think the Mavs are able to jump up to the 6th/7th seed.
Jared Sandler: I think they get the sixth seed and avoid the play-in tournament.
RJ Choppy: Mavs climb up to the 6th seed in the west.
Troy Hughes: 7th seed -- Mavs sneak past the Spurs and the muddy ugly-ass River Walk (Mark Cuban's words ... not mine).
Kevin Hageland: 6th seed. And I believe they jump over the Spurs and Trail Blazers to get there, which allows them to avoid the mini-tournament.
Reggie Adetula: 8th seed.
Will Chambers: 7th seed. San Antonio has a much harder schedule rest of the way, Portland does as well. Could move up to six too if Dame can’t carry them like he has in the first half.
Matt Galatzan: 6th Seed. I think this team leapfrogs the Blazers by the end of the year, with the Nuggets sliding up to the fifth spot. It would make for a tough first-round matchup, however.
Josh Clark: Thanks to a healthy roster and a much easier stretch of games, the Mavs are able to build some continuity and settle into the sixth seed in the West, avoiding the dreaded play-in tournament. Denver ends up being the No. 5 seed, while Portland slides to the No. 7 spot.
Playoff prediction: How far will they go? First-round exit, second-round exit, western conference finals, finals, champs?
Mike Fisher: Your problem here, is, "Who are you playing?'' Right now, coming out of the All-Star Break, the Suns, Lakers and Clippers all have 24 wins. You won't be picked to beat the Lakers. You won't be picked to beat the Clippers. And while I think Dallas is "better'' than Phoenix, I have zero on-court evidence to prove it.
That smells like a first-round exit to me.
Gavin Dawson: My playoff prediction is they go up two games to one on Phoenix and then KP gets hurt and they lose in six.
Zach Wolchuk: If they can avoid the Lakers or Jazz they have a shot at a first-round upset, but I don't think they are ready yet for anything past round two.
Jared Sandler: Lose in the first round. Unless the Mavericks figure out how to stop someone, it will be too tough for them to rely on outscoring people while putting all the weight on Luka to get the job done. Come playoff time, teams figure out how to slow down guys like Luka when he has no help. Brunson is nice, but he's not the caliber of player who can be a Robin to Luka's Batman from a creator standpoint.
RJ Choppy: Win their first playoff series vs Denver & then lose in the second round.
Troy Hughes: So much optimism in these answers ... until now. Mavs exit in the 1st round and then the heat turns towards Rick Carlisle.
Kevin Hageland: Unfortunately, they match up with the No. 3 seed, which I believe will be the Clippers (after they jump the Suns), and leads to another first-round exit.
Reggie Adetula: Luka's fitness looks to be in a place to support his 3pt shot but even with an improving star player, late games will still be a challenge as it always is for less talented teams. The play-in should be pretty smooth. The first round, not so much. Just a reminder that this is a team that needs more talent to keep pushing to the larger goal of championship contention (and Luka retention). Of course, this could all shift a bit with a notable roster move and either way, only mention this prediction to me if I'm ultimately right (and even then, meh).
Will Chambers: They progress from last year and make it to the conference semis. Of course, it will all depend on the matchup, but I’m imagining a team that has gone 25-13 in the second half, so if that’s the case, they will be playing well enough to upset a higher seed. Conventional wisdom would ask why not two series wins if they are looking that good, I’m just not greedy.
Matt Galatzan: Obviously it depends on seeding, but I have a hard time seeing this group making it past the first round. If they finish anywhere from five through eight in the West, their first-round matchup is going to be a pick your poison type of situation. Utah is the best team in the NBA right now, and we all know what both LA teams are capable of. Then there is Phoenix, who seems to be the Mavs kryptonite in recent years. I think there is potential for an upset with the Clippers or the Suns, but unless this team fills a major need or two at the deadline, I have a hard time seeing it.
Josh Clark: The matchup is key here. If you get the Lakers or Jazz, you're going to have a hard time extending a series to six games, unless you make a major move at the deadline. I like their chances against the rest of their potential first-round foes (Suns, Clippers, Nuggets). So, give me the Mavs in an upset if they face one of those three teams.
