Season Predictions 2016
Current seeding: 8th
Projected seeding: 8th
Dallas is currently locked in a tight battle with Portland, Houston, and Utah for the last playoff spot out West. But given their relatively soft remaining schedule, it seems as if Dirk and Co. will be able to stick around come April. They deserve it, too: after the DeAndre Jordan (C, LAC) debacle, the front office moved quickly to salvage their frontcourt around PF Dirk Nowitzki, adding C Zaza Pachulia and PF David Lee among others. The team also brought in SG Wesley Matthews and PG Deron Williams to start in their backcourt, and extended key backup PG/SG J.J Barea. With SF Chandler Parsons and Matthews at full health, and every member of the team, from Nowitzki down, firing on all cylinders, you’re looking at a playoff team.
First round: Golden State Warriors (1)
But you’re not looking at a second-round team, unless you’re looking at the Warriors. The only way a team would have a chance against Golden State is if they were to slow down the superstar backcourt of PG Stephen Curry and SG/SF Klay Thompson, and Dallas doesn’t even appear to have any quality perimeter defenders at all. That alone means Golden State will be averaging 100+ points per game in this series, and the fact that PF/SF Draymond Green, probably the best defender in the league, can guard either of Dallas’ top two scorers -- Parsons or Nowitzki -- means that the Mavs will have a tough time on offense too. So close, yet so very, very, very far away.
Prediction: Golden State wins, 4-0
Current seeding: 8th
Projected seeding: 8th
Dallas is currently locked in a tight battle with Portland, Houston, and Utah for the last playoff spot out West. But given their relatively soft remaining schedule, it seems as if Dirk and Co. will be able to stick around come April. They deserve it, too: after the DeAndre Jordan (C, LAC) debacle, the front office moved quickly to salvage their frontcourt around PF Dirk Nowitzki, adding C Zaza Pachulia and PF David Lee among others. The team also brought in SG Wesley Matthews and PG Deron Williams to start in their backcourt, and extended key backup PG/SG J.J Barea. With SF Chandler Parsons and Matthews at full health, and every member of the team, from Nowitzki down, firing on all cylinders, you’re looking at a playoff team.
First round: Golden State Warriors (1)
But you’re not looking at a second-round team, unless you’re looking at the Warriors. The only way a team would have a chance against Golden State is if they were to slow down the superstar backcourt of PG Stephen Curry and SG/SF Klay Thompson, and Dallas doesn’t even appear to have any quality perimeter defenders at all. That alone means Golden State will be averaging 100+ points per game in this series, and the fact that PF/SF Draymond Green, probably the best defender in the league, can guard either of Dallas’ top two scorers -- Parsons or Nowitzki -- means that the Mavs will have a tough time on offense too. So close, yet so very, very, very far away.
Prediction: Golden State wins, 4-0