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Dallas Mavericks 2014-15 NBA Season Preview

By David Ramil

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May 2, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) reacts as San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) looks on in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Dallas won 113-111. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

As we continue our NBA preview series, we take a closer look at the Dallas Mavericks

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Dallas Mavericks 2013-14 record: 49-33

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Three Things I Think I Know About The Dallas Mavericks…

  1. The frontcourt of Chandler Parsons, Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki might be the best in the league
  2. Chandler Parsons may not be worth the contract but he won’t have to be with a team this deep
  3. The Dallas Mavericks are a legitimate title contender

Key Additions:

Key Losses:

The Dallas Mavericks will be a playoff team if…

….the season begins, which is to say, this is a very good team that is a virtual lock to make the postseason. Unless Dallas has a historic rash of injuries set in, this team will be fine, even in a brutal Western Conference. Deep, experienced, talented and well-coached, the Mavs are primed to be a serious title contender.

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    • Team Strengths:

    It’s really hard to pick just one. With East foes like Cleveland and Chicago making noise as contenders and with Texas rivals San Antonio basking in the afterglow of a title, many have discounted that Dallas took the team that was the Spurs’ biggest playoff challenge and improved it.  While some think depth is an issue, I think it’s the greatest team strength and expect Jefferson, Aminu and Nelson to be major contributors.

    Team Weaknesses:

    While the easy/expected answer might be depth, I think it’s just getting the new pieces to gel. Chandler is older than he was during his title-winning run with Dallas in 2011 and Felton…well, he’s a big part of what went wrong in New York last season. Aside from age being a factor for these newly-acquired pieces, it’s also about transitioning from losing situations to making a run at the title. Chandler and Nelson have the experience of getting to the Finals; will that be enough to help make this team a cohesive unit?

    2014-15 Dallas Mavericks MVP will be…

    …Dirk Nowitzki, just as he has been for most of his 16-year career. His production might take a tumble but, in the words of baseball legend Reggie Jackson, he’s still “the straw that stirs the drink.” Monta Ellis’ will have nice numbers and so will Parsons but, without Nowitzki doing what he has perfected over the course of his career, it won’t make a difference. Teams will be wary of what the rest of the team can do but Nowitzki, even at the age of 36, is still who opponents fear most.

    Season Defining Question:

    Can the Mavs stay healthy enough in the regular season to gain momentum heading into the playoffs?

    Best Case Scenario:

    58-24

    Worst Case Scenario:

    45-37

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