NBA: 3 West teams experiencing surprising surges this season

Dallas Mavericks

led by the All-Star starting wonder boy Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks have surged to a 33-22 record and remain only 2.5 games out of the 5th spot in the Western Conference. While the duo of Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis have been a murky work in progress, each player’s individual play has been the propelling transaction that has leveled the Mavericks into a surprising playoff team in the Western Conference.

Doncic is having career numbers in just his second year in the league averaging nearly 29 points 9.5. rebounds and 8.7 assists per game with the Mavericks a sparking 28-16 in the win/loss column with their star player on the floor. Without, the team is just a game under .500 and that’s been predicated behind huge scoring outputs from Porzingis who had three consecutive 30-plus 10-plus rebound performances before reasserting his scoring prowess again against the Jazz (28 points on 7-17 shooting) and the Kings when Luka returned to the lineup (27 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists).

The sky is the limit for the Mavericks in a Western Conference where teams from 1-8 have a chance to be tough outs come playoff time. And with two all-star caliber players on the floor every time the team steps on the floor, they always have a prominent chance to challenge for a series victory come playoff time in April.