NBA: Grading would-be playoff teams in the Western Conference

7. Dallas Mavericks (40-27)

Grade: B

The Dallas Mavericks are a tough team to grade because their best player missed some time due to injury. This has caused them to slip down to the 7th seed but they’re only 3.5 games out of the 4th seed and are sitting 10.5 games clear of the 9th seed.

We all know how great the 21-year-old Luka Doncic is. He was an MVP candidate before missing time with injury and has picked up right where he left off before his injury. The supporting cast is full of shooters and they are lead by a championship-winning head coach in Rick Carlisle. But instead of sitting here and talking about Luka Doncic and his greatness which is something we are already accustomed to, the most important development for the Mavericks this season has been the return of Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis started off the season slow because of his return from injury but at the season went on, showed why he was drafted inside the top 5. He was finally getting his rhythm and established himself truly when Doncic sat out with the injury, proving to people how good he was before he got injured.

This Mavericks team has had a really solid season up till this point. Luka Doncic is doing Luka Doncic things and Porzingis, who is only 24, is proving to be the perfect No. 2 punch in a duo that is just finding their footing.