The Dallas Mavericks have played 75 regular season games, with seven remaining in the 2024-25 NBA season. The Mavericks’ current situation wasn’t on virtually anybody’s bingo card, no matter how wild one’s imagination may be. The Mavericks have experienced injuries, inconsistencies, and repercussions throughout 2024-25. Yet, Dallas has a decent chance to host a postseason game, sitting as the ninth seed with a 37-38 record, as of Sunday.
Dallas Mavericks’ Current Situation
The Dallas Mavericks currently sit at .493 as the ninth seed above the 10th-seeded Sacramento Kings, who are .486, and the 11th-seeded Phoenix Suns, who are on the outside looking in at .473, as of Sunday. Of course, Sacramento can surpass Dallas, Phoenix could enter the NBA playoff picture or both. The Mavericks can hold onto ninth place in the Western Conference after going 3-1 on their four-game Eastern Conference road trip.
If the Mavericks hold onto ninth place in the West, they’ll host a Play-In Tournament game at the American Airlines Center against the team in 10th place. The winner of that game would advance to play the loser of the game between the teams in seventh and eighth place, respectively. But it’s too early to tell, as the Mavericks would have to get there first.
Dallas Mavericks’ To-Do List
If the Mavericks want to host a Play-In Tournament game, they’d have to get things done. First, Dallas must reach .500 by going 4-3 in the final seven games. Second, Dallas needs to ease Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford back into action. Gafford was upgraded to probable, while Lively II was listed as questionable ahead of Monday’s game. Third, Dallas should applaud Brandon Williams, Kessler Edwards, and Kai Jones for their season-saving efforts.
Williams and Edwards were on two-way contracts and already reached their 50-game maximums, while Jones helped bridge the gap between Edwards and hopefully the much-anticipated returns of Lively II and Gafford. Williams, Edwards, and Jones are all worthy of pay, whether by the Mavericks or another NBA team, as the trio arguably deserves every dollar.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Brooklyn Nets Preview
The Dallas Mavericks will host the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center on Monday at 7:30 p.m. Central. Previously, Dallas and Brooklyn faced each other at the Barclays Center last Monday night, and the Mavericks defeated the Nets 120-101. Naji Marshall led the Mavericks in double-figures with 22 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie had 16 points and 12 assists.
The Mavericks have won four of their last five games, but they’ll try for their first three-game winning streak from February 12 to 21 — two games before the NBA All-Star Break and one game after the break. The Mavericks’ attempt must be fast, then consistent, in Monday night’s game because the Nets are coming off a 115-112 win over the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on Saturday night, a victory that snapped a six-game losing skid.
