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Can the Dallas Mavericks win the Western Conference again you ask? Maybe is the answer, as the Mavericks proved some, if not most, people wrong last season. The Mavericks rose above the pack to represent the West in the 2024 NBA Finals, which was a fun two-month postseason run for all basketball reporters and fans.
This season is young, so we’ll see how the Mavericks’ season pans out. But the Mavericks look like they can repeat as Western Conference champions in 2025. Here’s why the Mavericks can win the West again. Read on for further details surrounding the debatable topic.
Dallas Mavericks Retain Key Players
The Dallas Mavericks’ retentions in the offseason were successful, as most of the Mavericks’ key players from the Western Conference championship run remain. In addition, Dallas acquired Klay Thompson, a veteran Shooting Guard with plenty of playoff experience as a four-time NBA champion in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.
The Mavericks finished fifth in the West last season, while the Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder finished with better regular season records. Of those four teams, the Clippers, Timberwolves, and Thunder arguably experienced significant personnel changes this offseason.
The Clippers lost one of their biggest stars, Paul George, who left Los Angeles for Philadelphia on a four-year, $212 million deal to join Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Timberwolves traded one of their stars, Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in a three-team trade for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The Thunder traded for Alex Caruso and signed Isaiah Hartenstein.
The Nuggets didn’t lose many key players, but they signed star Point Guard Russell Westbrook to a two-year veteran minimum contract. Westbrook, a nine-time NBA All-Star, is best known for his 11-year tenure with the Thunder.
Mavericks Stand Tall
Despite the Western Conference appearing to be wide-open, the Dallas Mavericks stand tall at the moment. The Mavericks got off to a good start with a 4-2 record before the Mavericks’ non-conference game against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. The Dallas Mavericks are also tied for the second-best odds to win the Western Conference this season.
It’s too early to tell, but the teams that finished above the Dallas Mavericks last season saw diminishing returns on their offseason investments. At the time of writing, the Los Angeles Clippers are 2-4, the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves are 3-3, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are 6-1. Aside from the Thunder, the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns are 5-1 at the time of writing. The Warriors and Suns’ overall ages have led to question marks, as most, if not all, people expected neither team to be in these positions.
Right now Oklahoma City seems to be the biggest threat to Dallas, as they finished first in the West, and their young core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren gained playoff experience. But it’s important to note that the Mavericks eliminated the Thunder in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Mavericks’ Opponents’ Struggles
The Dallas Mavericks’ opponents’ struggles are quite obvious, but nothing lasts forever. The Thunder’s depth, defense, and national media coverage can outweigh their flaws in their offensive rating, defensive rebounding, and chemistry. Just like the team’s opponents, the Mavericks’ successes aren’t guaranteed as this season goes by, despite improving their defense too.
If the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder remain in the top four seeds in the Western Conference, then keep an eye on them because they might match up in the Western Conference Finals as two of the most complete teams in the Western Conference.
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