The Dallas Mavericks have had some up and down performances during the 2023-24 NBA regular season. Despite boasting one of the league’s greatest offenses, the squad has struggled defensively, allowing up points at an alarming rate, particularly beyond the 3-point line.
However, sometimes it only takes one game for a club to entirely turn their season around. For the Mavericks, that game could have taken place over the weekend against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
The Mavericks defeated the Nuggets 107-105 on a Kyrie Irving left-handed buzzer-beater. It was the team’s fifth win in the last six games, bringing their record to 39-29.
This tied them virtually with the Sacramento Kings, who are sixth in the Western Conference outside of the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Kings have a percentage point lead with a 38-28 record, while the Mavericks are tied with the Phoenix Suns.
Getting out of the Play-In Tournament should be the Mavericks’ top priority down the stretch of the season. However, Irving stated following the victory over the Nuggets that the squad has much higher goals this season.
With Irving and Luka Doncic in the same backcourt, the Mavericks are a formidable force in the Western Conference. Having two players who can score as readily as that pair will be extremely beneficial in the playoffs, when games slow down and focus more on halfcourt performance.
To achieve Irving’s goal, Dallas must begin to perform at a high level overall. They have demonstrated defensive prowess, limiting their opponents to 105 or fewer points in their last three wins. Consistently doing this would help them achieve their aim of winning an NBA championship.
