NBA Title Odds: Where Mavs Rank Among Remaining Teams
The Dallas Mavericks are fully focused on their matchup against the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals. However, others are looking ahead at which teams are best suited to win the 2022 NBA Finals.
Given they are facing the top-seeded Suns, the Mavericks are not a common pick by experts to win it all this season. Now, though, things could change if they pull off an upset against Phoenix.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Sports Illustrated's Rohan Nadkarni ranked each of the remaining NBA playoff teams by their title odds. The Mavericks came in seventh among the eight teams that still remain in the playoffs with the Philadelphia 76ers being the lone team lower.
"This is no shade to Dallas. Any time you pick against Luka Doncic he makes you feel like an idiot," Nadkarni wrote. "At the same time, the Mavs have the misfortune of playing against the team that was far and away the best during the regular season, and I’m not sure this current iteration of Dallas’s roster has enough experience together in high-stakes moments to topple a hungry team like the Suns."
Nadkarni views the Suns as being a much greater challenge for the Mavericks compared to the Jazz. He doesn't view Doncic's impact as being enough to pull off the series win.
"Phoenix is going to be a much tougher challenge than the Jazz, particularly when it comes to late-game execution. Luka will almost certainly be the best player on the floor every night. Right now, I don’t think that will be enough."
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Many consider the Suns as being the favorites in the series and as being the front-runner to win the title before the playoffs began. Nadkarni still views them as being the top threat to pull off a championship run before the start of the Western Conference Semifinals unfolds.
It's tough to contain a half-court offense with Chris Paul and Devin Booker leading the way in the backcourt. The defensive impact of Mikal Bridges can disrupt just about any player in addition to having the two-way impact of Deandre Ayton anchoring the middle.
The Mavericks' chances should not be discounted. It goes a long way to have one of the NBA's elite players and the best one in a given series. When factoring in the unit around Doncic defends at a high level, there is trustworthy backcourt help, and no shortage of spot-up shooting threats, the supporting cast checks a lot of boxes.
