ESPN's NBA Power Rankings: Luka Doncic, Mavs Stay in Top 10 with Potential to Rise
DALLAS – Through 30 games into the 2023-24 season, the Dallas Mavericks have weathered the injury storm, posting a record of 18-12 while missing key contributors – including Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, Josh Green and others – along the way.
Luka Doncic's MVP-level play has been the biggest reason for Dallas being able to keep its head above water and the .500 mark, as he's averaging 33.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 9.4 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting a career-high 38.7 percent from beyond the arc.
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In his latest masterpiece, Doncic became just the fourth player in NBA history to post 50 points in a Christmas Day game. He finished with an insane stat line of 50 points, six rebounds, 15 assists, four steals and three blocks in the Mavs' 128-114 win over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.
In ESPN's latest NBA Power Rankings, the Mavs stayed put in the top 10, but they have a lot of potential to rise as the season progresses if they can stay relatively healthy.
"The lineup of Luka Doncic, Irving, Exum, Derrick Jones Jr. and Dereck Lively II is plus-35 in 22 minutes. The four-man group, excluding Irving, is plus-76 in 71 minutes. The trio of Doncic, Exum and Lively is plus-86 in 180 minutes," Tim MacMahon wrote while also restating head coach Jason Kidd's intentions to continue to start Dante Exum after Irving returns to action.
"Lively, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the Mavs' Christmas Day win over the Suns after missing the previous four games with a sprained ankle, has been a driving force in Dallas' success. The Mavs are 17-7 when Lively plays and 1-5 when he doesn't."
The Mavs will have a chance to pad their record, as they'll likely be favored to win five out of their next six games. After taking on a shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers team at home on Wednesday, Dallas travels to Minnesota to for an extremely tough second night of a back-to-back against the Timberwolves. After that, the Mavs finish off the calendar year in San Fransisco against the Golden State Warriors, then start 2024 with a matchup against the Utah Jazz and a two-game mini-series against the Portland Trail Blazers at home.
