NBA Power Rankings: Mavs Moving Up After Luka Doncic's Big Week?
The Dallas Mavericks are riding a three-game win streak, proving to the rest of the league that they can be in the mix of contenders when the playoffs arrive.
During the win streak, Luka Dončić has cemented his status as one of the best players in the game, scoring 30 or more in every game this season and averaging a league-best 36 points per game.
With the winning ways established in Dallas, the Mavs moved up three spots from No. 10 to No. 7 in the latest edition of Sports Illustrated's power rankings.
Here's a look at what SI had to say about the Mavericks ...
The Mavericks scored a pair of close wins over quality opponents to get above .500 for the first time. Luka Dončić, whose 36 PPG leads the league, continued his streak of 30-plus point games to start the season with 33 in a three-point win against the Jazz and 35 more in a one-point win against the Raptors. Dallas, which operates at the second-slowest pace, owns the No. 1 offensive rating and ranks in the top-five in most shooting efficiency metrics. That all boils down to Dončić, the one-man wonder with the near-40% usage rate.
The Mavs, with their league-best offensive rating, look to continue their win streak this week as they face three sub-.500 teams (Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards), followed by a big game at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
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