Mavericks get puzzling placement in NBA power rankings

Dallas is having its hottest stretch of the season so far. Where does that put them in this week's NBA power rankings?

Dec 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) runs back up the court during the game between the Mavericks and the Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are starting to see some improvement after a brutal 5-15 start.

The team is 5-2 in the last 7 games, including a difficult overtime loss against the Utah Jazz. NBA.com writer John Schuhmann conducted his weekly power rankings, where the Mavericks came in at No. 19, which is the same spot as the previous edition.

READ MORE: Cooper Flagg makes all kinds of team, NBA history in Mavericks' OT loss to Utah Jazz

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg waits to check in to the game against the Utah Jazz | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Mavericks stay pat in power rankings

The only teams that ranked behind the Mavericks in the Power Rankings were the Portland Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, and Sacramento Kings.

While things have been good for the Mavericks, it is not all roses and rainbows. The team announced that Dereck Lively II will be out for the rest of the season with a foot injury. That will force the other big men on the team to step up throughout the year.

"The Mavs announced on Wednesday that Dereck Lively II will have surgery on his right foot and miss the rest of the season. He’ll still be just 22 years old at the start of next season, and this should be a long-term project built around Cooper Flagg, who turns 19 on Sunday. But through his first three NBA seasons, Lively will have played in only 98 regular-season games," Schuhmann wrote.

In the meantime, the Mavericks will be back in action on Thursday when they host Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons, who are the number one team in the Eastern Conference. Then, the shift focuses on Saturday when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on the road.

These games will be good litmus tests for the Mavs to see where they are at this point in the season.

READ MORE: 3 overreactions as Mavericks fall to Jazz despite Cooper Flagg's record-setting 42 points

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