Dallas Basketball

Mavericks Remain NBA Championship Contender Despite Injury Woes

Some NBA analysts remain high on the Mavericks despite their losses.
Keenan Womack|
Jan 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the first quarter at against the Denver Nuggets the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jan 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the first quarter at against the Denver Nuggets the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Dallas Mavericks

According to ESPN's NBA Western Conference Tiers, the Dallas Mavericks are still contenders, despite a rash of injuries and their current place as the 7-seed. The obvious team on top is the Oklahoma City Thunder, who sit at 35-7; they are the clear-cut best team in the West, sitting just one game back of the Cleveland Cavaliers for best record in the entire NBA.

Dallas sits in a tier with the Denver Nuggets (27-16), Houston Rockets (28-14), LA Clippers (24-18), and Memphis Grizzlies (28-15), all of whom are currently in the top seven seeds at the moment. These teams sit above the next group, labeled "In the Playoff Mix," which includes the Golden State Warriors (21-21), Los Angeles Lakers (23-18), Minnesota Timberwolves (22-21), and Sacramento Kings (22-20).

READ MORE: Mavericks' Kyrie Irving Makes Case for All-Star Bid

The next tier of teams, called "Just Aim for the Play-In," features just two teams: the Phoenix Suns (21-21) and the San Antonio Spurs (19-22). Below them are the teams "Looking Forward to the Lottery," which includes the New Orleans Pelicans (12-32), Portland Trail Blazers (15-28), and Utah Jazz (10-31).

With the news that starting center Dereck Lively II will be out for 2-3 months, the Mavericks are trying to avoid free-fall after losing nine of their last 12 games. With an important matchup against the Timberwolves looming, followed by a trip to Oklahoma City on the second night of a back-to-back, Dallas desperately needs to string together some wins in order to keep their dreams of repeating as Western Conference champions alive.

READ MORE: Ex-NBA Player Opens Unfortunate Kyrie Irving Possibility For Dallas Mavericks

With absences to nearly every crucial player on the roster this year, including Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Lively II, PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes, and others, it will take seriously solid play for Dallas to emerge in the West as a true contender despite the opinions of some experts. Their path to reclaiming the throne is not an easy one, and will require luck on the injury front as well as very consistent play from reserves when the starters are out for extended periods of time.

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.