Mavericks looking to build a winning streak vs. Bucks with pressure ramping

The Dallas Mavericks picked up their third win of the season on Saturday evening against the Washington Wizards. They're looking to establish some momentum, but the schedule ahead is rough, starting with the Milwaukee Bucks coming to town on Monday evening.

Milwaukee is a simple team: they have Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they have surrounded him with a bunch of shooting talent. It's basically the inverse of the Dallas Mavericks, who don't have a focal offensive star, and they have no shooting ability whatsoever.

This is the second night of a back-to-back for Milwaukee, which is coming off a 122-115 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, despite Antetokounmpo putting up 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Ryan Rollins also had a solid game with 19 points and 5 assists, as he's been a solid diamond in the rough find.

But it really isn't THAT talented of a team. Myles Turner is a great fit at center next to Antetokounmpo, but his scoring numbers have taken a decent hit from his last few years with the Indiana Pacers. This really is Giannis playing at an MVP level (33.8 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 6.2 APG), and as long as he's healthy, that's going to be the plan moving forward.

Nov 7, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks a basket in the 3rd quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, the Mavericks are starting to feel the pressure of a horrific start to the season. NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Sunday evening that the ownership is starting to feel all of the negativity around the franchise and may start to think about making a move, even if it's not imminent.

Dallas is out to a 3-7 start, with wins over the Indiana Pacers, Toronto Raptors, and Washington Wizards (a combined 7-22), and the fanbase is already starting to grow restless, especially when they see Luka Doncic thriving on the Lakers while Anthony Davis racks up DNPs, and isn't even impactful when he's on the floor. The schedule ahead looks rough, too. For the rest of November, the Mavericks may only be favored in two or three games. Kyrie Irving is still probably a few months away, so there is no saving this offense in the near future.