Dallas Mavericks: An honest breakdown of the season schedule

February

Total games: 10

Home games: 6

Away games: 4

Games against Eastern Conference opponents: 5

Games against Western Conference opponents: 5

Game to watch: The Indiana Pacers are one of my favorite teams in the East and people forget just how good they were last year. They were the first team in the East last year to give LeBron a real challenge in the playoffs, and they could be a solid threat to the Celtics this year.

The Mavs will be tasked with slowing down Victor Oladipo and company on February 27th. Dallas actually went 2-0 against Indy last year, despite being nowhere near the level that they were playing at. I like the Mavs in this one, especially with the roster improvements.

Easiest game: The Cleveland Cavaliers are in disarray, reminiscent of the 2010-11 season when LeBron James left the first time. This time, the team looks a little better, especially with Kevin Love leading the team. Even still, the Cavs are likely not expected to be a playoff team.

Dallas should be able to take this game, even with the youthful roster. Some big games from guys like George Hill, Rodney Hood or Collin Sexton would be helpful to Kevin Love, but the Mavs should have too much for the Cavs. The game is on February 2nd.

Hardest game: The hardest game for the Mavs February schedule is likely the Houston Rockets on February 11th. Houston lost a couple players from their killer team last year, but they are still one of the top favorites to be a high seed in the Western Conference.

James Harden is still an absolute monster on the court. He and Chris Paul make up a lethal backcourt and Clint Capela could easily be a top three center in the league. The Mavs will struggle against their speed and D’Antoni’s offense, but if the youngsters can figure everything out, it could be a good one.