Dallas Mavericks: 5 post All-Star break predictions

1. The Mavs finish 5th in the West

The Dallas Mavericks are about to go on an absolute tear. They open with seven of their first eight games against below .500 teams. A healthy and rested Mavs squad is going to feast on that competition. That sets up an impressive stretch run where the Mavericks vault back up the standings.

They currently have the same record as the Oklahoma City Thunder but do not hold the tiebreaker. The two team’s matchup in the final game of the regular season. Expect Dallas to be way ahead of them by that point.

The Mavericks have two home games against the Houston Rockets left. The Rockets are 1.5 games ahead of Dallas currently. The Mavs reel them in down the stretch. The Rockets’ shift to exclusively playing small ball has some bumps in the road as they slip to sixth in the West.

The Mavericks face the Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs with the Lakers awaiting the winner. Dallas enters the series as a slight underdog but quickly takes command with a win in Utah.

Dallas Mavericks fans should be ecstatic about the current team and their bright future. Keep it locked to The Smoking Cuban for news, opinions, and analysis on a daily basis.