Dallas Mavericks make ESPN top 10 title contenders for 2021

Dallas Mavericks make ESPN’s top ten title contenders for 2021

Dallas Mavericks supporters were pleasantly surprised by Luka Doncic and the team this season. Most hoped they would be in the running for the eighth seed in the Western Conference as the 21-year-old made his first All-Star team. Instead, the Mavs were comfortably in the playoffs as Doncic finished fourth in the MVP race.

Dallas was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the LA Clippers, but it gave fans hope. They won two games including one in dramatic fashion, despite not having Kristaps Porzingis for most of the series. The team thinks they can jump into title contention next season.

That is a bold goal, though. The Mavericks are counting on internal growth and adding a few pieces to make it happen. ESPN took a look at the title contenders for 2021 in a recent piece by Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton (subscription required). Let us see where Dallas fell in the rankings.

Dallas Mavericks finish tenth in ESPN’s top title contenders for 2021

The Mavs took the final spot in both Mark’s and Pelton’s top ten. They noted that it hinged on the health of Kristaps Porzingis. Dallas must find a way to keep the Unicorn on the court to make a serious run at the title in 2021 and beyond.

Dallas could be slightly higher in both rankings. Pelton put the Philadelphia 76ers over them. Marks had the Raptors which could lose Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, and Marc Gasol this offseason. The Mavs should be ranked over both teams in the short term.

It is awesome to see the Mavericks back in the title conversation. Fans know that it has been a little while since they were mentioned in that breathe.

This is only be the beginning, though. The Mavs will continue to build the roster around Luka Doncic as they make the jump into series contenders soon enough. The future is bright in Dallas, and fans will not want to miss a second of it, so stay tuned.