Dallas Mavericks predicted to finish surprisingly low in the West by FiveThirtyEight

Dallas Mavericks predicted to finish sixth in the Western Conference by FiveThirtyEight

The Dallas Mavericks enter the 2020-2021 season with expectations. Luka Doncic is the favorite to win MVP, and the Mavs will not be happy with a first-round playoff exit. They improved their roster this offseason and plan on making a run with the 21-year-old superstar leading the charge.

It will not be easy, though. The Western Conference is extremely deep this year. The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers are favored to repeat. The Clippers, Nuggets, and Jazz will be looking to reach the NBA Finals. There is plenty of depth too as only the Oklahoma City Thunder are rebuilding heading into the season.

Most have predicted the Mavericks to be a top-four team in the Western Conference, but what did FiveThirtyEight have to say in their annual model? Let us take a closer look.

Dallas Mavericks predicted to finish sixth in the Western Conference by FiveThirtyEight

FiveThirtyEight had Dallas finishing 42-30 in the shortened 72-game slate. That is the same record as the Phoenix Suns, but the Mavs lose the tiebreaker to finish sixth in the Western Conference. The Mavericks would face the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs if FiveThirtyEight’s model came to life.

Dallas has a 72 percent to make the playoffs, seven percent to win the Western Conference, and a three percent chance to win the championship in 2021.

All of those numbers seem low. The Mavericks improved their roster this offseason with the additions of Josh Richardson, James Johnson, and three talented rookies. They are in a position to add more pieces before the deadline too. Dallas won 43 of 75 games last season, so FiveThirtyEight is predicting virtually no improvement.

They also had the Rockets and Suns ahead of the Mavericks in the standings. Expect Luka Doncic and company to finish ahead of both teams at the end of the regular season.

FiveThirtyEight may not be bullish on the Dallas Mavericks, but fans should be. It promises to be a fun and exciting season that fans won’t want to miss. Keep it locked to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest on the Mavs.