The Dallas Mavericks are struggling right now. Superstar Luka Doncic has been impressive, but the team dropped five straight games and has allowed at least 111 points in ten consecutive. The Mavs have been hit hard by COVID issues, but have also underperformed expectations.
They need their talent to return to form. Kristaps Porzingis is off to a slow start after returning from offseason knee surgery. Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Dwight Powell are still working their way back after missing multiple weeks in the health and safety protocols. Maxi Kleber is set to return on Feb. 1 after sitting out 11 games. Better health should help the Mavericks vault up the standings.
Where are they in the Power Rankings right now? What do the Mavs need to do to improve? Let us take a closer look.
Dallas Mavericks fall in Power Rankings after five-game losing streak
The Mavs dropped from 12th to 20th in ESPN’s ranks this week. They slipped from 13th to 20th in Bleacher Report’s. The Athletic (subscription required) placed them 17th and handed out a D-plus grade for the Mavericks first quarter of the season.
Are the Mavs a bottom third team in the league? No. They need to get it figured out and quickly, though. Dallas has one of the top five players in the league in Luka Doncic. They must find the pieces to build a consistent winner around him. Monitor their play over the next two weeks. The Mavericks could start making moves if things do not improve.
One of the areas Dallas needs to be better is 3-point shooting. They must improve their shot selection and return to connecting at a consistent rate. There have been plenty of open looks, but the Mavs are not converting.
Expect the Dallas Mavericks to start climbing the standings. Stay tuned to see how it all shakes out.