Dallas Mavericks heavily favored to avoid play-in after winning streak

The Dallas Mavericks pushed their winning streak to three straight after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. Luka Doncic led the way as Dwight Powell and the defense stole the show to allow the Mavs to secure the season series versus the defending champions. Dallas looks to be getting hot at just the right time.

The win coupled with the Portland Trail Blazers losing to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday afternoon has the Mavericks comfortably in sixth. They are 1.5 games up on Monday morning as Dallas has just 13 left to play. The Mavs are also now just 1.5 games behind the Lakers for fifth as the races are heating up down the stretch.

Every team is trying to climb into the top six to avoid the chaos of the play-in tournament. The Mavericks’ three-game winning streak tremendously boosted their chances to advance directly to the playoffs. Here is a look at the odds on the morning of April 26, courtesy of ESPN’s BPI.

Dallas Mavericks heavily favored to avoid the play-in tournament

The Mavs’ three-game winning streak has gone parallel to a five-game losing streaking by the Blazers. It appears the ten teams that are going to make the postseason in the Western Conference are set. They are just battling it out for seeding at this point.

ESPN gives the Dallas Mavericks just a 25.5 percent chance to be the seven versus eight play-in game and a 74.5 percent of finishing in the top six. It was a stunning reversal after the Mavericks were favored to be part of the play-in last week.

ESPN has the Warriors and Blazers as the favorites for the seven versus eight game and Memphis versus San Antonio in nine against ten.

The Dallas Mavericks will do everything they can to avoid the play-in down the stretch. Expect Luka Doncic to get hot as his team goes on a run to close the 2020-2021 regular season. Do not miss it.