Why Dallas Mavericks fans should be excited about the team’s preseason slate

Why Dallas Mavericks should be excited about preseason schedule: 3. Basketball is back

Preseason games mean basketball is officially back. Fans will be treated to games over the next three weeks because of EuroBasket, but it is not quite the same. MFFLs cannot head out to the arena or watch Doncic 85 times plus the playoffs in seven months without it being preseason basketball.

The Western Conference is shaping up to be a juggernaut. Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. are all healthy and ready to return to the floor. The Clippers and Nuggets join the Warriors, Suns, Grizzlies, and new-look Timberwolves as believers that they can take the conference this year.

Who wins it? Fans should be looking forward to preseason to get their first look at all these teams, including the Mavericks. How does Kawhi look coming off his ACL injury? Does Jamal Murray have the same explosiveness? Can Zion return and push the Pelicans near the top of the West?

For Mavericks fans, the biggest question might revolve around Luka Doncic’s conditioning, but he has three weeks of basketball ahead of him this year. Doncic played in three exhibitions before two World Cup qualifiers and EuroBasket. He could play as many as 14 games before training camp begins in late September, which should have him in top form entering the season.