Why the next 6 games will determine if the Dallas Mavericks make the playoffs

The Dallas Mavericks entered the All-Star break at 31-29 and in sixth place in the Western Conference. Luka Doncic is leading the league in scoring, and the Mavs just pulled off a blockbuster trade for eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving. Dallas lost three straight heading into the break, and they are just two games from falling out of the play-in tournament entirely.

The Mavs have 22 games left in the regular season and plenty of questions to answer. Can Luka and Kyrie form an unstoppable duo that leads Dallas on a deep playoff run? Will their defense be strong enough? Do they find their footing fast enough to avoid the play-in tournament? All of those questions will be answered over the next six weeks.

The Mavericks come out of the All-Star break with a six-game homestand that will determine their season. They must find their footing quickly or things could take a turn for the worse in Dallas. Here is a look at why the next six games are crucial for the Mavs.

Why the next 6 games will determine if the Dallas Mavericks make the playoffs

The Mavs are 19-10 at the American Airlines Center this season, and they are just 12-19 on the road. After this six-game homestand, Dallas has ten road games and six at home left. They open with three games against teams outside the play-in tournament to get right before hosting the Sixers, Suns, and Jazz.

The Mavericks can afford to lose one or two games, but going 3-3 or worse during this stretch would be disastrous. They have a schedule-loss to the Pelicans on the second night of a back-to-back coming out of his homestand before facing the Grizzlies three times over the next five games. After the six games at home, nine of their final 16 games are against teams expected to make the playoffs.

The Mavs need to make a move right now. The Spurs have lost 14 straight heading into Thursday’s game. They must defeat the new-look Lakers and Rick Carlisle’s Pacers and come out of the break 3-0. Going 2-1 over the next three would set Dallas up to qualify for the playoffs by just beating teams they are favored over.

Fans will be watching the Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving partnership closely down the stretch. Can they find their rhythm and help the Dallas Mavericks go on a run? If not, does the team miss the playoffs after the blockbuster trade? Those first six games will tell a massive part of the story, so please tune in and enjoy the show.