Ranking the 5 most important Mavericks games of 2023-24 schedule

2. Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors, April 2

The 76th game of the season is a battle between the 2022 Western Conference champions and the runner-ups.

Since the beginning of 2019, the Mavs have held their own against the Warriors. Dallas sports an 11-9 record against this NBA powerhouse in their last 20 contests.

Of course, the Warriors had two straight substandard seasons from 2019 to 2021, but all in all, Dallas poses a good fight against Golden State.

Last season, after the trade deadline, the Dallas defense severely underperformed. They allowed more than 104 points in every single contest from February and on.

The Mavericks' defense must remain at least average throughout the entirety of the season. Facing the Warriors this late in the season will demonstrate whether or not the Mavs can hang with one of the West's most powerful opponents.

Although the Warriors are an aging team, their chemistry is like no other. The core of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green have played together since 2012 and will most likely finish their careers in Northern California.

A contest against the Warriors this late in the season will surely have playoff implications. In a perfect world, the Mavs and Warriors may even be battling for homecourt advantage or a secured spot in the playoffs.