Flaming hot Mavericks prediction spells disaster for 2024-25 season

Heading into the 2024-25 NBA season, one team that fans can't wait to begin the season is the Dallas Mavericks. After losing in the 2024 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics, the Mavericks are eager to have another deep playoff push.

Adding Klay Thompson in a sign-and-trade, signing underrated forward Naji Marshall, trading away Tim Hardaway Jr. and getting Quentin Grimes, and signing back Spencer Dinwiddie makes the Mavericks a talented Western Conference team.

However, there might be some people who still might not be buying into the Mavericks. With reaching the Finals as a fifth seed, some might think they still aren't an elite team to be reckoned with even with having their superstar duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Another bold take will have the Mavs ready to silence it.

Hot take has Mavs out of playoffs before Western Conference Finals

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus made an article titled "1 Hot Take for Every NBA Team This Season." For Pincus' hot take on the Mavericks, he had them "out before WCF."

For a team that made the NBA Finals as a fifth seed and having a successful free agency, that might be too bold to say and can be seen as disrespectful and wrong. The Mavericks now have an impressive big three of Doncic, Irving, and Thompson. Those three players strike fear in the heart of an opposing team whenever any of them are on the court.

A key area why the Mavericks are as good as they are is head coach Jason Kidd. In two of his three seasons as coach, the Mavericks have reached the Western Conference Finals. In both years, the Mavs have been able to take down elite teams.

In 2022, the Mavs knocked off the best team in the NBA the Phoenix Suns who won 64 games. The Mavericks eliminated them in seven games. In 2024, the Mavs also knocked off the best team in the Western Conference the Oklahoma City Thunder who won 57 games and also knocked off the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals who won 56 games.

Knocking off elite teams hasn't been an issue with Kidd as coach. Having Irving who excels under pressure in the playoffs also makes them a dangerous playoff team. Thomspon's leadership to the Mavericks gives them an extra boost too. Also having Derick Lively II who had a great rookie season, is destined to be a force for years.

The Mavericks have a roster that can make them a top-three team in the West along with the Thunder and Denver Nuggets. With the Timberwolves recently trading Karl-Anthony Towns, it can make the Mavericks more confident to finish higher than the fifth seed in the standings. For more on the Mavericks, stay tuned.