Let’s all take a guess, shall we?
By this time tomorrow the Dallas Mavericks will be in the fourth quarter of their game against the San Antonio Spurs. That means we’re all getting our predictions in under the wire! Or I forgot to publish this, who is to say? But now we’re here, the staff predictions for the record of the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024-25 NBA season.
Gracie: I think the Mavericks will go 53-29. This is a 3 game improvement from last year’s season. The Mavericks were one of the hottest teams post trade deadline. I know some like to say that the Mavericks got worse this offseason losing Derrick Jones Jr., however, I believe what they will gain in the acquisitions of Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall will more than make up for the loss. The Mavericks have one of their deepest rosters ever, giving Kidd many different options to work with. Most importantly, it seems to me like this team understands what they missed out on last summer and are hungry to make it back to that point. As always, the key for the Mavericks is the health of top players Doncic, Irving, and Lively.
Tyler: The Mavericks will go 55-27 this year. This is going to be the first season in the Luka Doncic era that Dallas is a top 4 seed in the Western Conference. Having the two stars in Doncic & Irving are key, but the additions and growth of the other guys is what will make this team special. Klay Thompson will help the Mavericks return to being a top 5 offense. Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall are net upgrades over Tim Hardaway Jr. and Josh Green. The growth of Dereck Lively will be something to monitor. PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford return after full training camps with the team. Jason Kidd has a roster that runs 12 deep of playable guys, and I think that will prove to be huge over the course of the 82-game grind.
Sudarshan: 60-22.
A guy can dream, right? I think the Mavericks get lucky with the Injury bug this season and have a consistent run throughout. This is the most balanced roster that we’ve seen the Mavericks have in a decade and it still has plenty of room for improvement. Luka, Kyrie & Klay all have points to prove and narratives to destroy. The versatility of this team will ensure that it has an answer for almost anything that the Western Conference can throw at it. It’s about time that we see the Mavs get the #1 seed again.
Matt: Dallas should be a 54-28 team. Jason Kidd’s tenure as the Dallas Mavericks head coach has been defined by strong finishes. In his first season, Dallas was a middling team with a new coach that caught fire at the right time and ran to a surprise Western Conference Finals. He followed that up with a down year (that earned the team the right to draft Dereck Lively) and then started the next season so sluggishly, that by the end of January, sitting at 26-23, even the happiest Dallas warriors were floating the idea of firing him. The team responded by winning seven in a row, went 18-9 after the All-Star break (4th best in the league), and, of course, a Finals berth. The Mavericks, by and large, should have their roster set. With minimal need to spend the start of the season tweaking and experimenting, and the high expectations of a Finals appearance, Dallas will hopefully be a little steadier throughout the year and pick up more wins in the first half of the season.
Michael: I do not like playing the prediction game, but I can’t pass up a good round table discussion! I’m going to say the Mavs will win 57 games this season.
How did I land at this optimistic number? Last year the Mavs tallied 50 wins despite mailing in the final two games of the season, despite Kyrie missing 24 games, and despite needing to incorporate a few new faces in February. Being able to mail in a couple games at the end of this coming season will be a good problem to have, so let’s call that a wash. I expect Kyrie will play more games this year, assuming the total fluke injury caused by an errant Dwight Powell landing never happens again (this alone accounted for half of Kyrie’s total missed games). The Mavs went 11-13 when Kyrie didn’t play, so all else equal, not missing 12 games due to a fluke could easily have been the difference of 7 wins based on the team’s win percentage when he did play. This year’s new faces (and last February’s additions) have the benefit of Training Camp and Pre-Season together and if things go as planned, there won’t be need for big moves at the upcoming Trade Deadline. 57 wins won the West last year. So, optimistic? Yes. Realistic? I sure hope so.
Matt M.: I’ll go with 55 wins for the Mavs this season. The talent level is improved at least a little from a 50-win team a year ago. Included in this prediction is an optimistic (some may say dim) outlook for Kyrie Irving playing a few more than 58 games this year, which is what he managed last season. This team should perform fairly close to the level of the post-trade-deadline form of last year’s team. I don’t think the expectation should be anything less. As insane as it sounds, Luka Dončić’s career arc is still ascending. I think the Mavs may have something substantially more in Quentin Grimes than the talent he comes in replacing. I think Naji Marshall is a better version of Derrick Jones Jr., and no, I’m not concerned that he’ll be playing off the bench. When the Mavs need a defensive stopper in crunch time, I have confidence they’ll find a spot on the floor for him. With all this being said, I may be undershooting on the win total in my effort not to overshoot.
Isaac: 58-24.
It’s hard to predict how a team will play together in October. As a fan, your expectations are sky-high, but as a skeptic, there’s always that fear of “what if this doesn’t work? What if these players don’t mesh?”
The main concerns are obviously health and whether Kyrie Irving can continue to produce at the level he’s done in the last 18 months as he starts to age out of his prime. I think we’re still in for at least 2-3 more years of great Irving basketball but at 32, those questions start creeping in.But even with the question marks, there is just so much to like about this team. Luka Dončić comes in fresh off a 32/9/9 season and should, theoretically, be even better as he inches closer to his physical prime. Dereck Lively II showed flashes of greatness during last year’s playoff run and will now get starter minutes all season. PJ Washington returns to a role he thrived in last season as a fan favorite and a defensive force. Naji Marshall joins a team that will immediately utilize his skills with the departure of Derrick Jones Jr and Quentin Grimes will look to thrive in the Tim Hardaway Jr minutes after he’s shown bright spots during the preseason.And I haven’t even mentioned the team’s premier signing in Klay Thompson. There’s always going to be a reason to feel doubt or anxiety, but this team is legit. Their 58-win pace for the second half of last season should hold and that is where I have them this season, either as the top seed in the West or just behind OKC.
David: The Mavericks will be 55-27 this year. They have incredible depth and even if their fearless leader Luka Doncic misses time they should be able to win games. They got significantly better across the board between acquisitions, talent development, and the guys they got rid of. This team is as solid as it has ever been, and the floor is very high.
Matthew: I don’t see any scheduled losses so 82-0.
In all seriousness, I predict the Mavericks go 56-26. They are a very good team with the depth needed to handle the rigors of the regular season and inevitable injury issues. They also have an established identity and the best player and backcourt in the world.
Kirk: I need them to win 55 games, so that’s my bet. They’re really good and they need to play like it night in and out. Sorry the season is a grind, that’s what they pay you for. Go Mavs.