The race for the NBA Playoffs is on, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area is abuzz with “Mavericks Mania.”
The Mavericks are the hottest team in the NBA, which is a great sign heading into April. We all know the value of a team getting hot at the right time, and Mavericks fans hope the flame of success continues through the playoffs.
The Mavs won eleven out of fifteen games this month, including seven in a row, and capped off the month with Sunday’s road win in Houston. That hot streak has propelled the Mavericks from an NBA Play-In team to a 6-seed team.
The Mavs’ offense is a big reason for their success, with Luka Magic in full motion and Kyrie Irving continuing to produce. Tim Hardaway Jr. is putting up solid numbers, while the addition of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford has diversified an explosive offense. The result? The team is averaging 117 points per game, sixth in the NBA.
Dallas made the most of playing on the road (nine of fifteen games during March), going 7-2 record in hostile territory. But Indiana continues to be a problem, especially on defense. But to be fair, the Pacers are giving lots of teams problems, shooting 50%-plus from the field and leading the league in average points per game and highest field goal percentage.
In addition to the Pacers, two Atlantic Division teams are especially challenging. Dallas lost consecutively to Indiana, Boston, and Philadelphia during a March 1-5 rough patch. The good news is that the Mavs lost only one more time (to the conference-leading Thunder) during the remainder of March.
Mavericks fans can rest easier with that outcome in mind, especially by winning at Houston to cap off the month. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were in full force, including Luka’s underhanded shot in the 3rd.
The dominant win ended the Rockets’ eleven-game win streak and extended the Mavericks’ mastery of NBA rivals.
What comes next? The next two weeks are critical, and it all starts with a road contest against the Warriors tomorrow night.
