[TRC1991Participant]

past previews http://www.nbadraft.net/forum/team-preview-atlanta-hawks, http://www.nbadraft.net/forum/team-preview-boston-celtics, http://nbadraft.net/forum/team-preview-brooklyn-nets, http://nbadraft.net/forum/team-preview-charlotte-bobcats, http://nbadraft.net/forum/team-preview-chicago-bulls, http://nbadraft.net/forum/team-preview-cleveland-cavaliers
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Dallas Mavericks
2011-2012 Record: 36-30
Head Coach: Rick Carlisle
Key Additions:  OJ Mayo, Darren Collison, Elton Brand, Chris Kaman, Dahntay Jones, Jae Crowder, Jared Cunningham, Bernard James
Key Losses: Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Lamar Odom, Ian Mahinmi, Brendan Haywood, Yi Jianlian

Projected Two Deeps:
PG- Darren Collison / Roddy Beaubois

SG- OJ Mayo / Vince Carter

SF- Shawn Marion / Dahntay Jones

PF- Dirk Nowitzki / Elton Brand

C- Chris Kaman / Brandan Wright

Projected Statistics:
Dirk Nowitzki (20.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.3 apg, 46% FG)

OJ Mayo (17.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 0.9 spg)

Chris Kaman (12.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 45% FG)

Darren Collison (10.9 ppg, 6.7 apg, 2.2 spg, 44% FG)

Shawn Marion (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.7 apg, 47% FG)

Elton Brand (9.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 48% FG)

Vince Carter (8.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 38% FG)

Roddy Beaubois (7.2 ppg, 4.2 apg, 1.5 rpg, 0.8 spg)

Delonte West (6.5 ppg, 2.4 apg, 1.6 rpg, 40% FG)

Jae Crowder (5.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 37% 3PT)

Dahntay Jones (5.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 42% FG)

Brandan Wright (4.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 56% FG)

Dominique Jones (4.8 ppg, 2.0 apg, 1.9 rpg, 43% fg)

Jared Cunningham (2.7 ppg, 1.2 apg, 0.9 rpg, 32% FG)

Bernard James (1.2 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.4 bpg, 45% FG)

 

Mavericks’ Strengths: Veteran Presence, Go-To Scorer, Playoff Experience, Depth, Bench Talent, Coaching, Backcourt Youth

Mavericks’ Weaknesses: Older Roster, Lack of Chemistry, Potential Headaches, Small Forward Quality, No Backup Center, Injury Prone

Roundup: Dallas added a bevy of established pro’s this offseason led by mercurial off-guard OJ Mayo who departed Memphis with the hopes of continuing his career in a starter’s role. The Mavericks lost veteran Jason Kidd to the Knicks but added Darren Collison to be the lead guard in the offense. Last year was disappointing for Mavericks fans. The whole team lost its confidence on defense without Tyson Chandler and offensively, they struggled as well despite making the playoffs. Along with Mayo and Collison, Dallas brought in Elton Brand who was amnestied by Philadelphia, and also signed underrated center Chris Kaman. In the draft, Dallas reached and took athletic combo guard Jared Cunningham out of Oregon State and then added Big East player of the year Jae Crowder in the 2^nd round. The Mavericks are getting older, with all-star Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Elton Brand, and Vince Carter all being at least 33 years of age. Rick Carlisle is just 1 year removed from leading this team to an NBA title so he knows how to win. I expect this team to be greatly improved from last year and a definite playoff team.

Projected Record: 46-36 (6^th in West)

Next up…Denver!

-TC

[corneggParticipant]

You’re really underestimating Brandan Wright!

[joshinator1Participant]

 I think he is over estimating Brandan Wright haha

[TRC1991Participant]

Haha, Brandan Wright, one of those guys that really… just….doesnt…matter..

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]



What I think people forget about Dallas is that they didn’t take a step back defensively last year. People simply put it out there that the Mavs weren’t as good because Tyson Chandler left. It simply wasn’t the case. It was the offense, Dirk and Jason Kidd not being physically ready for the compressed season, and Lamar Odom being petulant. The defense was 8th in FG% allowed, points in the paint allowed, and Defensive Rating per possession. They were 12th in points allowed per game. All four of those categories outperformed their 2011 numbers. The defense was there, and it is the same system that will have them being among the better teams in the league again this year.

Anyone who saw Kidd last year can see that Dallas upgraded markedly by going to Darren Collison. O.J. Mayo was a great pickup. He showed that he could put up numbers, but the true mark of him was that he was adaptable to put the team above himself. Dahntay Jones and Jae Crowder are grinders who offer depth at the wings when the vets basically need an old man’s night off. I think the interesting part of their training camp will be who emerges as the 4th guard (behind Collison, Mayo, and West) from the group of Beaubois, Cunningham, Dominique Jones, and I’ll throw in long shot camp invites Josh Akognon and Tu Holloway. Beaubois has had his shot completely fall off the table the past two years, but he should still win that battle. It is not as if Cunningham or Jones are marksmen. Regardless, I think that offensively they are going to be much more explosive this year, because of the volume of offensive threats. I don’t think a lot of teams can look at their roster like Dallas can (Dirk, Kaman, Brand, Vince, Delonte, Mayo, Collison, Marion, Dahntay Jones), and then reach their tenth through twelfth men (Beaubois, Brandan Wright, and Bernard James) before even having so much as a question as to whether they can help an offense. They go nine deep with guys who have averaged better than 10 PPG in at least one of the past four years, and go six deep of guys who have averaged more than 18 per game in their careers. I think it is going to take multiple long-term injuries (or a major Dirk injury) for this team to win less than 50 games. I understand that Dallas is on that list of teams people want to write off, but I just don’t see it.

 

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