The Dallas Mavericks suffered a disappointing defeat in the NBA Finals last season, falling to the Boston Celtics in five games. They were clearly outmatched against a team with shooting and versatile defensive options to throw at Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, but that’s no reason to be discouraged about the future of the Mavericks.
Bleacher Report recently ranked every team’s three-year championship window and placed the Mavs fifth behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Boston Celtics, the Denver Nuggets, and the Philadelphia 76ers. An argument can be made about whether they should be placed above the 76ers and Nuggets but this is what B/r had to say about the Mavs’ placement.
READ MORE: The Dallas Mavericks’ Addition of Klay Thompson Is Underrated
“SuperDuperUltraMegaAbsurd stars have a way of wedging open title windows almost entirely on their own. Luka Dončić is that brand of brilliant—and just about to enter his age-25 season, which is SuperDuperUltraMegaAbsurdly ridiculous. That alone puts the Dallas Mavericks into the top-10 conversation.
Advertisement
“But Dončić is not alone. Not even close.
“Landing Dereck Lively II at the 2023 draft was a stroke of genius by the Mavs front office. The closer he inches toward his prime during this window, the better off Dallas will be.
“Kyrie Irving arms the Mavs with a certified co-star. He’s also one of their question marks—not because of his fit, but because he’ll close this window in his age-35 season. For as deep as Dallas is now, it’s not built to withstand much measurable regression from him.
“The integration of a 34-year-old Klay Thompson looms as well. But the Mavs are younger elsewhere. P.J. Washington is about to turn 26. Daniel Gafford turns 26 in October. Naji Marshall turns 27 in January. Quentin Grimes is a sneaky candidate to emerge as a big-picture three-and-D anchor and is only entering his age-24 season.
“Any prospective downside tethered to the Mavs’ window likely won’t manifest until the final year—at the absolute earliest. And that’s assuming they don’t have another notable trade or two in them. They might. They have two first-round picks to peddle in trades now, and that number climbs to three if they wait long enough.”
Advertisement
READ MORE: ESPN Predicts 2025 MVP Race Between Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Dallas’ championship hopes mainly rest on Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson aging gracefully while Luka Doncic remains one of the best players in the world. Thompson and Irving are entering their mid-30s and Thompson has already lost some athleticism due to injuries in the last few years, but his shooting and Irving’s control of the ball are two skills that shouldn’t fade.
Any improvement Dallas sees from Dereck Lively II or P.J. Washington would be a bonus. The Mavs have done the hard part in acquiring a player of Doncic’s level and surrounding him with star talent. If the role players can become better shooters and smarter defenders, the Mavericks should have as good a chance as any to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the next few years.
The Thunder and Celtics placed in the top two spots makes sense. Both are young teams with All-NBA talents entering their prime and have the shooting and versatile defenders necessary to win in today’s NBA. The Nuggets have Nikola Jokic, winner of three of the last four MVP awards, while the 76ers have a star trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George.
Given Embiid’s injury history and Paul George’s age and recent playoff performances, the Mavericks should be ranked ahead of them. Denver has lost a lot of pieces and is dealing with cap constraints. Jamal Murray also played poorly in the Olympics and some have to wonder if that will carry into the season. Jokic is Jokic but they’re not the same team they were and don’t have a lot of moves to make.
Advertisement
It feels like the 2000s again when Dallas was constantly in title contention with Dirk Nowitzki leading the way. The Mavs are hopeful Doncic can carry a similar impact through the rest of the decade and beyond.
READ MORE: Former All-Star Has High Expectations for Klay Thompson’s First Game Against Golden State Warriors
Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA Offseason
Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey onTwitter
OXNARD, Calif. — The day after multiple fire trucks showed up at the Cowboys’ hotel to put out an afternoon fire, club officials had little to say beyond the statement they released once the blaze was extinguished.
“The whole specifics of it, the pre and the post, I’m really not going to get into it,’’ coach Mike McCarthy said. “Some individuals have been affected by it, no doubt about it, the property damage and all of that goes into account.
“We’re thankful the response was outstanding and particularly the people here who were first on site, responded with fire extinguishers.’’
Advertisement
No injuries reported as fire breaks out at Cowboys’ Oxnard training camp facility
Cowboys
Be the smartest Cowboys fan. Get the latest news.
McCarthy was also very complimentary of the Oxnard Fire Department.
“They did an outstanding job in their response,’’ he said.
“It was a very unfortunate situation. We’re thankful that no one was hurt.’’
Advertisement
The fire started in a player’s room and forced him, along with a player in an adjacent room, to be moved elsewhere in the hotel for the final two nights of the team’s stay, those with knowledge of the incident said.
Catch David Moore with The Musers every Monday-Friday at 9:35 a.m. and on The Hardline every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4:35 p.m. on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) during training camp.
X/Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN
Dallas Cowboys expected to sign Linval Joseph, adding veteran presence at nose tackle
As Oxnard stay ends, what can Cowboys take from intense, spirited final padded practice?
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
The Dallas Cowboys wrap up the NFL preseason this weekend, before heading to Cleveland for the regular season-opener against the Browns on Sunday, September 8.
With the regular season right around the corner, a new set of rankings across the NFL are being released.
On Wednesday, The Ringer released its offensive rankings for the upcoming season.
Despite having the 2023 NFL MVP runner-up and an All-Pro wide receiver who is one of the pass catches in the league, the Cowboys offense was snubbed.
Dallas ranked outside of the top 10, checking in at No. 12.
“From a personnel standpoint, the Cowboys lost a couple of offensive linemen in free agency and are counting on rookies to replace them. The run game looks uninspiring. And aside from wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (who is incredible), the pass-catching group is unimpressive,” the article reads.
“It’s also hard to project how Prescott, Lamb, and Mike McCarthy will respond to their uncertain contract situations. Overall, this looks like a high-floor, low-ceiling group.”
Did the Cowboys lose a few offensive lineman? Yes, but they also reloaded in a big way in the draft.
Advertisement
Jul 26, 2024; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks (3) during training camp at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, California. / Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
The additions of Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe have paid huge dividends throughout camp and the preseason, and they have proven they can be impact starters on the offense.
Calling the pass-catching group “unimpressive” is shocking, especially with the amount of players who have stepped up in a big way throughout camp. The wide receiver position is one of the deepest on the team, and it is hard to project who will make the final 53-man roster.
In the end, rankings are just words and numbers on the internet. And it’s up to the Cowboys offense, loaded with talent, to prove the doubters wrong.
— Enjoy free coverage of the Cowboys from Dallas Cowboys on SI —
HOPE: Jerry Jones remains optimistic amidst ongoing CeeDee Lamb contract talks
Eastbound I-30 closed at 635 in Mesquite after gravel truck crash – CBS Texas
Watch CBS News
A truck hauling gravel overturned on eastbound I-30 at 635 in Mesquite around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday. The highway’s eastbound lanes are shut down while crews clear the scene.
Advertisement
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.