In many cases, it's understandable that an NBA player would feel bitter toward his former team for being traded to a rebuilding team in the middle of the season.
But that's not the case for former Dallas Mavericks forward Grant Williams after he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets at the trade deadline along with Seth Curry and a 2027 first-round pick in P.J. Washington. Ahead of Tuesday's game between the Mavs and Hornets at Spectrum Center at 6 p.m. CT, Williams spoke highly of his former team and said he likes their chances of making it to the NBA Finals. Ta.
April 1, 2024. Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams (2), Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
Jim Dedmon – USA TODAY Sports
“Trust me, that team could be a championship contender,” Williams said. “I think it all depends on the situation.” [playoff] Match. That's all there is to be concerned about. ”
Currently, the Mavs (48-30) are the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference, trailing the Los Angeles Clippers (50-28) with four games left in the regular season. If the season ended today, the Mavs and Clippers would face off in the first round of the playoffs.
Los Angeles is 2-1 against Dallas in the regular season and has eliminated the Mavs in two of their last three playoff appearances.
Dallas caught fire at the right time, going 14-2 in their last 16 games, their best record since they last won the NBA Finals in 2011. The core of the Mavs' late-season breakthrough has been the play of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Doncic averaged a triple-double in the last 16 games he played, averaging 31.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game. He and Irving have been great, averaging 26.1 points, 5.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds over the Mavs' past 16 games.
The duo of Doncic and Irving and the team have taken a huge leap forward since Washington acquired Daniel Gafford at the trade deadline, and Williams believes Dallas has what the team needs to make a deep run in the playoffs. I believe we have everything.
“The talent is there,” Williams said. “With Kyrie and Luka, we will have the best players in the world.” [playoff] Almost every series, that's what you need in a playoff series. This allows for a diverse lineup. The team is very deep. ”
