If you just want to catch up, Dallas has two teams in the NBA and NHL playoffs, with the Mavericks facing the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round on Sunday and the Stars awaiting their opponent.
Dallas will face the No. 4 seed Clippers in the postseason for the third time in five years, as the Mavericks won the Southwest Division title and the No. 5 seed in the playoffs with a 111-92 win over Miami last week. This will be the opening match of the round.
Luka Doncic. Kawhi Leonard. Kyrie Irving. Paul George. James Harden. Russell Westbrook.
This star-studded matchup could be touted as one of the most interesting first-round playoff series due to the historical background of both teams.
Here's what you need to know about the fast-rising team that no other team in the NBA seems to want to play against.
What is the playoff format and schedule?
This week's play-in tournament will determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. Here's what we know so far about the other teams' complete playoff schedules and the seven-game series between the Mavericks and LA Clippers starting Sunday.
first round
(4) LA Clippers vs. (5) Dallas
Game 1: Dallas, LA. Sunday, April 21st
Game 2: to be decided
Game 3: to be decided
Game 4: to be decided
Games 5-7: as needed
conference semifinals
Starts May 6-7, but can be moved to May 4-5
conference finals
Starts May 21-22, but may move up to May 19-20
nba finals
If 7 games are required, they will be held from June 6th to 23rd.
How did the Mavs get here?
The Mavericks spent the first half of March in eighth place in the Western Conference, qualifying for the play-in tournament. However, the acquisitions of Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington strengthened Dallas' frontcourt, propelling the team to a 50-32 record and the No. 5 seed.
When Gafford and Washington officially entered the lineup on February 10, the Mavericks posted a 21-9 record and entered the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the West.
previous meeting
The Mavericks and Clippers met three times within the first two months of the regular season. LA won the series 2-1.
On November 10, the Mavericks lit up the scoreboard with a 144-126 victory over the Clippers in the AAC, thanks to Doncic's 44 points and six assists. LA won the next two games on November 25th and December 20th.
In Game 7 of the first round of the 2021 playoffs, Doncic had 46 points, 7 rebounds, and 14 assists, while Leonard had a triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, leading the Clippers to 126-111. he led. victory.
In the 2020 bubble, Dallas lost to the Clippers in six games.
What are the Mavericks' strengths?
The Mavericks' success begins and ends with the powerful offensive duo of Doncic and Irving, but the additions of Washington and Gafford make them a different team than they were at the start of the regular season. Dallas went from 22nd in defensive rating before the trade deadline to fourth before Sunday's loss to Oklahoma City, with its new starting lineup outscoring opponents by 15.5 points per 100 possessions.
Dallas also finished the regular season as one of the league's top scoring teams, ranking seventh in the NBA with an average of 117.9 points per game. The Mavericks made 1,197 3-pointers, ranking third on 36.9% from beyond the arc.
What are the Mavericks' weaknesses?
The Mavericks' long postseason run will depend on the health of their two best players. Meanwhile, other players like Gafford, Washington, and Tim Hardaway Jr. will need to fill in as fill-in options, especially while Josh Green works to recover from his ankle injury.
Dallas also needs consistent shooting from bench players. The second unit averaged 35.8 points per game while shooting 44.3% from the field throughout the regular season.
Get to know the Mavericks
Other names to know besides Doncic, Irving and coach Jason Kidd are:
Daniel Gafford: He has improved since taking on the role of starting center for the Mavericks. He completed the regular season as the league's field goal percentage leader, completing 72.5% of his shot attempts.
PJ Washington: He is one of Dallas' top defenders and anchors the frontcourt alongside Gafford. As his regular season ended, he started to find a rhythm with his 3-point shooting.
Derrick Jones Jr.: The athletic wing originally joined the Mavs on a veteran-minimum contract. He has been a consistent starting small forward for the team, averaging 8.6 points.
Derek Lively II: He is being watched as an exciting addition to the Mavericks' future. He started 42 games as a rookie and qualified for the Rising Stars competition at NBA All-Star weekend.
Tim Hardaway Jr.: After starting the season strong as Dallas' sixth man, he cooled off. He was the team's third leading scorer with 14.4 points per game.
Josh Green: He wants to get back into rhythm after spraining his right ankle at the end of the season. He started 33 games this season and averaged 8.2 points on 47.9% shooting from the floor.
Dante Exum: Like Jones, Exum joined the team on a low-salary contract in the offseason. He showed his versatility on the perimeter, shooting 49 percent from 3-point range throughout the season, including a few clutch shots.
Read more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
