This season has not gone according to plan for the Dallas Mavericks. When it all started, Luka Doncic looked so good that there was some honest belief that the team was good enough to compete for a playoff spot. This was the belief all along for the Mavs front office, who sent off this year’s draft pick for Luka.
With a starting lineup of Dennis Smith Jr., Luka, Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes and DeAndre Jordan, the team really did look good on paper. They started the season getting used to each other’s playing style before going on a run that gave them a 15-11 record.