Maybe it’s the new year, maybe it’s the return of beloved genius-child Luka Doncic, but things around the Mavericks feel...dare I say...fresh? Hard to imagine as the Mavericks still sit at .500 and limped their way through December.
But players have started to return, it looks like the Mavericks might have stumbled on a new permanent contributor in Marquese Chriss, and thanks to a bumbling Western Conference they haven’t lost much ground in the playoff hunt.
The Power Rankings landscape hasn’t shifted much. The Mavericks only went backward on one list. What is clear is that all eyes will now be on Doncic, who clearly needs to show he has returned to game shape.