As we continue our three-part series on offseason moves in the Western Conference, we move to the four teams in the Southwest Division that the Mavericks must be better than if they hope to make a return to the NBA Finals.
New Orleans, San Antonio, Houston and Memphis are not championship contenders in most people’s estimation. Not yet, anyway.
They still must be contended with by the Mavericks in what was an odd Southest Division last season, when the Mavericks reached the NBA Finals, three teams failed to qualify for the playoffs and New Orleans had to survive the play-in tournament to make the playoffs.