Prediction: Mavs Regular Season Record

[Smitty]

Don't look back at last years prediction thread.... I blame Killer for posting a Playoff Rotation thread ~20 games into the season, for why it went off the rails.  

Most gambling sites have the Mavs around 41.5 O/U for win total.

I'm going to remain optimistic about Kyrie's injury timeline and say he'll be back in January. If that's the case, I think the Mavs hit the over.

Final prediction 45-37

[KillerLeft]

I blame Killer for posting a Playoff Rotation thread ~20 games into the season, for why it went off the rails.  

You're absolutely right. Way too late, sorry. I'll take a stab at it after the first home stand this year, don't worry.

[KillerLeft]

On a serious note...I have no idea what to expect from this team.

Gun to my head, I'm going to say 40-42.

[DallasMaverick]

50-32

[KillerLeft]

50-32

Wowzers!

A 50-win team in the west would be a pretty dominant team. I hope you're right!

[Kidnova]

On a serious note...I have no idea what to expect from this team.

Gun to my head, I'm going to say 40-42.

I'm with you.  I have no feel whatsoever for how all of these disparate pieces will fit together.  I'm going way out on a limb and choosing the inverse of your prediction:  42-40.

[F Gump]

I think the offense and the shooting will look terrible. And yet - in the middle of lots of hand-wringing and doom-and-gloom threads in this forum about how they have a team that just doesn't work - they will find ways to win ugly over and over. And over and over and over.

They have obvious flaws. But you can play past your flaws, and also work to minimize them (or fix them). They have so much talent (more than we can figure out what to do with) that I think they will find ways to get it done.

I will go with the 49- to 50-win plateau (last season, 3rd to 6th in the playoff race). And by the end of the season, a team no one wants to have to face in the playoffs.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

40-42

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I'm going to say 40-42.

I swear I posted before reading your prediction.

[Jym]

38-44

[rocky164]

44-38

[Jmaciscool]

49-33

[michaeltex]

48-34

[SleepingHero]

Just based off of health and lack of belief in Nico's vision, I am going to go ahead and say 36-46.


But there is a real possibility that everything clicks and this team is 51-31 or something like that.

[vfromlmf]

Flagg will average 19/6/4 --he's the real deal, but ...
AD, and Lively and DLo will each miss at least 25 games
Kyrie will miss 65 games
We'll get way too much Powell and Hardy

38-44 feels right but they could get to .500 depending on the nature and timing of injuries

There's a better chance they struggle in Feb and decide to tank than win 50 games.

[ballsrchr]

42 wins, 40 losses.

[Jym]

Flagg will average 19/6/4 --he's the real deal, but ...
AD, and Lively and DLo will each miss at least 25 games
Kyrie will miss 65 games
We'll get way too much Powell and Hardy

38-44 feels right but they could get to .500 depending on the nature and timing of injuries

There's a better chance they struggle in Feb and decide to tank than win 50 games.

Wild that there's only one West team clearly tanking going into the season 
Everyone else thinks they can be in the top 10 

And our season goes as AD goes and you have to assume he's going to miss a month or 2 at some point

[vfromlmf]

The Mavs ran out of Bigs last year but I doubt that happens this year. Assuming Lively and AD both miss a quarter of the season, odds are there will be some nights when both are out. Even then, Dallas should still be ok with Gafford, PJW, Flagg, and Naji.

The main reason I'm taking the under on 41.5 wins is this year is I think they'll run out of Guards.

In fact, DLo isn't even hurt (yet) and they might open the season without a PG in the starting lineup! Which clearly ... DOESN"T BODE WELL.

I understand everyone seems to think it could be amazing to start such a huge defensively dominant lineup with Flagg at PG ... but let's not forget Flagg is just replacing Naji Marshall in a lineup that got smoked by Memphis in the play-in. Sure, Flagg is a couple of inches taller ... but Naji Marshall is no slouch. He's a tough defender, a veteran, a bucket getter. Still, the Mavs got smoked by Memphis in the play-in and the top 8-9 guys on this team all played (all except Flagg and DLo). Flagg obviously makes this team better than last year, but that won't translate to winning if Flagg is the PG.

Naji
Klay/Christie
PJW
AD
Lively/Gafford

[KillerLeft]

Just based off of health and lack of belief in Nico's vision, I am going to go ahead and say 36-46.


But there is a real possibility that everything clicks and this team is 51-31 or something like that.

Nice hedge. That's no fair!

[KillerLeft]

I think the offense and the shooting will look terrible. And yet - in the middle of lots of hand-wringing and doom-and-gloom threads in this forum about how they have a team that just doesn't work - they will find ways to win ugly over and over. And over and over and over.

They have obvious flaws. But you can play past your flaws, and also work to minimize them (or fix them). They have so much talent (more than we can figure out what to do with) that I think they will find ways to get it done.

I will go with the 49- to 50-win plateau (last season, 3rd to 6th in the playoff race). And by the end of the season, a team no one wants to have to face in the playoffs.

So you're saying we should start arguing about the playoff rotation BEFORE opening night??! On it!