Record Prediction Thread Part 2! How will the Mavs stack up?

[SleepingHero]

Mavs are coming up on a key stretch of games from end of November going well into December. How they perform will pretty much tell us what to expect from them this season and highlight all the cracks that need to be filled through trades.
 
Here are the games coming up (with my predictions in parenthesis)

@PHX (W)
@LAL  (L)
@NOP (W)
vs. MIN (W)
vs. NOP (W) 
vs. SAC (W)
vs. DET (W)
vs. MIA (L)
@MIL (L)
vs. BOS (W)
@PHI  (W)
@TOR (L)
vs. SAS (W)
@GSW (W)
@LAL (W)
@OKC (W)

12-4 is what I have the Mavs at, which is an optimistic take.  That'll put them at 22-10 heading into 2020. Pretty much maintains the .68 win percentage they've been hovering around. Key games I think will be the Lakers game (Mavs have to be motivated to try to win), and the Boston game. I believe during this stretch is where the Mavs will truly be tested if whether or not they'll be a playoff team with the majority of their games coming against the post-season competition. 

What's your take?

[jesusshuttlesworth82]

7 tough games (LAL, MIA, MIL, BOS, PHI, TOR, LAL) and PHX, MIN are much improved.

I'm gonna guess 9-7.

[dirkfansince1998]

What's your take?

Most important games are the ones against direct opponents for the western playoff spots. Beating Minnesota, Sacramento and Phoenix would be huge. Outside of that they just need to take care of business and beat teams like GS, OKC and NO. Would be nice to steal at least one of the games against the eastern contenders (76ers, Bucks, Celtics, Raptors).
Overall I would be really happy with a 10-6 record but wouldn´t be disappointed if they go 8-8. The schedule in mid december is brutal and I hope that the Mavs can avoid a losing streak vs MIA, @MIL, vs BOS, @PHI and @ TOR.


@PHX (L) - Not a favorable matchup in the last few years
@LAL  (L) - Physical team that will dominate the paint
@NOP (W) - Are they already tanking?
vs. MIN (W) - Mavs dominated the matchup in the last few years
vs. NOP (W) - Now they are definitely tanking
vs. SAC (W) - Barnes goes for 30 but the Mavs win
vs. DET (W) - Drummond steals Powells, KPs and Maxis lunch money but cannot stop the Mavs high powered offense
vs. MIA (L) - Great defense, good bench. Not as good as the Clippers but better than the Mavs
@MIL (L) - Greek domination
vs. BOS (L) - Brown and Smart will clobber Luka. Mavs supporting cast won´t be able to take advantage
@PHI  (L) - Mavs cannot match their size
@TOR (W) - Mavs won the last matchup despite terrible 3-point shooting. On an average night they are beatable
vs. SAS (L) -  Spurs revenge game
@GSW (W) - Tank team
@LAL (W) - Mavs revenge game against lazy Lakers
@OKC (W) - Tank team


9-7. Sounds about right and means that the Mavs probably stay right were they are. 5th or 6th seed in the WCF.

[BigDirk41]

I think we'll go 10-6, but 9-7 wouldn't surprise me either. We'll still be in pretty good shape either way.

[omahen]

Not a single easy game in this stretch, even OKC and SAS can't be counted as a walkover. There will be a lot of close games and we will win some and lose some. I would be perfectly happy with 8-8 for this stretch. Anything above is a plus. I hope Baynes will remain out on Friday, as he is the soul of Phoenix.

[Lucky Luciano]

We will be somewhere between 10-6 and 12-4 barring no injuries to key players (Technically that's just about everyone)

I can see a agreement with Sleeping Hero almost game to game aside from I think we win the next Laker game and lose the last one on the list. Still basically the same set up. That's assuming we are playing well.

10 and 6 is just knowing that on any given day we can have a mediocre game and a team were expected to beat can show up and shoot lights out. Happens all the time.

I'd be happy with 11-5 but even at that I do need to see us get wins against the Lakers, Suns, Boston, Mil, Mia and the Sixers this year. Our guys need to know that we can beat anyone during the regular season to build some much needed confidence going into the Post season with some momentum!