NBA Power Rankings: How Luka Doncic & Mavericks RETURN TO FINALS with Klay Thompson | Hoops Tonight
Jason Timpf continues his NBA power rankings with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the Dallas Mavericks. How will the Klay Thompson fit in with the Mavs following his historic career with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and the Golden State Warriors? How can Dallas look to expand their offense beyond “Luka-Ball” to become a more dangerous unit? And what currently separates Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder from the Mavericks, who are the first team out of Jason’s top tier of championship contenders?
Timeline:
00:00 – Power Rankings #5: Dallas Mavericks
02:39 – Mavericks offseason additions
05:18 – How Klay Thompson impacts Mavs
14:21 – Will Mavericks mix up their offense more?
18:43 – Mavs offense will be elite
20:07 – Mavs defense is shaky
21:13 – Mavericks 2024 Outlook
24:18 – Why Thunder & Nuggets are ranked higher than Mavs
27:13 – Magic-Pelicans
36:23 – Timpf’s Tape
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46 Comments
Finally Zion is adding counters to his game
Calm down, the western champs is better than last year. If you talk about regular season, I think Dallas will be in the 5 or 4 seed. But in playoff mode they have a chance to win all if everybody stay healthy.
If Luka goes healthy into the post season, the Mavs win it all, no matter who they face.
I disagree with Dallas being better than Milwaukee or Philly
The Mavs did not punish Tatum in the post in the finals enough. They got a couple buckets with Gafford and went away from it. They need to try to get Tatum in foul trouble and make Boston adjust
They Are 3. for me.
The nuggets look like a first round exit, they have horrible depth, their starting lineup is no longer that same level, the lack of kcp is the end of them contending
Boston won 2 games by 7…that could easily go the other way with better shooters and then it's 3-3. They didn't kick their ass in every game lol
Mavs disrespect continues. This guy was wrong about them all last year.
“Mavs top 15 in defense” ?? This guy is smoking lmaoo
Dude been smoking good
They wont roam of PJ because they cant if he is 37% from 3 ..also you forget luka injury issue he would not have in your scenario..he breaks down the D much easier and would just destroy boston who would need to still be on klay and Ky and PJ ..you keep forgetting key parts of your argument dont hold up at all
I think you have a good point about Denver being a better matchup to Boston but I think mavs should be over the nuggets because we are better then the nuggets the nuggets is going to have to go thur us in the playoffs b4 they get to Boston nn they have no defenders to put on Luka or ky
Same mistake as last season. Media will be wrong about Dallas AGAIN. nothing learned
“The barrier standing between the Mavs and the championship is Boston”. Therefore, I rank them 5.
Ridiculous take …
You need to look at film, comparing the quickness, fluidity and multiple capabilities of pre-injury Luka to the injured during the injury plagued Luka we saw last year during the entire playoff run. It was hard to believe the Mavs got to the finals last year in spite of Luka’s injury. The main thing that could hold the Mavs back from a potential championship is Luka’s health — he can’t be playing at 80% against the Celtics. I think Tatum understands that when he said he expects to see the Mavs in the championship series next year.
Mavs lower than the teams they ousted in the playoffs? Lol. Replaced THJ with Klay Thompson. Quentin Grimes = Josh Green with better handles. And Naji Marshall = Derrick Jones Jr with better handles.
Two observation:
– Naji Marshall is a prototypical forward, not a guard. 6'7, 220, 7 feet wingspan. He will play more 4 than 2 in the Mavs system, even if he is asked from time to time to be the PoA defender.
– The Mavs can solve the Boston-issue in an alternative way too. If Lively is good enough as a post-up scorer punishing wings, that defensive strategy won't work. He won't even have to score on Tatum, its enough if he can score on Brown after the switch. Even Gafford gained 15 pounds of muscle, he may be able to punish switches inside.
I think you’re getting caught up in 4-1 vs 5-out concepts. It’s not just that they have Klaya no Boston will stick to him. Klay is not just a better shooters than DJj and THJ, he’s also a better play maker. When Holiday closes on him, Klay can put it on the floor and find the athletic big. Same with Naji, he’s a better ball handler, driver and shooter than DJj. Same with Grimes vs Josh. Mavs got a lot more multi dimensional. It’s not just spot up guys. These are guys that can all make decisions with the ball.
1. Celtics 2. Mavs Any other top 2 is just wrong.
Excellent work again Jason. Top not sure who the other team is besides Boston, okc, and denver that you ranked above the Mavs. Anyway, let's see
So you’re ranking Denver ahead of the Mavs because of how they matchup with Boston. But shouldn’t you think about how Denver will do against the other teams out West?
lol
i bet that DLIVE will be 3pt threat, and gafford will play more aggresive whith back to the basket. So you are missing some stuff..
when are you doing your next mailbag?
This dude never learns.
Mavs fans whining that 'nobody believed in us' when they were the 5th seed in the West last year…
I saw that clip of OKC with Chet and iHart yesterday and got really scared of OKC this year.
So the Mavs SMOKE the Thunder by 30 (when Luka was healthy) and then whoop them in the playoffs (should’ve won in 5) but since they added Hartenstein and Caruso, now they’re better? Mavs added KLAY F’N THOMPSON, Grimes, Marshall (FOR DEFENSE), year 2 of Lively, and more cohesion of Gafford and Washington, but the Thunder are better? 😂 who’s gunna be the Thunders PG now that Giddey is gone? Shai? 😂 They said his teammates made fun of him cuz he doesn’t know how to throw a lob pass 😂 MAN I CANT WAIT FOR THIS SEASON TO START!!!!
Marshall is a forward
They added two defenders that are better offensively than djj and green. Grimes is key as the poa defender is he gets the Luka bump on 3s.
Luka just made a full court shot for 100k. Tells me everything i need to know.
Mavs got better than last year and they get demoted.yep mavs hate starting early this year.
I understand the doubts about Klay, but they're not expecting him to be prime Klay. Also, since he arrived in town, he's been working with some of the guys (primarily PJ). That can only help PJ grow and improve as a shooter, which pays dividends for us both short-term and long-term. Bottom line is this: Luka got us to the Finals last year while being banged up and out of shape. If he's healthy, I've yet to see a team truly stop him
Klay is the 2nd best shooter in the world but he is not in the top 75 all time? Can someone explain this to me?
In my opinion, Marshall was signed to play the 4 and not the 3.
I don’t disagree with the analysis of the matchup last year and how that could possibly lay out again this year, but the big aspect I think you missed was a Derek Lively jump during year 2 the offseason they have talked about how much he has improved on interior scoring and the first preseason game showed flashes of that, so if that is the case then they wouldn’t be able to put Tatum on him inside throwing their whole defense out the window if that were to happen
Thanks for the insight! Stupid question and probably already answered but if Luka’s defender switches of and on Lively it’s likely a smaller guard – was the Mavs unsuccessfully lob it or throw it over for a dunk/lay up? That way if Porzingus help off PJ that’s a corner 3 that Lively can pass to. Was Lively that bad of a paint scorer? Traumatized by the finals so I don’t remember much lol. Thanks again!
Lively ll will be the difference and KT shooting will get us where we want to go.
As a maverick’s fan Dereck Livelys 2nd year leap is about to be scary for you. If you think putting Jayson Tatum on D Live is gonna work this year you are sadly mistaken expect a post game and 3 ball coming from Dereck lively this season
Mentioning the Bucks making the finals over the Knicks is straight hater energy. Milwaukee's depth is nonexistent and you're relying on two guys to carry you past full blown squads.
Super long mailbag question:
As a mavs fan i think i agree with them being in this tier but my argument would be that i think the Knicks should be below them in your rankings. I don't think the knicks have proven that this current core is championship ready nor as capable of making a finals run like the mavs did. My main concern with them comes at the center position:
1. Are we 100% sure Mitchell Robinson is a matchup proof center come playoff time? I think that will be needed given KATs foul happy tendencies. I would argue Robinson's weaknesses are comparable to Gobert's weaknesses on the offensive end. Which is why Hartenstein played the majority of playoff minutes at that position.
2. idt we can lump the dominant +/- numbers associated with post deadline knicks last year with this current iteration simply because the center position may not give them the same things. Hartenstein gave them connectivity as a passer that idt KAT or Robinson will give them. Hartenstein as a decision maker in the short roll will be something I believe the knicks will really miss this season. If you place KAT in that role he'll be turnover prone and has a tendency to be out of control barreling towards the basket rather than taking the 8 foot floater that Hartenstein thrived with.
I know you might respond by saying KAT's role in the pick and pop 2 man game with Brunson will make up for that but i disagree. Cause that involves a lot more shooting variance than the easy looks Hartenstein created with his playmaking. Who's to say he doesnt have another shooting slump like he did in the conference finals?
the only way that mavs wins against celtics is if kyrie turns into cavs kyrie being unguardable with his dribbles making his way to basket esp against boston who have 5 guys who can defend instead of just being an ethical scorer
I get Boston & Thunder(MAYBE) but the knicks & Denver?? After Denver has lost there best 2 way player . Strange …
sooooo top3 above the break shooter ever is now getting wide open shots?? Hm sounds like a tough eqaution for the mavs
so the mavs are 5th bc they can’t beat boston. here is an idea to help our problem against the celtics . switch pj for naj . better shooter and just as good on defense