The Dallas Mavericks are rounding into form at the right time, as they've won four of their last five heading into their final 15 games of the season.
With the Mavs' recent run, they moved up to No. 10 in Bleacher Report's power rankings. Dallas (38-29) was No. 11 in Bleacher Report's previous rankings. They also noted the Mavs' performance since acquiring Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington as part of their rise in its power rankings.
"If Dončić can get back in relatively short order, it feels like the Mavericks are finally starting to find a little rhythm with a roster that saw plenty of turnover at the trade deadline," Bleacher Report writes. "Since the moves that landed Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington were made, Dallas is [9-6] and Dončić has averaged an eye-popping 33.9 points, 11.1 assists, 9.4 rebounds and 4.0 threes while shooting 39.0 percent from deep."
The Mavs had won four straight games before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder 126-119 without Luka Doncic on Thursday at the Paycom Center.
Gafford has averaged 11.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in his 15 games played for the Mavs. He was also three baskets shy of breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record of 35 straight shots made before missing his first shot against the Thunder.
Washington has been hot and cold for Dallas, as he is averaging 11 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 forward has scored at least 17 points in three games and under 10 points five times since getting acquired by the Mavs.
Dallas is currently eighth in the Western Conference and only trails the Sacramento Kings (38-27) by a game for the sixth seed. The Mavs will have a chance to control their destiny when they face the Kings in back-to-back games in Sacramento on March 26 and 29th.
The Phoenix Suns (39-28) are a game ahead of Dallas at the seventh seed, but Doncic and the Mavs hold the tiebreaker after going 2-1 against them in the regular season. Of the Mavs' final 15 games, they play seven against teams that currently hold a playoff spot or would be in the play-in tournament.
In the Kings' final 17 games, 11 are against teams who currently hold a playoff spot or would be in the play-in tournament, including one against the Suns. Phoenix plays 12 of its final 15 games against teams currently in the playoffs or play-in.
If Doncic can return shortly, the schedule breaks favorably for the Mavs. If Dallas can continue its momentum against a weaker schedule and Phoenix and Sacramento falter, it could be positioned to move out of the play-in and enter the playoffs as a sixth seed that few teams in the Western Conference would want to face in the first round.
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