Feb 22, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Khris Middleton (20) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Mavericks Losing Streak Leads to Power Rankings Drop

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Feb 24, 2026 7:00 AM ET

The Dallas Mavericks are smiling after beating the Indiana Pacers to snap their 10-game losing streak.

Despite the victory against the Pacers, NBA.com writer John Schuhmann moved the Mavs down a spot in the latest power rankings. The team now sits at No. 24 after being No. 23 last week.

"The Mavs have been without Cooper Flagg for the last three games, and they’ve extinguished all hope of a Kyrie Irving return this season. But they ended their 10-game losing streak with a win in Indiana on Sunday," Schuhmann wrote.

"With their win in Indiana on Sunday, the Mavs are 9-8 (with four straight wins) in games played between the bottom eight teams in the league, set to play three more games within that group this week."

Mavericks Move Down in Power Rankings

The only teams that ranked lower than the Mavericks in the power rankings are the Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Sacramento Kings.

The Mavs hope they can get something in the second half out of veteran forward Khris Middleton, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. Middleton could help set his teammates up for success down the stretch.

"The Mavs still rank as the league’s sixth-most improved defensive team, having allowed 1.4 fewer points per 100 possessions than they did last season. But they’ve slid from sixth to 14th on that end of the floor since the start of the 10-game losing streak. The win in Indiana on Sunday was an offensive breakthrough, just the seventh time that they’ve scored more than 125 points per 100 possessions," Schuhmann wrote.

"The Mavs had scored just 102.5 points per 100 possessions in Khris Middleton’s 73 minutes on the floor before Sunday. But they got a vintage Middleton performance in Indiana, as he shot 5-for-5 from mid-range on his way to a team-high 25 points (adding seven assists) in the win. Kevin Durant (53.3%), Nikola Jokić (50.3%), and Middleton (50.1%) are the only players who’ve shot better than 50% on at least 500 mid-range attempts over the last five seasons."

The Mavericks are back in action tonight against the Brooklyn Nets if the Mavs can get to town due to the storm. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT inside the Barclays Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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