Here's Why Dallas Will Have a Better Record in 2016-17
Last season, Dallas had a very strange season. They tried to recover from being horribly spurned by DeAndre Jordan the best they could. Zaza Pachulia went from starting 45 games with the Bucks in 2015, to starting 69 games with the Mavs in 2016. Most "professionals" had Dallas missing the playoffs. Some didn't even have them winning 30 games. I wouldn't be surprised to see the same kind of predictions this season, but they'll be wrong again. Let me convince you why.
Nice try @AdiJoseph
First of all, health is huge. Chandler Parsons missed 21 games and Wes Matthews was fresh off of a surgery to repair his achilles. That was Dallas' 2nd and 3rd scoring option last season coming off major injuries. Harrison Barnes, Chandler Parsons' replacement next season, missed 16 games with a sprained ankle this past season. However, before then, he had never missed more than 4 games. And the biggest difference between the small forwards' injuries? Parsons has a knee injury and has had two surgeries on it. Those problems can linger for an entire career. Anyone and everyone sprains an ankle from time to time. Even me, on JV basketball. Parsons had to miss so much of the beginning of the season, which made it more difficult for the team to gel together when he got back into the rotation. Barring any unforeseen injuries, Barnes should be ready to go at the beginning of the season, and play out a lot more than CP did. Not to mention, he'll be there for the playoffs *shots fired*. Finally, Wesley Matthews should be back to his old self. A lot of people think Matthews may have rushed his come back, but thankfully, he played out the entire season, including when he flourished in the playoffs. He struggled from time to time, but he eventually proved his worth. This brings me to my next point.
Wes dove into the crowd to save a ball against the Houston Rockets.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Another huge thing that's going to lead to Dallas' improvement next season is going to be the experience that the guys on the roster have gained as a team. Last season, Dallas only had two starters returning in Dirk and Parsons. This season, Dallas will have Williams, Wes, and Dirk returning, as well as Barnes and Bogut coming in who have already played 4 years together. D-Will fit into Rick's system pretty easily, but Wes Matthews had a little trouble adjusting. After a full season with the team and an entire offseason working with coach and the rest of his team, Matthews should be just as, if not more productive than he was in his time with Portland. Justin Anderson and Dwight Powell, Dallas' young duo, will have one and two years, respectively, under their belts with Dallas, and are expected to be bigger than big in their roles off of the bench. Along with Anderson, second year man Salah Mejri will step into the backup center position after a solid rookie season with the Mavericks. Devin and JJ have been in the system long enough at this point, and their experience in the organization should help the young and new guys grow. Oh yeah, we got this new guy, Dirk? He shouldn't have too much trouble fitting in here, I don't think. As stated before, Bogut and Barnes have 4 years under their belts together, and that is going to be huge. They're going to help each other get comfortable in a brand new system, while showing some true chemistry on the court.
New Mavericks, Andy B and Harry B trap Kevin Love in the Finals.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Now, let's get into some statistics. Dallas was dead last in blocks per season. Heads up, that is not good! Zaza Pachulia did more than anyone could have ever asked for this past season, but he couldn't block a shot (okay, .3 per game). Andrew Bogut comes in this season with blocks being the main reason the Mavericks made him their number one trade target. At nearly 7'1 with above average athleticism for a guy his size, Bogut is a great rim protector. The big Aussie averaged 1.6 blocks per game with the Warriors last season, and that stat could go up in Dallas with more time and responsibilities. Another encouraging stat: Bogut allowed 4 points less per 100 possessions than Zaza did when on the floor. Along with Bogut, Harrison Barnes will be a major defensive upgrade over Chandler Parsons. He's much quicker, longer, and more aggressive on the defensive side of the ball and makes all of his opponents lives a nightmare when they have the ball in their hands. Parsons didn't really do that... like at all. Offensively, Parsons' stats compared to Barnes' stats, as well as Bogut's stats compared to Zaza's, are pretty similar. Both of the former Warriors' stats will likely shoot up with more touches and playing time. Let's face it, Dallas doesn't quite have the star power that Golden State does. Without going too much into it, Seth Curry is going to be a major upgrade for Dallas' bench. His three point shooting is something that the Mavericks desperately lacked. The MVP's little brother shot 45% from downtown.
Andrew Bogut stuffing Tristan Thompson in the Finals
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
It may not be drastic, and it may even put us right back in the 6th seed, but Dallas is going to win a few more games in 2016-17 than they did in the 2015-16 season. Yes, the West got stronger, but so did the Mavs. You can't ever forget Dallas' X-factor, Rick Carlisle. That man works magic with any lineup. The Mavs improved their outlook for next season, but better than that, they upped their chances of winning in the post-Dirk era. Y'all may not agree with me, and that is understandable, but I love the way this team is looking. Oh, and they're not even done building the roster.
