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Dallas Mavericks · With six seasons worth of evidence on their side, the Dallas Mavericks have proven that as long as No. 77 is in the lineup, the chance to be competitive is always there. This season, on the way to another 50-win campaign, they shifted into another gear, going 22-9 after the All-Star break on the way to the league’s third-best record. Ask opposing defenses across the league, and they’ll tell you that the sizzling offensive play of Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving has been reason No. 1; in 1,297 minutes together, they’ve outscored opponents by an average of 9.7 points per game. Of similar importance has been the Mavericks’ season-altering moves at the trade deadline, with the likes of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford stepping in to occasionally answer Dallas’ key question of whom the No. 3 scorer will be. Along the way, they’ve received healthy contributions in the form of Tim Hardaway’s scoring (14.4) and a potential All-Rookie Team-level effort from above-the-rim specialist Dereck Lively II, whose field goal percentage (74.7) will be the highest of any first-year player in NBA history. Entering the Western Conference postseason as the No. 5 seed, the Dončić and Irving-led group will look to parlay their elite finish into something more fruitful this spring. This Fandom 'Wild Card' Redemption can be crafted into a Dallas Mavericks Moment after each round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. · State of Mint