National Basketball Association

Five Things to Expect From the 2016-2017 Dallas Mavericks

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:24 p.m. ET

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With the 2016-17 NBA slate kicking off, the new-look Dallas Mavericks are looking to improve off of a disappointing 2015-2016 campaign. Here are five things to expect from the Mavs this upcoming season.

Starting Tuesday night, the best sports time of the year begins when the Knicks and Cavaliers tip off at 6:30pm CT to start the new NBA season. With that, the NBA, NFL and MLB will all be running together for a short period time, sending sports fan into an unprecedented euphoria of sports overload.

The NBA will be full of storylines this year. Derrick Rose is in New York, Dwyane Wade is in Chicago with Rondo, setting up the most hatable backcourt in the NBA, and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook hate each other. Not to mention LeBron James and Cleveland will be defending their first ever NBA title, and setting up a likely rematch with Durant and the absurdly talented Golden State Warriors.

In the midst of all of the big time moves this offseason, the Mavs have quietly become one of the most improved teams in the Western Conference. That’s not to say that they will be better than the Warriors, but this team is vastly improved. Despite playing in arguably the toughest division in all of sports next to the SEC West, the NHL’s Central Division, and the AFC North, Dallas has a chance to be a much better club this season.

So what can we expect from the 2016-2017 Mavs? Let’s take a look.

Oct 21, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Deron Williams (8) guards Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) in the second quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Greatly Improved Defense

For the majority of last season, the Mavericks were a very poor defensive team in multiple areas. They couldn’t rebound, they couldn’t defend, and they couldn’t force turnovers. That problem became a little bit less evident towards the end of the season upon the introduction of a new offensive scheme, and the emergence of Justin Anderson. This offseason, Dallas added some major pieces towards improving that defense in Andrew Bogut, and Harrison Barnes.

At 7’0 ft, 260 lbs, Bogut is the first legitimate rim protector the Mavs have had since Tyson Chandler, and has been consistently better in that department over the last few seasons, averaging more blocks per game in each of the last four seasons than Chandler. Bogut is also a solid rebounder, and passer from the post, making him a perfect fit for Rick Carlisle‘s offense.

Harrison Barnes meanwhile, is one of the most athletically gifted perimeter defenders in the NBA, and a much better defensive player that the man he was brought in to replace, Chandler Parsons. The addition of Barnes gives the Mavs three of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders in himself, Wesley Matthews, and Deron Williams, which combined with Bogut, gives them a substantial chance to be vastly improved as a unit.

Oct 14, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Deron Williams (8) shoots the ball in front of Phoenix Suns forward Marquese Chriss (0) in the first half at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

Better Three-Point Shooting

Entering last season, the Mavs were thought to have one of the most talented long-range shooting teams in the league. That wasn’t the case however, as they struggled for the majority of the year from beyond the arc, ranking in the bottom half of the league in three-point shooting.

The Mavs did what they could this offseason to rectify that, bringing in Harrison Barnes and Seth Curry. Curry, though not his brother by any stretch of the imagination, can still make it rain from distance, and can be very dangerous for coach Carlisle on the perimeter. Barnes is also a capable three-point shooter, and has a career 37.6-percentage from downtown.

The Mavs also have snipers like Dirk, Devon Harris, J.J. Barea, and Deron Williams who are all dangerous from downtown, but the x-factor here is Wesley Matthews. Matthews struggled with consistency from three-point range last season, but with a full offseason under his belt, the feeling among the Mavs is, that he is in for a much better season.

Oct 11, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Justin Anderson (1) celebrates a basket by the Mavericks against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Thunder 114-109. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Justin Anderson will be a Legit Sixth-Man of the Year Candidate

One of the few bright spots of last season for the Mavs, was the late season emergence of Justin Anderson on the wing. Anderson, who rode the bench for the majority of the campaign, came on the replace an injured Chandler Parsons in late April, helping guide the Mavs to a 7-2 record to close the season, narrowly getting them across the playoff line.

During that time, Anderson averaged 8.2 points and 5.7 rebounds, while shooting around 42-percent from the field. He also provided the Mavs with a much-needed energy boost, making multiple hustle plays that changed games for Dallas down the stretch.

This year, Anderson hopes to continue that form, and even improve on it as the Mavs sixth man. Anderson has a chance to thrive in this role, as his unrelenting energy and tenacity will be a major factor for Dallas off the bench. If he can improve or even just continue the kind of play he showed from last season, Anderson has a chance to be a legit Sixth-Man of the Year candidate.

Oct 21, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Will Barton (5) guards Dallas Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews (23) in the second quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

More Consistency From Wes Matthews

As mentioned previously, Wesley Matthews struggled mightily from an offensive consistency standpoint last season. Coming off of a torn Achilles tendon the previous year, Matthews return was a bit premature for most people’s liking. Being the Iron Man and ultimate basketball soul that Wes is however, he defied all expectations, returning to the court just a few months after the injury.

Thanks to having to focus most of his offseason on rehab and recovery, instead of practicing with his new teammates, Matthews game subsequently suffered, and the questions about his consistency began to surface. Those questions were warranted however, as Wes’s three-point percentage dropped from 39 percent in 2014-2015 to just 36 percent, and he seemed a tad slow on the defensive end.

Moreover, of 18 NBA players who suffered a torn Achilles from 1992-2012, seven players never returned to the game of basketball.

But now, with a full offseason of nothing but basketball, the Mavs unquestioned emotional leader is due to have a bounce back year. Matthews role on this team is clearly defined, and with the new addition of Bogut’s inside presence, as well as Barnes, Dirk, and Deron Williams and Curry spacing the floor, Wes should have ample opportunity to regain the form that he displayed in Portland a couple of years ago.

Oct 19, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) shoots as Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) defends during the second quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Dirk is Still the Go-To-Guy in Dallas

The final expectation for the Mavs this season might come as a surprise to some, but as any Mavs fan will tell you, this is Dirk’s team, and it will be until he decides to walk away from the game. He may be a bit slower, a bit older, and have a little less stamina, but the 38-year-old is still the Mavs go-to-guy.

Last year, 13-time All-Star and former NBA and Finals MVP averaged 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, both improvements over the previous year. At the age of 37, he was still the Mavs leading scorer, was third on the team in minutes per game, and led all Mavs starters in ESPN’s player efficiency rating with a 19.1 PER.

Moreover, when the Mavs needed a big bucket, they didn’t look to the presumptive franchise player in Chandler Parsons (who left the Mavs this past summer for Memphis), They looked to the Tall Baller From The G. Until proven otherwise, Dirk is still the best player on the Dallas roster.

With his contracting extending through the 2017-2018 season, we may very well be watching the Uber Man’s final stretch as a Dallas Maverick and an NBA player. But knowing the competitor that Nowitzki is, he is going to do his best to make sure he goes out on top, so you better believe that when push comes to shove, he is going to put the Mavs on his shoulders yet again in 2016-2017.