Which is worse for Mavericks: Last place in NBA or eighth seed in West?
By Reid Hanson
The Dallas Mavericks are 1-7 and in sole possession of last place in the NBA. Here’s why that news is better than the alternative.
The Dallas Mavericks have had a tough start to their season. With only a singular notch in the win column, the Mavs have been plummeting in most national power rankings. ESPN’s latest ranking has the Mavs dropping four spots to No. 27 overall.
It’s hard to argue with the ranking considering the Mavs have the worst record in the NBA, standing 1-7 and securely holding the #15 spot in the Western Conference. But being in last place in the NBA isn’t as bad as it could be. In fact I’ll argue it’s better than their best case alternative, which is being the eighth seed in the West.
Nothing Worse than Eighth Seed
The eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs may just be the worst finish in all of professional sports. In a league that features best-of-seven playoff series’, the best team usually wins. Upsets are much rarer in the NBA as they are in NCAA and NFL (which is inevitably littered with them because they are single-elimination tournaments) and also rarer than NHL or MLB (which are traditionally low-scoring and can be determined by a singular “freak play”).
We know who the best teams are in the West: Houston, Golden State, and San Antonio. The chances of one of those three advancing to the Finals is great. With the NBA so top-heavy these days, the chances of an eighth seed upsetting one of them, is slim to none. I don’t think I’m exaggerating to say the Mavs would have less than a 5% chance of beating the Warriors in a first round playoff match-up.
Unless you’re one of those top three squads, or possibly Memphis, the struggle is almost futile. Not even a major injury will prevent the Warriors from being considered the odds-on favorite. When was the last time a team’s been this stacked?
Not in my memory. The best team I can think of is Michael Jordan’s 1995-96 Bulls. But they wouldn’t have advanced past the second round sans their best player. The Warriors could probably win a title without Steph Curry or Kevin Durant without much trouble. They are light years ahead of a team like the Mavs.
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Worst is First
The Mavericks are in last place in the NBA this season and in prime position for the top pick in the NBA draft. Don’t get me wrong, losing on purpose is bad. But the Mavs are trying. Really hard. They are losing the old fashion way: By playing more poorly than their opponent.
The rebuilding process on the Mavs is real and it’s only just begun. Rational MFFL have largely accepted this and are embracing the pains of developing young talent.
Would you Rather?
What say you? Would you rather the Mavs make it to the eighth seed, knowing full well they will likely be swept and stand on the outside of the NBA draft lottery? Or would you rather they finish in last place, and likely get the top pick in the draft – essentially expediting the rebuilding process?
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Next: Mavs Rookie, DSJ, Proves He 'Gets It' in the NBA
Even the most optimistic of Mavs fan would have to say the best the Mavs could do this season would be to snag an eighth seed in the NBA Playoffs. Is that really a victory or just further delaying the Mavs from becoming a contender once again?