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After the Dallas Mavericks went 2-7 in their nine games in twelve nights, here are your weekly rankings from the analysts around the league. The good news is: The Mavericks play fewer games than anyone else in the league from now on, the bad news: Only 7 of the 23 opponents are non-playoff teams (right now) and after a 3-game homestand they'll play 12 of 20 on the road. The Mavs probably will make the playoffs, but the list of first round opponents include the Thunder, Lakers, Clippers and Spurs.
NBA.com - John Schuhmann: 15th
Not surprisingly, the Mavs didn't hold up well playing nine games in the first 12 days after the break. They have the league's fourth-worst offense since the break, even though six of their nine opponents have been below-average defensive teams. They get some rest and play three more at home this week.
NBA.com - David Aldridge: 12th
Things are, shall we say, a little tense in Big D.
SheridanHoops.com - Chris Sheridan: 15th
Losers of eight of 10, showed they are waaaay too old to handle a back-to-back-to-back, and have a dust-up to deal with after Jason Terry was on the bench instead of the floor as a last-shot option at Phoenix. If they move Shawn Marion this week for an expiring contract, they officially enter the Dwight Howard/Deron Williams sweepstakes.
ProBasketballTalk - Kurt Helin: 13th
They are 2-7 in their last nine and falling fast. But sure Mr. Cuban, this team is better than last year’s.
The Mavericks are 2-7 since that national TV loss to the Lakers without Lamar Odom. Yes, it has somehow gotten worse.
Mark Cuban contends that a regular season has never mattered less than this one. The Mavs can only hope he's right, given how bad they looked at the end of their nine-games-in-12-days grind. Warning to those who say Dallas will be fine if it can just get to the playoffs: Didn't last season's Lakers say that all the time?
ESPN - John Holinger's Metric: 14th
Teamrankings.com - Power Ratings: 13th
HoopsStats.com - Efficiency Differential: 11th
MavsMoneyball - j0Shi's Schedule Adjusted Efficiencies: 13th