FanPulse results: Mavs’ mid-season grades, plus more

Greetings and happy Friday everyone. We’ve reached the midway point of the NBA season. Can you believe it? It feels like just yesterday we were all eagerly anticipating the opening night tip. Although, the bags under my eyes certainly inform me that we are, in fact, nearing the All-Star break.

This week’s edition of FanPulse (I’ll save you the spiel. You know the deal by now. SIGN UP) asked you, the fans, to give your grades for the season thus far. It’s been a wild one, to be sure. That’s especially true for the Dallas Mavericks. More on them later.

There have been so many story lines and game action that it’s kind of hard to keep up with everything. There was Zion Williamson’s injury (he’s back, baby!), the whole overblown “load management” crisis, Ben Simmons hit a three, questionable media personality Kendrick Perkins got owned by Kevin Durant on Twitter, and some guy named LeBron James is playing good basketball with the Los Angeles Lakers. But he’s not playing as well as Alex Caruso, based on what I see online, apparently.

That’s about as good as a rundown as I can give you on what’s transpired. As a whole, though, you grade the season pretty high. Your mid-season report card gives the league a solid B.

I gave this season a B as well. The NBA is still the best league by far to consume and cover. There’s never a dull moment. It doesn’t need a cheating scandal to make it relevant. I’m not sure what would boost that B to an A. I struggled with defining what that would look like to me and it looks like plenty of you did as well. To those of you gave the season a D, well, there are other teams to root for besides the Sacramento Kings.

On to the Mavs!

Mavericks fans were given the chance to rate the team at the midway point as well. It comes as no surprise that the vast majority of you really like what you’re seeing this year. Over 60 percent of you gave the team an A-rating.

With the team back in playoff contention and Luka Doncic named an All-Star starter and firmly planted in the MVP conversation, the A grade was almost a given. I can understand the almost 30 percent of you that went for a B-rating too.

Dallas isn’t perfect, after all. Kristaps Porzingis missed some games and is still working his way back from a major injury and long recovery. There are also issues with consistency. The Mavericks haven’t really shown they can win in the clutch with regularity, nor can they seem to win at home. Maybe this is where the C grades come in.

Nevertheless, the Mavericks are without a doubt one of the most fun and surprising teams in the NBA this season. Currently, they sit atop the Southwest Division (take that, Rockets!) and are a lock to make the playoffs, barring some catastrophe. Therefore, it’s no wonder that fan confidence has climbed back of the mountain after taking a tumble recently.

Hey, look at us. Look at us. Who would’ve thought? Not me. Back at 100 percent. OK, I did think that confidence would peak-out at 100 again. It happened pretty quick too. This team doesn’t disappoint the fans for long.

That does it for this week’s edition of FanPulse. Check back next Friday for our next installment. Until then, SIGN UP and keep voting.