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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged-in Dallas Mavericks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
According to the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, 93 percent of Mavericks fans are confident the team is headed in the right direction. That’s up from 88 percent last week and 85 percent two weeks ago.
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WHO ARE THE SEVEN PERCENT WHO AREN’T CONFIDENT? SHOW YOURSELVES!
Seriously, this number should be 100%. Things are sky high awesome right now and it’s primarily because the Mavericks are up 2-0 on the Los Angeles Clippers. You’d have to be under a rock to know that. Granted this polling went out before game two, I believe, so perhaps there were still some skeptics.
With the first-round of the playoffs underway, the most noticeable difference in the games has been the addition of nearly full crowds. More than 50 percent of fans around the country said the inclusion of fans has significantly improved the viewing experience, only 16 percent said it hasn’t improved the experience at all.
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Having fans in attendance provides at least the semblance of a home-court advantage. Nearly two-thirds of Mavericks fans believe Dallas would have finished the regular season with a better record had fans been in attendance all season long.
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The Mavericks play their first home playoff game in a very long time Friday night and again on Sunday, so we’ll get to see first hand what difference, if any, having a nearly full capacity crowd does for Dallas. Personally, I think it boosts them to a new level, as Luka Doncic is a performer and having an audience should only improve his performance.
With the rest of fans around the country watching at home, there is no shortage of great opening round series to enjoy. 30 percent of fans around the country believe the Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers series is the best of the group.
The New York Knicks series against the Atlanta Hawks is the next most popular choice, with 21 percent of the vote. 16 percent of fans picked the Mavericks’ series against the Los Angeles Clippers.
It’s safe to say the audience at large doesn’t know what they’re talking about. The Lakers-Suns series is very 90’s basketball, which if that’s your thing that’s fine, but considering the way up-and-down teams like the Warriors and Mavericks play, there’s plenty of appetite for games where points are actually scored. The Mavericks and Clippers being that far down the list is wild, since each game thus far has been high scoring and stressful.
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Similarly, 26 percent of fans believe the Suns best display the characteristics of a successful team. Only five percent picked the Mavericks.
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I suppose the Mavericks will have to displaying winning characteristics by... winning. And making the next round, and maybe the round after that! Let’s go Mavs!
To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here. The more Mavericks fans that are in the survey, the better responses we’ll get when the questions are about things involving Dallas.