Apr 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) runs back up the court during the first quarter against the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks reached the NBA Finals last season when Luka Doncic carried an otherwise average team through the treacherous Western Conference waters. This season, the Mavericks traded the generational star to the Los Angeles Lakers and the franchise sank for most of the second half of the season before landing the final NBA play-in spot in the West.