13) Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks were my easy pick to be the West’s worst team this season, but they’ve actually done some real good lately. In their last two games, they’ve beaten the 23-10 Toronto Raptors and the 19-16 Indiana Pacers, which is no easy task. The latter win actually snapped what had been an eight-game skid on the road.
Along the way, we’ve gotten some glimpses of vintage Dirk Nowitzki as well. In his last five games, the future Hall of Famer is averaging 22 points per 36 minutes and knocking down 55 percent of his shots and 42 percent from 3-point range.
We may actually be getting another year of Dirk, but don’t let that stop you from getting to the arena if he happens to be in your town. Watching him play live is a bucket-list item if you’re a true student of the game.
Next: No. 12