It is early, just as it is for all NBA teams. I expected nothing better than a 10-10 start for the Mavericks, given all the new frontline players. What I did not expect, however, is for there not to be some sort of offensive game being played.
The Mavericks have looked like five stand-alone players with no offensive coordination going on at all. Worse than this, there is no semblance of defense being played. The zone defense which helped the Mavs defeat the strong offensive talents of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in last year’s NBA Finals against the Heat, is not present anywhere.
There is a lot of coaching to do, as head coach Rick Carlisle puts together what little time he has to get the team on the right track. 
A two-day respite before facing the strong Oklahoma Thunder in Oklahoma City on Thursday night will give the Mavericks some much-needed gym time.
My prediction is a 0-3 start with the Mavericks losing to the Thunder on Thursday night. However, at some point, an offense will arise, and a defense will slow down the opposition. It could happen after the embarrassing losses incurred in the first two games. Oklahoma is a strong team, and it won’t happen Thursday night. A six point loss by the Mavs would be a successful step forward.
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