Each group hopes to begin the season robust, however the NBA is a marathon, not a dash. Some squads falter early, solely to hit their stride because the yr unfolds.
Now, on the quarter mark of the 2024-25 marketing campaign, three groups have overcome gradual begins and are rising as respectable championship contenders.
Let’s dive into how these groups are discovering their rhythm and why they may change into critical threats down the stretch.
Dallas Mavericks
After a sluggish 5-7 begin marked by lackluster protection and a transparent Finals hangover, the Mavericks have caught fireplace, successful 11 of their final 12 video games. Their lone loss throughout this span got here in a hard-fought extra time battle in opposition to the Miami Warmth. The Mavs have notched spectacular wins in opposition to top-tier opponents just like the Thunder, Nuggets, Knicks and the surging Hawks and Grizzlies.
Over this dominant 12-game stretch, Dallas leads the league in point differential at a +12.4, due to elite two-way play. For the season, it ranks fourth in offensive score and eighth in defensive score, solidifying its standing as one of the balanced groups within the affiliation.
With all due respect to Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Mavericks boast the NBA’s finest backcourt duo in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving — two lead guards able to scoring at will.
Doncic is delivering his typical brilliance, averaging a close to triple-double with 28.7 factors, 8.3 rebounds and eight.1 assists per sport. In the meantime, Irving has reworked into one of many league’s most deadly shooters, hitting 47.0% of his three-point makes an attempt on 6.8 tries per sport, whereas his NBA-best deal with continues to permit him to get to the rim effortlessly.
The Mavericks’ 11-1 run coincides with Dereck Full of life II’s return to the beginning lineup after an early-season shoulder sprain. Full of life has anchored the protection with stellar back-line safety, posting an impressive 6.3% block percentage.
Off the bench, Naji Marshall, Spencer Dinwiddie and Daniel Gafford have supplied a much-needed spark, giving Dallas depth and vitality on each ends of the ground.
Memphis Grizzlies
After a shaky 8-8 begin tormented by inconsistency and accidents to Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies have discovered their stride, successful 10 of their final 12 video games, highlighted by a signature highway victory over the Boston Celtics. In that contest, Morant posted a 32-point close to triple-double, Jaren Jackson Jr. dominated with 27 factors and 4 blocks, and rookie Jaylen Wells impressed defensively, serving to to carry Jayson Tatum to simply 6-of-21 capturing.
At 17-8 and second within the Western Convention with a +8.7 level differential, Memphis seems each bit like a contender. Ja Morant has returned from his hole yr as a dynamic playmaker, averaging 15.8 drives per game (seventh in the league) and eight.5 assists.
Jaren Jackson Jr. leads the group with 21.9 factors per contest, ranking among the league’s top post players with 1.06 points per possession — outperforming stars like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Domantas Sabonis — whereas anchoring the protection with a 6.3% block rate (sixth in the NBA).
Complementing its stars is a deep and versatile supporting forged. Desmond Bane, Marcus Good, Scottie Pippen Jr., Jaylen Wells, Brandon Clarke and Santi Aldama contribute impactful two-way play, offering the stability and depth each contender craves.
Miami Warmth
The Miami Warmth are simply 12-10, however their latest play suggests they’re much more harmful than their document implies. Winners of three straight, they’ve dismantled high quality opponents in dominant trend — routing the Lakers, 134-93, defeating the Suns, 121-111, and delivering an announcement win over the league-leading Cavaliers, 122-113.
Tyler Herro has been electrical throughout this stretch, averaging 27.3 factors whereas capturing a scorching 51.7% from deep on 9.7 makes an attempt per sport. Nevertheless, the Warmth’s resurgent protection has made probably the most important affect, propelling them to 11th in Defensive Rating after a gradual begin to their 2024-25 marketing campaign.
The Warmth have made substantial changes after starting the season with Nikola Jovic and Terry Rozier within the lineup. Jovic has fallen out of the rotation, whereas Rozier has embraced a sixth-man function, making room for Haywood Highsmith and Duncan Robinson within the beginning 5.
With Butler, Adebayo, Herro, Robinson and Highsmith main the way in which, Miami has reworked defensively, enjoying on a string and making life depressing for opponents.
