Prominent ESPN pundit picks Dallas Mavericks to win NBA title this season
The Dallas Mavericks hope to return to NBA title contention a year after missing the playoffs, and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith explained why the team was his pick to win it all.
“If Kyrie Irving comes back healthy and Anthony Davis is healthy, I think Dallas should be the favorite to win it all,” Smith said on Carmelo Anthony’s “7 p.m. in Brooklyn” podcast. “Oklahoma is the reigning defending champions. ... The year before, [Dallas] took Oklahoma City out. Kyrie and them boys is that Kryptonite.”
Smith is referencing the 2024 Western Conference semifinals, when the Mavs beat the Thunder in six games en route to the NBA Finals — though it is important to note that Luka Dončić, who was traded in a controversial move last season, played a pivotal role in helping the team win that series.
However, the Mavs have had success against the Thunder without Dončić. They were 3-1 last year against OKC, with their lone loss last season being the only game he played in.
Smith also pointed out the Mavs’ depth and how they are utilizing players like Davis.
“Cooper Flagg can play. He’s just a rookie, but he can play,” Smith said. “Not only that, you got Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis who doesn’t have to play [center]. I got news for you, [Dereck] Lively, [Daniel] Gafford and these brothers can play, and then you got PJ Washington who can play. Jason Kidd can coach. I believe that the Dallas Mavericks, if healthy, will win the chip.”
