This is an ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith who is making an early prediction of the Dallas Mavericks winning the NBA championship in the 2025-26 NBA season with several conditions of course.
Speaking on 7PM in Brooklyn on an appearance with Carmelo Anthony, Smith mentioned that the Mavericks is the favorite to win it all even over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder provided that Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis can remain healthy.
With Kyrie Irving expected to make the healthy comeback and Anthony Davis being healthy, Smith believes that Dallas ought to be the favorite to win it all. The reigning champion is Oklahoma and not Dallas. The preceding year, they had raided Oklahoma City. Kyrie and them boys are their kryptonite.
Smith is confident about Dallas because of the talent and richness around his two stars. Irving and Davis led the Mavericks to a 4-2 knockout of the Thunder in the 2024 playoffs on their way to the NBA Finals.
He also complimented the supporting cast with rookies Cooper Flagg, big men Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford and forward PJ Washington being mentioned.
Cooper Flagg can play, he is a rookie, however, he can play, added Smith. Anthony Davis does not even need to play the five as Lively and Gafford can do it and these guys. Jason Kidd can coach. With luck, the Mavericks will get the chip, provided they are healthy.
Though Smith has no doubt that other teams such as the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers might also threaten to take the crown of the Western Conference, he considers Dallas to be the best team to do so, should their star players stay out of the injury list.
With the kind of experience and the buzz that Davis and Irving have and the rookie sensation Flagg, Smith believes that Mavericks have the right combination of talent, depth and leadership to make another deep run this season.
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