The Dallas Mavericks are one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs. The team finished April with a 5-3 record, as two of their losses came towards the end of the season when the team was resting players. Dallas also finished the second half of the season with a 17-9 record.

The Mavs’ hot streak will be tested on Sunday when they play the LA Clippers in the first round of the playoffs.

History favors the Clippers, as they won the season series against Dallas with a 2-1 record. Dallas didn’t have P.J. Washington or Daniel Gafford in any of these matchups, but it’s still worth noting. LA also won the previous two playoff series against the Mavericks in 2020 and 2021.

However, one Mavs legend believes Dallas will pull off the upset.

Dirk Nowitzki predicts Mavericks to beat Clippers in six games

Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki recently spoke about the Mavs’ upcoming playoff series. He sat down with former teammate Devin Harris on his Top Shelf podcast to discuss the team’s outlook.

“The Clippers are tough, though. The Clippers are always tough against us. They have a lot of length on the perimeter. They have a lot of guys to throw at Luka, so it’ll be a fun series. We’ve never really had an answer for Kawhi (Leonard). So, I think it’ll be fun, but I do think Mavs in six.”

– Dirk Nowitzki

His main reason for his selection was the team’s recent success. Nowitzki elaborated on how the Mavs are rolling at the right time. The team’s chemistry is something he has taken notice of.

Dirk mainly highlights the connection between Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. He believes through observations that the Dallas duo has taken a more mature approach to one another.

“After last year, Kyrie and Luka understanding each other better, playing off each other better, knowing when to be aggressive, when to defer. They have a better understanding of each other. ”

– Dirk Nowitzki

Doncic and Irving combined to average 59 points per game, 15 assists, and 14 rebounds at the beginning of the month. Their success led to the Mavs outscoring their opponents by nine points per 100 possessions.

Their improvement can traced back to the beginning of the season. Last year, Irving came midway through the year, and it was assumed he would help Dallas make a deep postseason run. However, injuries took a toll and the duo never got to connect.

This year, both players were able to start training camp together and find more minutes together on the court. This has led them to a better understanding of each other. Luka knows when to let Kyrie take over games, and does a great job finding him when Dallas needs that extra bucket.

Dirk also believes the new acquisitions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford were important. He stated that the team needed another center who could thrive in the pick-and-roll game. He believes Gafford gave the team a two-headed center with Dereck Lively II. Mavs fans can only hope the new acquisitions step up come playoff time. They’ll have to do their part to help make Dirk’s prediction come true.

Stay tuned for all the latest of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the rest of the team, as they prepare for a postseason run.