The Dallas Mavericks are set to begin what could be Dirk Nowitzki's farewell tour on Wednesday (7:00 p.m US EST), as they pay visit to the revamped Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Game Preview:
It's about the end of an era for the Mavericks this season, as Nowitzki enters his 18th and probably his final NBA season. Although there's no confirmation yet about the German's impending retirement, the Mavs' post-Dirk project is evidently under way.
There's no offseason move that could better prove the youth revolution within the Mavs organization than the acquisition of Harrison Barnes. Dallas signed Barnes to a four-year, $95million deal with high hope the former North Carolina standout could evolve into a full-fledged star.
The Mavs also bolstered their outside shooting by acquiring Seth Curry and 23-year old Argentine Nicolas Brussino, who turned heads with his play throughout their preseason campaign. Dallas doesn't possess the firepower their Western Conference rivals enjoy, but they have the depth to become an interesting squad this season.
Meanwhile, the Pacers came through with several power moves last summer, including the trade that net them All-Star point guard Jeff Teague from the Atlanta Hawks. They also made the move to acquire Thaddeus Young and singed big man Al Jefferson to beef up their frontline.
Indiana has put up a pretty strong roster this season, yet their success will heavily depend on Nate McMillan's ability to maximize Paul George's talent.
Players to Watch:
Mavericks Starting Lineup: Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bogut
Barnes will be the primary scorer for the Mavericks moving forward, though Nowitzki is expected to put up brilliant scoring performance here and there. For fantasy players, Andrew Bogut seems to be a nice pick-up since he's going to get a lot of minutes as the Mavs starting center. When healthy, the Aussie is a fantasy monster who can chalk up double-digit points and rebounds along with 2 blocks per game.
Pacers Starting Lineup: Jeff Teague, Monta Ellis, Paul George, Thad Young and Miles Turner
George is projected to even better his 2015-16 season stats now that he's over two years removed from that horrifying leg injury. Expect the Pacers All-Star to put up 20+ points, 7+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 2+ steals and a block per game. For value picks, Jefferson appears to be a nice bet since he can produce a double-double game in limited minutes.
Prediction:
The Mavericks 3-point shooting will be deadly this season with Curry, Matthews, Barnes and Nowitzki roaming around the arc. If the Mavs' three-ball click, they have the chance to score an opening night win over the Pacers. Then again, Indiana has a well-rounded roster that can adapt to any given situation. Predicted score: Mavs 98, Pacers 110
Watch live stream of Mavs vs. Pacers game on NBA League Pass. TV Guide on FSN Southwest and Fox Sports Midwest at 6:00 a.m US EST.