With five days and three games remaining in the regular season, the Mavericks are in line to face one of three teams in a first-round playoff series: the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets or Minnesota Timberwolves.
There are still a few benchmarks to hit before then.
They’re one win from the franchise’s first 50-victory season since 2015 and two from clinching first-round home-court advantage at No. 4. One more win than the Golden State Warriors over the last week will boost fourth-place Dallas to the No. 3 seed and out of championship-favorite Phoenix’s side of the Western Conference bracket.