Danny Green could see the Mavericks making a run to the Western Conference Final

The playoff race in the Western Conference is heating up as the season nears its conclusion. There are four teams separated by half a game in the bottom half of the playoff picture with the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors holding on to the ninth and 10th seeds.

The Mavericks are among those four teams between fifth and eighth separated by just half a game. There is a chance that they can pull away from the pack in the final month of the season, but a play-in tournament appearance is still a possibility.

Three-time NBA champion Danny Green of Audacy’s “Inside the Green Room” podcast explained why he thinks the Mavericks could go on a run to at least the Western Conference Final this year.

“I’m going to go with Dallas. I think Luka, Kyrie, they have the weapons,” Green said (30:50 in player above). Picking up P.J. Washington, if he gets hot. You got Gafford coming off the bench, Lively. These young guys.”

“With Luka, you can’t count him out. What he did to the Suns a couple of years ago, you know what he’s capable of doing. You know what Kyrie is capable of doing. Those two guys are so dangerous – in a seven-game series, they can make it happen. They can beat certain teams for four games.”

Staying healthy might be what makes or breaks the Mavericks this season, especially when it comes to the playoffs. However, if Dallas plays up to its potential, watch out.

“If they’re healthy, if they stay healthy and they have those other guys still healthy with Lively doing his role, Gafford and P.J. Washington doing their roles, and you got Tim Hardaway off the bench,” Green continued. “You know what he’s done in the playoffs.”

Last year the Los Angeles Lakers made it all the way to the Western Conference Final, where they were swept by the Denver Nuggets. Green could see the Mavericks making a similar run this year.

“The guys that are proven, that have done some stuff in the playoffs I can definitely count on,” Green said. “I could see Dallas being that team. They’ve been there. J-Kidd, he knows what he’s doing as a coaching staff, so I could see them making a push.”