Mavericks and Nuggets

They say that in the NBA, after the All-Star Game is when the real contenders separate themselves from the contenders. And if that’s what’s happening, you have to start looking at Dallas and Denver, whose teams are hot like few others in the second half of the season heading into the playoffs.

The Dallas Mavericks have won five of their last six games (nine of 11). The Denver Nuggets, seven of eight. Both rank fifth and sixth in the Western Conference, respectively.

“We’re growing and maturing,” said Luka Doncic, who was named his conference’s Player of the Month after leading his Mavericks to a 7-3 record with 34.7 points per game average in February, 10.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.1 steals in 37.1 minutes on the court on average.

For the Mavericks, the situation was hardly predictable after they gave up “project Kristaps Porzingis” at the trade deadline, sending him to Washington for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans, both of whom were having poor seasons before arriving in Dallas.

Both players have contributed more than expected, especially Dinwiddie, who later in Thursday’s win over the Golden State Warriors when he posted his fourth straight double-double (17 points and seven assists) to average 18.8 points and 5.8 assists in that span.

“They came in with a super good attitude,” acknowledged Maxi Kleber, who is playing his fifth season with the Mavericks. “They are very nice and immediately adapted to the team. We have made very good chemistry with them, so nothing has changed in the locker room. I think they’re happy to play for something.”

Dallas is 6-2 since the trade deadline and 9-3 since Porzingis last played for the Mavericks, including wins over the Philadelphia Sixers, Miami Heat and two over the Warriors in less than a week to move 13 games above the .500 mark (38-25) for the first time this season before hosting the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.

“The team is showing maturity,” agreed coach Jason Kidd. “It’s been able to bounce back from adversity in situations where we might have collapsed before. That just shows growth.”

But it all begins and ends with Doncic, who began the season far from his best physical form since arriving in the NBA, where he has also acknowledged that he needs to focus more on his basketball, rather than on issues he can’t control.

“I’ve decided I’m not going to talk to anybody anymore,” Doncic said after picking up his 13th technical foul of the season the previous week. “I’m getting frustrated. I just have to focus more on my game than anyone else’s.”

NUGGETS KEEP WINNING

For the Nuggets, the situation has been different, but ultimately similar. They’ve had a great month of February, with the fourth-best record in the league (8-4) and the longest winning streak; six straight wins, playing top-10 basketball in points per game, percentage of made baskets, three-pointers, rebounds and assists in the month.

Denver has shown talent and depth for serious consideration. They have had several different contributors behind Jokic, who is establishing himself as one of the NBA’s MVP candidates. He is averaging 25.8 points per game; 8.0 assists and 13.8 rebounds.

He has shot 57.1 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from three-point range and 81.1 percent from the free throw line.

But they also have Will Barton, who averages 14.8 points per game; Aaron Gordon, 14.7; Monte Morris, 12.7; Bryn Forbes, 9.6; and Jeff Green, 10.3.

For example, on Friday they beat the Houston Rockets 116-101 to drop their record to 37-26 with 30 points in just 24 minutes on the court from veteran DeMarcus Cousins, who had to fill in for Jokic due to illness, on a night when Barton made two three-pointers to finally become the all-time leading three-point scorer in franchise history (769). They then out-rebounded the Pelicans 138-130 on Sunday.

“It was a surreal moment,” Barton told reporters covering the Nuggets. “It’s something you dream about as a kid, someday making history on the biggest stage.”

The bench in general has also been a factor. In February it was second in points scored in the entire NBA; fourth in free throw efficiency; sixth in defensive rebounds and eighth in assists.

“It’s a team that has the confidence of all their players and can play different basketball every night,” Jokic said the week before. “When you have rhythm and you have confidence in all your players, good things are going to happen.”