The Dallas Mavericks have had underwhelming rosters for multiple seasons now. Fans have not had much confidence outside of the fact that Rick Carlisle is still in the driver’s seat and Dirk Nowitzki keeps standing-up Father Time for their inevitable date.

 

Going into the 2016-17 season, you can feel the positive energy coming from MFFLs everywhere. The assurance that Wes Matthews is going to have a comeback year is growing by the day. We will definitely be seeing more arrows shot this year (if that’s even possible). Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut are proven commodities that will bring instant production. Due to the inconsistency and mediocre play at center, Bogut will become a Dallas Darling on Day 1.

 

However, Barnes will have more of an uphill battle with his bloated contract and his performance in the last NBA Finals. Dallas fans shouldn’t be too skeptical or cautious with Barnes though. It might take several games but Carlisle will ensure the best version of Barnes shows up night-in and night-out.

 

The Mavs can finish in the Top-4 of the Western Conference because of five specific players. Dallas has been in dire need of viciousness and swagger. And it looks like this year we could have a lethal mixture of that.

 

Let’s breakdown my list of the five most important Mavericks this season:

 

Quincy Acy – Vicious

Rick Carlisle loves his blue collar players and Quincy Acy is the epitome of just that. Mavs fan got a glimpse of his intensity last game against the Hornets. Acy is going to pester opponents with his energy and ferociousness in the paint. Not to mention that we could see an exciting reel of dunk highlights throughout the season. Even though Acy looks like a frontline warrior, he has a soft touch. Last year he shot 55 percent from the field and boasted a 38 percent from behind the arc.

 

Seth Curry – Swagger

It’s obvious that the Curry genes have a surplus of confidence and swagger. Little brother still has a trip to make to be on the same level as his older brother, but nevertheless the talent is there. It looks like Seth is ready to explode this year from his last performance in the preseason. He put on a show with 20 points and was 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. His career three-point percentage is 45 percent. Perhaps most importantly, it looks like no one has more fun on the court than Seth.

 

Dwight Powell – Vicious

Dallas fans should be excited to see Dwight Powell in a Mavericks uniform for years to come. His physical gifts are fun to watch, especially in the paint. In 2016-17, fans around the league will remember his name because of his aggravating play style. As his minutes go up, so should the number of his put-backs, tipped rebounds and dunks. Powell is a high energy player that is capable of draining the outside shot. It will be fun to watch him and Quincy Acy on the floor at the same time.

 

Justin Anderson – Swagger & Vicious

The mecca of excitement for the Dallas Mavericks organization is in the hands of Justin Anderson. When he comes to the scores table to sub in, everyone slowly inches to the edge of their seat and sports a smile. Mavs fans got to see something special last year in the postseason with Simba. The moment was not too big for him as a Rookie. He relished in it by tripling his regular season scoring average. This kid attacks every play with a killer mentality. His dunks are mean, his blocks are mean and his rebounds are mean. If I didn’t know any better I’d think that Simba hates basketballs. Anderson brings a healthy arrogance to the floor and loves to play D. His mixture of talent and fury is a remedy to this roster. And he’s just now going into his second year.

 

Deron Williams – Swagger

DWill is the key to a happy season for Mavs fans. If his health holds up, Dallas is going to be scary. He’s an exceptional floor general. At one time Deron was arguably the best point guard in the game. He won’t ever get back to that status but he can be feared again by head coaches if he stays healthy. I expect his 14 points per game from last year to rise as well as his three-point percentage, which was disappointing until the playoffs. He has never been scared of the big moment. And with this adequate roster support, we should see a more aggressive Deron Williams this year.

 

These five Mavericks will bring Dallas out of mediocrity as long as the rest of the starting lineup remains healthy and productive. Fans and reporters from around the league will doubt and underestimate the Mavs all the way to the end. But this is going to be a fun and exciting NBA season. Hurry up October 26^th!