Back when O.J. Mayo was selected third overall in the 2008 NBA Draft, expectations were sky-high for the shooting guard, but he was unable to fully harness his powers. Thankfully for Mavericks fans, after he was traded to Dallas from the Memphis Grizzlies, Mayo has taken to his starting shooting guard role like a fish to water. On the season, Mayo is leading the Mavericks (20-27) with 18 points per game, and keeping his stats rounded out by dishing out 4 assists and pulling down nearly 4 rebounds. The guard is experiencing a breakout season that is reminding everyone why he was so coveted coming into the league, and In a year that’s seen Dirk Nowitzki battling nagging injuries, many people even thought Mayo’s performance so far should have been All-Star worthy. But a playoff berth will do. Right now the Mavs are five games out of the 8th seed, and there is plenty of time left to play. Hopefully the NBA All-Star break will provide them with the energy they need to make a run in the second half.
Mavericks Nation is hoping that Mayo can continue his rise as Nowitzki plays back into form. Luckily, Darren Collison, Shawn Marion, and Chris Kaman are playing solid ball, so it should only be a matter of time into Dallas is back into the mix. If they hope to contend, they will have to play through a tough upcoming schedule that will see them take on teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder (2/4), Golden State Warriors (2/9), Los Angeles Lakers (2/24), Brooklyn Nets (3/1), and Houston Rockets (3/6). Check out Vivid Seats for a premium selection of Dallas Mavericks tickets to see O.J., Dirk, and co. live at American Airlines Center.
