I've been wondering if the Mavs might stand a chance of missing the playoffs this year, thus triggering a (late) lottery pick to the Celtics in the 2015 draft thanks to the Rondo trade. (Correct me if I'm wrong here.)
They've got a great team and are 20-10, tied for the Clippers for #5/#6 in the West. But OKC is now healthy again and almost assuredly will take up a playoff spot when the dust settles (they're currently #10). And I wouldn't be surprised to see the Spurs overtake the Mavs (currently right behind them) in the standings.
If both of those teams overtake the Mavericks, then Dallas would be slotted into the 8th seed. So you'd need one of the current lottery teams in the West -- probably New Orleans -- to catch up to Dallas the rest of the way.
Improbable, but not impossible. Dallas really hasn't played great lately and are 5-5 in their last 10. And, of course, this year's West might be the most stacked conference in NBA history. They could be one Dirk high ankle sprain away from this becoming reality.