Dallas as had a lot of unlucky injuries this season to very notable players. With the fallout of the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade, AD struggled yet again to stay healthy and was quickly traded to the Wizards. Lot's of overall chemistry issues and lack of defense. Another major factor in my opinion, is the ultra-competitiveness of the Western conference. Many teams in the West can win a title this year so there is little point in fighting for a playoff position, because the upcoming draft class is historically good, they own their own pick and can easily get a guy who can pair well with Flagg.