Led by reigning Western Conference Player of the Week Luka Doncic, the Mavericks have risen to the top of the Southwest Division, one-fifth into the season.

Is it time for us, and more important the Mavericks, to raise expectations of what this franchise can accomplish this season?

“Who says they aren’t?” replied Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle on Monday.

For the record, he was referring to Mavericks player and coach expectations, not those of fans and reporters. It’s safe to say, though, that the feasibility bar has been raised in the minds of anyone who has followed 11-5 Dallas’ season, especially its current five-game winning streak.

How much momentum is Dallas carrying into Tuesday night’s home showdown against the NBA title favorite Los Angeles Clippers? In the last three games, including Sunday’s win at Houston, the Mavericks have trailed for a combined 2:39 and been tied for 2:17.

That is 139:04 of leading, often comfortably, en route to victory margins of 48, 42 and 14 points.

“Look, we have to have an expectation for every day to come in and get better,” Carlisle said. “I’m not into predictions on numbers to win. I never have been. It can set up a limiting belief system. But I believe this is a terrific group of guys that’s working to come together a little more every day.”

After facing the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George-led Clippers (12-5), the Mavericks leave on Thanksgiving Day for a three-game trip to play at 8-8 Phoenix, the 14-2 Lakers and 6-11 New Orleans.

“This stretch of schedule is going to tell us a lot,” Carlisle said. “Yesterday in Houston? That was a strong performance. Tomorrow against the Clippers, we’re going to have to be ready from the jump ball to compete the same way, if not at a higher level.”

To the surprise of no one, Carlisle on Monday said that Tim Hardaway Jr. will start until further notice.

Since stepping in for then-ill Seth Curry three games ago, Hardaway has averaged 22.3 points and shot 66.7% from the field, including 65% from 3-point range.

Outscored in the first quarter eight times in their first 11 games, the Mavericks during their winning streak have been dominant in quarters: 33-22 over Toronto, 36-22 over San Antonio, 44-16 over Golden State, 29-26 over Cleveland and 45-29 over Houston.

Hardaway, who came off the bench only five times during his final three seasons with the Knicks, was paid a visit by Carlisle this summer to his home in Miami. Hardaway, 27, had come to the Mavericks in the Jan. 31 trade with the Knicks that brought Kristaps Porzingis here, but in March he was shelved for the season to have surgery to address a stress reaction in his left tibia.

During his two-day Miami visit, Carlisle told Hardaway there was a possibility he would come off the bench this season. Hardaway impressed Carlisle with his willingness to play whichever role Carlisle deemed best for the Mavericks.

While coming off the bench in this season’s first 13 games, Hardaway shot 42-of-131 (32%), though, again, he impressed Carlisle with defense and other aspects of his game.

Hardaway said that he has worked to improve his balance on his shots, but, otherwise, the only change since his insertion as a starter has been mental.

“Just the mindset of being used to that position for the past three years,” he said Monday. “And knowing what I have to do to help, most importantly, K.P. and Luka, and that’s to take some of the pressure off of them out on the floor. When my number was called, I was prepared and ready to go.”

Carlisle said he spoke to Curry about his decision before practice on Saturday, before the Mavericks left for Houston. He said Curry was “great about it” and pledged to stay ready when called upon.

“What’s best for the team is (Hardaway) starting,” Carlisle said. “And it’s happened organically; it’s kind of evolved to this. But I love the way he’s playing.

“He’s a competitor, he’s a scorer, he’s a really good defender, he’s a connector out on the court, too. He keeps guys together, which is great.”

Behind Doncic, who on Monday became the first Maverick who earn Western Conference Player of the Week honors since J.J. Barea in April 2016, and Porzingis’ five double-doubles in the last six games, Dallas suddenly looks like a team that could compete for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

But if the players have aspirations beyond their stated preseason goal of ending the franchise’s three-season playoff drought, they aren’t saying.

“I think we’re staying even-keeled right now,” Hardaway said. “Coach is putting us in situations where we can be successful. We have a bunch of freedom. We’ve just got to go out there and hold each other accountable like we’ve been doing and just continue to play with one another out there.”