A weird, fun, and exciting start to Dallas’ year has expectations a bit higher than anticipated
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With a 13-8 record right now, the Mavericks are third in the Western Conference. They are 4-2 in the division and 8-6 in the conference. They are four games behind Minnesota for first place after having won two straight. Josh Green, Grant Williams, and Maxi Kleber are all out right now due to injuries, while Kyrie Irving’s future is still uncertain after he had a foot contusion on Friday against Portland.
Rating: A
You ought to purchase a lottery ticket if, after 21 games, the Mavericks were in third place. While the West’s mediocrity plays a part, this team’s performance has been mostly responsible for the situation. They score close to 120 points a game, rank fourth in offensive rating, and 12th in net rating. DraftKings Sportsbook indicates that Luka Doncic is second in the league in terms of MVP odds, sixth in terms of assists per game (8.7), and second in terms of per-game scoring (31.9).
Dallas has excelled offensively. The bulk of Dallas’ eight games this season have been lost on defense. They allow 53.5 points in the paint per game, rank 23rd in defensive rating, and rank bottom ten in terms of fastbreak and second-chance points allowed. These patterns are driven by their point-of-attack defense, and their big man shortage serves to highlight them. Due to their excellent offensive, this has not mattered for the majority of the season. But on November 25, when they shot just over 37 percent against the Clippers, they were defeated by 19.
This team is reminiscent of previous years in a few areas. The foundation of the attack continues to be a lot of Luka Doncic and a lot of threes. This crew is considerably different from previous versions in various respects. Now that they have a rim-rolling center who can compete and even dominate on defense, they have a strong player. One through three can be guarded by their third maker. This club has closed the gap with top-tier rivals and has some elements that they did not have in previous years.
Honor Roll: Derek Lively II
Without Derek Lively, there can be no 13–8 start. We talked about Lively’s absence from the court during the Clippers and Thunder game last week. Throughout the season, he has had the same effect, as Dallas has outscored opponents by 80 points while he is on the court.
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Before the year began, he was considered a test subject. During his tenure at Duke, he averaged just 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds, thus his stats were not spectacular. Although Lively had the physical attributes and defensive instincts, it was not anticipated that he would play the 25 minutes per game that he has thus far.
There are two reasons why his growth has accelerated. First of all, it’s simple to play with one of the best pick-and-roll ball handlers in the world in Luka Doncic.PBP Stats indicates that Doncic and Lively have combined for 39 assists this season, ranking 10th in the league for any pair. Because of Doncic’s ability to locate players in advantageous positions, Lively has developed into a superb rim-roller and, more intriguingly, a fantastic short-roll playmaker.
The off-season training Lively did with Tyson Chandler is another reason he performed better than expected. Chandler was an excellent screener and defender; in fact, Chandler likened himself to Lively. Dallas has put Lively in an ideal position, and both the Mavericks and he have profited immensely from it.
Right Now Not Working: Josh Green
At three and a quarter years into his career, Josh Green’s experience has not been the best.He talked about the tremendous pressure he had going into this season in his preview. Green’s situation is currently dire, both practically and figuratively. This season was truly make-or-break.
Less than seven points, three rebounds, and three assists have been Green’s average each game. In addition to having the lowest free throw percentage of his career (52.9), his field goal percentage (42.2) is also at a career low. Dante Exum and Derrick Jones Jr., two players with minimal contracts, have outperformed Green and he hasn’t looked good. To be fair, Green does appear to be a capable role player at times. Regretfully, Green has yet to discover consistency, which is a need for success in the NBA.
To exacerbate the situation, Green’s wrist injury has forced him to miss a few weeks of action. He has suffered a similar injury twice in as many years, which raises questions about his future. He has been the season’s biggest letdown so far, but perhaps the break will allow him to reassess.
Extra Points for Dante Exum
Exum has performed admirably. Exum appeared to be Dallas’ fourth-best player throughout the preseason, and he has performed similarly since. Following Kyrie Irving’s early withdrawal from the game on Friday due to an injury, Exum helped Dallas defeat the Blazers with a total of 23 points, including 11 in the third quarter. That was Exum’s second-highest point total in his NBA career, which implies the 28-year-old isn’t just attempting to hold onto a bench position but rather feels he can contribute as a role player on a winning squad. His performance supports this assertion, and he provides Dallas with much-needed depth in the defensive and creative departments. As the season progresses, the Mavericks will need to find more time for Exum.
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