For a dangerously hot minute the Dallas Mavericks were having a hard time keeping their starting duo healthy at the same time. If Luka Dončić wasn’t hurt, then it was Kristaps Porzingis and when it wasn’t either one of them it was Dwight Powell, Jalen Brunson, and more recently Dorian Finney-Smith.
Through all that has happened the Mavs have still been able to prove time and time again that no matter what they go through they are a force to be reckoned with. It seems now more than ever, Porzingis and Dončić are emerging as the dominant duo Dallas was hoping they would become.
At the beginning of the season Porzingis was still trying to figure out how to find his flow after recovering from an ACL injury and moving to Dallas. When he got hurt again in Dallas it almost seemed as if Porzingis wasn’t ever going to be fully healthy again and his future looked cloudy.
Fast forward a few months and Porzingis is at the top of his game and has been recently unstoppable on both defense and offense. Not only has he been a big part of the Mavericks’ latest victories, he also seems more confident and natural playing alongside Dončić.
That's one way to score your first points. 😳@kporzee | #MFFL
“I feel like now that I am playing at center more and more and not standing in the perimeters as much, I have the option to pick what I want to do and play off of Luka,” said Porzingis. “We have a better rhythm going on now and we want to keep working on that and keep getting better at it and improving more in the future.”
Porzingis average stats from the last 5 games
PPG
30
RPG
12.2
APG
2.8
BPG
3.6
FG%
49.5%
3FG%
42.6%
”Everyone’s caught up in the offensive stats,” said Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, ”but for me it’s a combination of his offensive production and what he’s doing defensively and rebounding. It’s ridiculous.”
The way the two young stars have been playing in this first season together has shown that with more time the magical duo can be unstoppable in the future seasons. They also look poised to lead the team back to the NBA Finals, something the Mavericks have only accomplished twice in team history. Maverick fans have a lot to look forward to if Porzingis and Dončić can stay healthy.
