Jason Kidd has made quite a few lineup adjustments for the Dallas Mavericks through the season’s first two months. Most of these changes come at the center position, which is the Mavs biggest weakness on their roster. So far, the Mavs have started three different centers next to Kristaps Porzingis in the frontcourt. Dwight Powell was the original starter at the center position but was later replaced by Willie Cauley-Stein. Cauley-Stein, though, has been absent for personal reasons recently, so Kidd inserted fan-favorite Moses Brown into the starting five.
Brown was disappointed in his first start this season against the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring just two points and grabbing two rebounds in almost 11 minutes. The Cavs also scored 60 points in the paint, 14 more points than the Mavericks.
While Brown didn’t play his best on Monday night, he should continue to get rotation minutes even when Cauley-Stein returns.
Brown averaged 8.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in just 21.4 minutes while playing 43 games for OKC this past season. In that same season, he scored 21 points and collected a career-high 23 rebounds against the Boston Celtics, including 19 of those rebounds in the first half alone.
Photo from Jerome Miron (USA TODAY Sports)
Moses Brown has the potential to be a force and should continue to get his chance, especially with the struggles of the other two centers on the Mavericks.
Former starting center Dwight Powell, who signed a three-year $33 million contract in 2019, has been average at best for the Mavericks. Ultimately, his minutes have declined heavily since the start of the season, and Cauley-Stein took his starting position.
Cauley-Stein, on the other hand, has been abysmal for the Mavericks all season. Collecting only 2.1 rebounds per game and shooting a career-low 45.7 FG%, he constantly misses open shots at the rim,
I just want to be free of this pain pic.twitter.com/bavw7aXilb
— Panda Hank (I want the Mavs to be good again) (@pandahank41) November 18, 2021
Not only this, but Cauley-Stein ranks dead last in Player Efficiency Rating among qualified centers (must play over 6.09 minutes per game).
The current rotation centers are not getting the job done for the Mavericks. If they continue their below-average performances, Moses Brown’s minutes should continue to rise.
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