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Three Keys for the Mavericks Post All-Star Break

The NBA All-Star break has concluded after another successful year, signaling the end of the regular season and the immanence of the playoffs for the Dallas Mavericks.

With just 22 games remaining in the 2021-2022 NBA season, the Mavericks (35-25) are tied for 5th in the west with the Denver Nuggets (35-25) and trail the Utah Jazz (37-22) by 3.5 games. 

The Mavericks, who suffered a 114-109 loss in a key matchup to the Jazz Friday night, have 11 remaining matchups against teams with losing records while Utah will play 13 teams under the .500 mark. 

With the 5th seed in the air and ground to catch on Utah, here are three points of emphasis the Mavericks should capitalize upon for the remainder of their season. 

Superstar Play from Luka Dončić

Prior to the All-Star break, Luka Dončić was playing his best basketball of the year. 

In his last 11 games, he has posted ludicrous averages of 34.3 PPG, 9.9 AST, 10 TRB, and 1 STL on 47.5% and 42.5% from the field and three respectively. The Mavericks went 7-4 in that stretch with a +/- average of 10.6.

It is no secret that the success of Dallas rides on the 22-year-old from Slovenia and his production, meaning that his recent stretch of success will be even more crucial down the line. 

On the season, Dončić is averaging 27.4 PPG, 9.0 AST, and 9.1 TRB on 44.6% from the field and is currently 8th in MVP voting as of February 25th, as per Michael C. Wright from NBA.com.

Dončić is also leading the league in AST% at 47.4 and has a usage rating of 37.1%, trailing only Joel Embiid at 37.2%. It is evident that the Mavericks have been a heavy beneficiary of the Wonder Boy’s play, so sustaining his health and production must be at the top of their priorities. 

Maintain Defensive Prowess

Trading Kristaps Porzingis was not only one of the most questionable moves the Mavericks made this season but arguably the most detrimental one as well. 

After rumors of trade talks with Jerami Grant initially developed, the Mavericks were primed to receive a boost to their defense. Since those talks have fallen through and Porzingis has been shipped to Washington, things are looking much different.

Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans have played well their first few games in Dallas, but the loss of Porzingis creates a major concern in terms of paint protection. 

Prior to the trade, the Mavericks boasted a defensive rating of 108.6 which ranked among the league’s best. In the games since, that average has plummeted to 117.1 which would rank dead last in the league. 

While it should be noted that the sample size is just five games, the eye-test shows Dallas hasn’t been as defensively sound as they were halfway through the season either. 

Outside of Maxi Kleber, one of the league’s most underrated interior defenders, the Mavericks don’t have much to throw defensively at opposing bigs. Dwight Powell has had a solid year but is still considered an average paint protector by many. 

Regardless of all these variables, Dallas still remains one of the league’s best in terms of overall team defense, allowing just 103.5 PPG. Their collective efforts may help weather the lack of paint presence temporarily, but head coach Jason Kidd must address the vacancy before opposing offenses take advantage of it. 

Offensive Production and Three-Point Shooting

Dallas hasn’t had the same proficiency from long-rage that they enjoyed in previous years, which has delivered a significant blow to their offensive production.

They rank 24th in the NBA in scoring with 106.7 points per game and 21st in three-point shooting at 34.5% on 37 attempts a game. Much of this can be attributed to the loss of Tim Hardaway Jr. 

Prior to his leg injury against the Golden State Warriors in January, Hardaway was averaging 2.4 made threes per game on 33.3% shooting beyond the arc. Statistically, this has been one of his worst seasons to date, but his offensive impact on the Mavericks remains undeniable. 

Reggie Bullock, Luka Dončić, and Dorian-Finney Smith have since carried the load from deep after each overcoming struggles early in the season. 

Dončić particularly struggled from deep early in the year, but recently has seen major improvement as previously noted. Reggie Bullock shared similar struggles in the middle of the year but has since found his stride, averaging 16.2 PPG and 4.2 made threes on 48.6 FG% and 47.7 3P% shooting in the last 10 games. 

Dorian Finney-Smith leads the team on 37.2% shooting with 1.9 threes a game and is second overall on the team in total three-pointers made, undoubtedly making him Dallas’ most consistent shooter this season. 

If Tim Hardaway Jr. can return to the Mavericks in time for the playoffs with Dončić, Bullock, and Finney-Smith turning things around as of recent, Dallas has a chance to be one of the league’s best on both ends of the floor. 

(*Photo retrieved via ESPN, www.espn.com)

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