The Dallas Mavericks face the San Antonio Spurs for the final time of the season Tuesday night in San Antonio. Dallas looks to go a perfect 4-0 against its division rival.
After beating the Spurs in a close game in the season opener, the last two matchups have been blowout in favor of the Mavericks. Dallas has taken care of business against sub-.500 teams, going 21-5 against losing teams this season. With the Spurs still struggling at the bottom of the standings, rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama continues to improve week by week and will provide a challenge to the Mavericks’ new-look front court.
Here are three questions to consider for the in-state showdown.
Will the starting 5 Mavericks look like the team that just beat the defending champions?
An NBA starting lineup can feel like a puzzle, resembling a jarring scene akin to a Bosch painting until the true picture begins to take shape either through the inherent skills of the dissectologist at the helm of the puzzle or (more frequently) ) via the process of stupid luck. Either way, it looks like coach Jason Kidd has finally delivered the Botticelli we’ve all been waiting for (yes, Luka becomes Venus).
The combination of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. has created a unique and effective blend of chemistry and rotational balance. And that makes sense, especially when you realize that Luka and Kyrie can (almost) win games on their offensive power alone, that the ideal frontcourt to fill out the three remaining spots in the Mavs’ starting five should still be – mainly – defensive-minded and very athletic journeymen. It is worth reminding the reader here that Gafford came close to breaking the record for consecutive field goals. Yes, I know stats have kind of taken over sports coverage, but this record is no joke, especially for an organization that has been lacking quality players for as long as I’ve been alive. As we all know, it’s much easier to win a game when the ball is in the bucket, but a team’s identity is built when you have a group that can set the tone every night. Not every game will end in a W, but building a reputation as a touch matchup is increasingly vital as this pony attempts to make some noise in the west.
Will the Mavs’ recent success in the rebounding game continue?
In case no one’s watching, there’s a 7’4 French guy casually waiting for information at the Frost Bank Center. Well, it’s more likely that his caricature is drawn next to where he parked his yacht along the river. Although Victor Wembanyama has yet to reach his full potential, he continues to create nightmares for teams across the league, making his presence felt on the boards and blocking shots with the regularity of a missile defense system. ‘elite. While beating a Nuggets team with a healthy Jokic at the helm is no task for some, then taking it to the Spurs in the paint and coming away with a W on the heels of that task is indeed a challenge. Clearly, Wembanyama presents a different type of matchup than Jokic. His figure and physical movements more closely resemble those of Dallas’ Derek Lively II, who recently said in an interview that one of his strengths is endurance rather than strength (you’ll get there, Rook).
We’ll see if Dallas’ frontcourt rotation can continue to be an important factor in a competition against another very talented big man. Don’t be surprised if a few short-range floaters are returned to North Texas.
Can Luka continue to post historic numbers and lead the Mavs to close out the season strong?
I don’t think anyone needs to be reminded what Luka does every night. But… he’s the NBA’s leading scorer (so far) this season, it’s recently become something of a disappointment if he doesn’t reach a 30-point triple-double line, and he regularly does something that justifies the creation of “Luka-magic”. And yet… his name consistently lags behind a few others in the MVP race this year. It’s something that continues to spark frustration and anger in many fans. We need to be clear about our priorities though. Personally, I think it’s pretty obvious that he’s playing at an MVP level this season and therefore should be recognized for that. However, this trophy is awarded no only on the merits of individual achievements, but also on the achievement of an objectively successful regular season team campaign to which these individual merits gave momentum. Many analysts have recently drawn attention to the fact that this team Mavs are streak prone. Well, their skills match their job title. The Mavs were streaky. This is the time of the season when it takes courage to build momentum. Although luck can often decide the final score, greatness finds a way to position itself for a greater chance of success.
The Mavs have already begun their final push toward the playoffs. The lion’s share of their fate will be attributed to the success that Luka will be able to wish them in the weeks to come. Fortunately, it seems that his trust in his teammates is becoming a strength for him, and it seems to make him even better at what he does.
How to watch
Tip-off will take place Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT on Bally’s Sports Southwest or NBA League Pass.
