The Mavericks know what the problems are after losing four out of five games.
Fix them? This is the hardest part.
As coach Jason Kidd said Monday, since the All-Star break, the Mavericks are fifth in offensive production.
They are 30 years oldth In defense. It’s better known as the last one.
“So we have room for improvement,” he said.
And it won’t be easy to improve when one of the NBA’s best offensive teams comes to town on Tuesday. The Indiana Pacers, coached by former Mavericks leader Rick Carlisle, are No. 2 in the league in offensive rating. Like the Mavericks, they struggle defensively.
But at some point, a line must be drawn and a team must either embrace the idea of stopping the other side or make so many shots that defensive gaps are masked.
Or else, it will be a short stay in the playoffs.
An example of this was the end of Sunday’s game against Philadelphia, where the Mavericks nearly erased an 18-point deficit in the final seven minutes.
“You watch the last five minutes of the game, being able to execute the defensive schemes at a high level,” Kidd said. “It’s just about being consistent for 48 minutes and that’s what a lot of teams try to do. There’s probably one that plays at a very, very high level and that’s Boston. But when you look at the rest of the league, everyone is struggling to be consistent on both ends.
Certainly, the Mavericks aren’t alone when it comes to inconsistent play on both ends of the court.
The most important thing for them will be to stay united during this difficult time. You don’t want to let four losses in five games turn into eight losses in 10 games.
And it will take a ton of work, especially on defense.
“When we score the ball, we’re one of the better defensive teams,” Kidd said. “When we don’t score the ball, we can be one of the worst defensive teams. So we have to be consistent and when we don’t score we stay competitive on the defensive end.
Here’s what else to look for on Tuesday against the Pacers.
- The Mavericks need to move Tim Hardaway Jr. He’s a good shooter and he’ll be back. But he’s in a bad way. “It’s about work, but it’s about being able to talk to Timmy to see what he thinks,” said Kidd, who has had those conversations. “A lot of times we just look at the X’s and O’s. But they’re human. We’ve all been in a bad situation shooting the ball. We are trying to help him.
- The Mavericks’ other big problem is giving up easy three-pointers, especially easy three-pointers from the corner. “It’s a combination,” Kidd said. “Guys are making open shots, but also our defense, we have to be better. We’re giving up way too many open threes in the corner, which is something we’ve always been proud of. It’s just that right now our rotations are a little behind.
- The Pacers made a major trade in January to get Pascal Siakam. He averaged 20.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists as the Pacers went 10-11 since he started playing for them.
- Indiana is coming off a 117-105 loss at San Antonio on Sunday when the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama victimized them with 31 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and six blocks. The Pacers lost the first two games of this road trip, including Friday’s 27-point loss at New Orleans.
- The Pacers are led by Tyrese Haliburton, who hasn’t been the same player since returning from injury in early February, averaging 14.5 points and 8.5 assists. For the season, he averaged 20.8 points and 11.3 assists.
- Jason Kidd on the Pacers: “They had a rough night last night in San Antonio. Offensively, they are among the best. (Our) transition defense will be tested. And the offense will be put to the test. We have to prepare for Rick to team up with Luka (Dončić) and Kyrie (Irving), and other guys are going to have to step up and make shots.
INDIANA PACERS (35-26) at MAVERICKS (34-27)
- When/where: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, American Airlines Center, Dallas.
- Television: Bally Sports South West.
- Radio: 97.1 FM Le Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish).
X: @ESefko
