THE Dallas Mavericks are starting to put it together on the field after their trade deadlines are added. The Mavericks are 11-6 with their additions at the trade deadline, with six wins in the last seven games. They are 11 games above .500, putting them among the top seven seeds with more opportunities to climb the standings before the end of the season. What’s remarkable about this new Mavericks team is their formula for winning during this period, proving that they no longer need to rely solely on hot shooting to win games.
The Mavericks have always been known as a three-point shooting team. Having Luka Doncic on your team requires players who can hit shots from behind the arc. Their hot shooting is what propelled them to the Western Conference Finals in 2022. On nights when the Mavericks failed to hoist 40-plus three-pointers and sink 40% of them, they didn’t have other way to win matches.
In the 16 games that the Mavericks have welcomed their new additions, they are third in offensive rating, at 120.9 according to Clean the glass. Meanwhile, the Mavericks shot 35% from behind the arc and 34% during their 11 victories. To put the Mavericks’ evolving identity into perspective, in their 29 wins before the trade deadline, they shot on average 40.9% from three.
The Mavericks have found ways to win games without relying on their threes to fall. So what has changed? The Mavericks are now more versatile on both ends of the court and can throw different looks at their opponents. For starters, the Mavericks are scoring in the paint at a much higher frequency since the acquisitions of PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford. Before joining the team, the Mavericks scored 45.5 points in the paint, 29th in the league. Since then, they have been on average 54.4 points in the paint, fifth in the NBA during that stretch.
When considering the starting lineup of Doncic-Irving-Jones-Washington-Gafford, it makes sense that the team’s three-point percentage quickly depleted. Combine that with Tim Hardaway Jr.’s current icy slump, and it explains why the Mavericks are relying less on their shooting to win games and leaning more on their ability to get to the rim. Jones and Washington bring to the Mavericks a factor that was foreign to previous role players: the ability to get to the rim. They are both not known for their shooting behind the arc, but are extremely effective at the rim, shooting 67% And 70% at the edge respectively.
Another change in their formula for success is how they have rebounded the basketball during this period. Before the deadline, the Mavericks were 26th in rebounding at 41.3 per game. Since then, they have been fourth in rebounding 46.1 by competition. The Mavericks finally have size and are using it to their advantage in all four corners of the court. Gafford and Washington’s ability to compete for rebounds is a foreign concept for this team, but it has been a big proponent of their recent success, particularly in Sunday afternoon’s win over the Nuggets, where the Mavericks surpassed the Nuggets by 23including 16 on the offensive glass.
Another facet of the Mavericks’ improvement over the past six weeks is their Achilles heel: transition and paint defense. Before the deadline, the Mavericks were 26th in opponent fast break points at 16.6 per game. Since then, they are 7th in 13.8 per game. Perhaps this improvement can be attributed to Dante Exum’s return from injury, Jones’ return to the starting lineup, or Washington’s ability to defend multiple positions. Either way, the Mavericks have cleaned up in this department and aren’t letting their opponents beat them in transition.
The Mavericks have also improved their paint defense since the trade deadline. Before the deadline, Dallas was 22nd in paint defense in 53.3 opponent’s points in the paint per game. Since then, they have been 10th 47.9 per game. The addition of Gafford gives the Mavericks the opportunity to have rim protection on the floor for all minutes of games, with the combination of Gafford, Derek Lively and Maxi Kleber playing at the five.
What makes the Mavericks so exciting coming out of this season is the growth they have experienced as a team since February. The Mavericks are now a more versatile team and can beat their opponents in multiple ways on both ends of the court. They no longer need to completely rely on their old identity of living and dying with the triple. For once, we can seriously look at the Mavericks and say that this team has real size. With this versatility and the one-two combination known as Doncic and Irving, the Mavericks are now a threat heading into the playoffs. As time goes on, it feels like this team is getting closer and closer to building something that can eventually compete for a championship. It’s a fun time to be a Dallas Mavericks fan.
