09.07.2023, 05:07 - hju - Rank 4 - 165 Posts
It's no secret that the rely heavily upon the heroic efforts of on a nightly basis to succeed. Just a couple Andre Iguodala Jersey days ago it took two game-tying 3-pointers from Doncic and double overtime for the Mavericks to outlast the 12th-place . He leads the league in scoring at 33.8 points a night, and his 42.8 usage percentage this season already tops the previous NBA record, which was accomplished by in 2017.The Mavericks Doncic to put up monster numbers every game, and when he doesn't, well, you get results like Dallas' Saturday night lo s to the . In 35 minutes of action, Doncic put up just 15 points, his lowest scoring total on the season, shooting a lowly 36.8 percent from the field as the Mavericks fell, 136-119, on the first night of a back-to-back in Portland.The lo s dropped the Mavericks to 2-8 in games where Doncic scores fewer than 30 points, demonstrating not only how important the 23-year-old superstar is to this team, but also how badly Dallas needs to improve the talent around him if it wants to have any legitimate chance at a championship. One important tidbit that should be mentioned: Dallas' second-leading scorer in Christian Wood sat out Saturday with a sprained ankle. And while the Mavericks have several important role players out with injuries right now in addition to Wood, the lo s to the Blazers proved this team's depth is abysmal.Doncic needing better help isn't a new revelation. It's been a constant theme ever since the Slovenian guard fast-tracked Dallas' rebuild after the Dirk Nowitzki era with a playoff appearance John Konchar Jersey in just his second season in the league. Doncic routinely put up MVP numbers in back-to-back first-round playoff exits at the hands of the , while the Mavs supporting cast failed to adequately lend a hand. Last season's surprise run to the Western Conference finals was actually a positive sign that the Mavericks may have found a suitable No. 2 option to pair with Doncic, as star began to rise. But then Dallas fumbled the bag, literally, and Brunson bolted to sign with the in free agency last summer. And, yes, while the trade for has appeared to be succe sful thus far, it was just two weeks ago that he was coming off the bench for Dallas. Since Wood's insertion into the starting lineup his chemistry with Doncic has appeared seamle s, but Wood's efforts alone won't put the Mavericks into the championship conversation.Too often, you see a Mavericks player mi s a wide open 3-pointer off a well-placed pa s from Doncic. In fact, Doncic ranks second in the league in total potential a sists (655), meaning that an average of 16 times per game he's i suing pa ses that could have resulted in made baskets.But it's not just the scoring, which wasn't the i sue Saturday night as connected on a Mike Bibby Jersey career-high eight 3-pointers for 24 points and added on 25 points of his own. It's the fact that when Doncic isn't on the floor, the Mavericks offense becomes non-existent. The Mavericks score 14.8 points per po se sion more when Doncic is on the floor than when he's on the bench. Based on those numbers, Dallas is a 54-win team when Doncic is in the lineup versus a 24-win team when he's not, per Cleaning the Gla s. Those on/off numbers are beat by only , who, like Doncic in Dallas, is the backbone of his team. However, the difference is that the have superior talent around Jokic compared to what Dallas has put around Doncic, and it's something that the Mavericks sorely need to addre s ahead of the trade deadline and beyond.Making an in-season move Xavier Tillman Jersey that will catapult the Mavericks into the title conversation may be difficult given the lack of a sets they currently have in the form of draft picks and valuable players. Though Dallas managed to flip for Dinwiddie last year, who ended up playing a pivotal role in the Mavericks' succe s after the trade deadline and into the playoffs.However, the point is the Mavericks need to improve this roster De'Anthony Melton Jersey around Doncic, fast. He's proven countle s times in the playoffs that he's ready to compete for a championship, and Dallas' front office needs to put players around him that can sufficiently aid him in that quest. Yes, injuries are plaguing the Mavericks right now, but there should be no reason why guys like and are your "next men up" when guys go down. Bullock had an efficient night, but he's also shooting just 31.3 percent from deep on the season. Mark Cuban can't a sume Doncic is like Nowitzki and hope that he'll be patient while Dallas slowly tries to build a championship roster around him. Superstar players request trades all the time, and if Dallas isn't careful Doncic could start looking elsewhere to win his title. Click here Click here Click here
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