Thursday 11 June 2020 14:14, UK
The Dallas Mavericks, shaped by a European style of play driven by superstar duo Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, are 'on the border' of something special, says Sky Sports NBA analyst Ovie Soko.
Dallas Mavericks
Season record: 40-27
Seventh place in Western Conference
You know I have had a lot to say about the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic all season. To me it's obvious the team, long-term, have one of better duos in the NBA with Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. The pair are now established as the Mavericks' two most influential players and that has helped to bring a European style of game to the team as a whole.
That's great for Dallas, especially given the importance of Dirk Nowitzki to the team's history. Dirk retired, handing the keys to the franchise to Doncic and, subsequently, Porzingis. It feels like a natural progression for the Mavericks.
Before Doncic was drafted, I don't think a lot of NBA basketball fans truly knew how good he was. I had seen him up close playing in Spain and I knew he was special. Most players who faced him when he was 17, 18 would tell you the same thing. Now NBA fans can see what European and international basketball knew. It's clear for everyone to see. Dallas have an absolute stud in Doncic.
Doncic is established as the Mavs' No 1 guy and, in Porzingis, an ideal All-Star level No 2 player. Behind them, they have a really nice supporting cast. Tim Hardaway Jr has shown flashes and is someone I would put in there as their third option. And when he does not Seth Curry can slot in there. Both guys play with chips on their shoulder and are quality players. Hardaway Jr understands the talent of Doncic and Porzingis but he does not shy away from taking important shots if the ball comes his way. He will not automatically defer to them.
The European style of play of Doncic and Porzingis gives opportunities to others and allows the ball to work for the Mavericks. If they can keep all these pieces together and add a couple of defensive-minded guys, Dallas in the long-run will be in the conversation to win an NBA championship.
Everyone acknowledges Doncic is now among the elite level of individual players but I feel people may have slept on Dallas' potential as a team. That might sound a little bit crazy given the praise Doncic has received this season but no one has really spoken about the Mavericks as future title contenders. It only sounds crazy because their success so far has happened so quickly.
People are not yet sold on their long-term success on a grand scale but I am. Two years ago, they were a team not around the playoffs. Now, they are a team you would bank on being in the Western Conference playoffs each year. With the right additions on the defensive side of the ball - a defensive perimeter guy and a defensive-minded big man - I can see Dallas taking another step forward. Before his injury, Dwight Powell looked like he might be that defensive big man. However, I see him more as an energy guy who makes plays rather than an out-and-out defensive specialist.
With additional defensive pieces, Dallas become so dangerous. They could line up with Luka, Hardaway, Porzingis at the four with the defensive big man at the five. Because of Porzingis' ability to stretch the defense and shoot, there will always be space. As long as you have a defensive five who can finish dump-offs and can finish on the roll, you are in a great position.
Rick Carlisle must be enjoying a coach's dream this season with his two main guys so focused on ball movement and finding the right shot - rather than everything living and dying with the play of a single player. When your offense ensures the ball gets to your supporting players like Hardaway Jr, Curry and other role players, that's what you love to see. Every player stays involved in the game.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Mavericks are in a really, really good position. The ball moves naturally, stemming from the way Doncic and Porzingis instinctively play. It makes your offense so, so dangerous, especially when you have a good level of role players like Hardaway Jr and Curry.
I think Dallas are a couple of personnel tweaks away from becoming one of the top teams in the NBA. We saw when Mark Jackson was the coach of the Golden State Warriors, they were 'on the border' of something special, making the playoffs, before Steve Kerr came in and they made the leap to title contention. And their progression happened a lot slower than we are seeing with this Mavericks team.
Draymond Green becoming a starter unlocked everything for the Warriors. What did you see? Two All-Star level players in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson backed up by a defensive player on the wing in Andre Iguodala and a defensive player at the five in Green. Draymond was also a decent three-point shooter back then and he could stretch the floor on offense, too, as Porzingis does for Dallas.
The Mavericks do not have that defensive presence that Green provided to take the Warriors to another level. Could Powell develop into that? I'm not sure. Like I said, to me he is more of an energy guy. If the Mavericks can find or develop that type of defensive player, they go from being a team 'on the border' to being right there among the title contenders in seasons to come.
How will the Mavs fare in this season's playoffs? They have already proven they can compete with any team they play against. Doncic has not had the opportunity to show that yet at NBA playoff level but when he played as a 17-year-old he was competing for European titles and, the season before he was drafted, was the leader on the best team in Europe playing alongside and against NBA-level guys. He has been able to dominate in crucial moments and it is so easy to fall in love with his poise and his mind for the game at such a young age.
That's an advantage he has when the season resumes, but I do not know how the rest of the Mavericks will respond to the layoff. But the way they play and the culture of their team makes them a tough match-up for anyone, no matter who they play.
On the defensive side of the ball, they are not there yet. When you are talking championships and playoff basketball, it's one thing to pick a team apart offensively, but you have to get defensive stops too. The Warriors, the Miami Heat, those title-winning teams locked opponents up. It was extremely difficult to score on those teams. Dallas have to develop that in order to become serious title contenders.
