The Dallas Mavericks have won back-to-back games against the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons and are now 36-28, coming back from a very concerning stretch of games in which they lost five of six games.
Dallas' poor defense was at the root of it all, and the team also didn't seem to have good energy, effort, or communication. This happened at the worst possible time considering every game matters, but now Dallas is back on the right track to make their playoff hopes a reality.
The Mavs are playing much better, but there are still some things they can improve on.
This team is far from an NBA Finals contender, and there may be some moves Jason Kidd can make to help this team.
Kidd has come under a lot of scrutiny for his team's recent performance, but Dallas may be able to keep him around for the next few seasons if they can continue a solid run in the playoffs rather than make a coaching change. do not have.
Here are five subtle moves and five obvious moves Jason Kidd should make to turn the Dallas Mavericks into a legitimate playoff contender.
On Thursday night against the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum showed what kind of player he can be in Dallas. Exum hasn't been great since returning from injury, but this is the type of game the Mavs need from Exum on a consistent basis.
Exum finished with 13 points, four rebounds and five assists while shooting 3-5 from the field, 2-2 downtown and 5-5 from the free throw line. He made big plays when it mattered most, including clutch free throws, big 3-pointers, beautiful fadeaways down the middle of the lane and great defense.
Exum is another great creator in this game and seems to have regained his confidence. He has made it clear that he needs to be in the closing lineup alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving because he is a great defender and off-the-catch shooter.
He's reliable as a ball handler when needed, and his composure was huge for the Mavs in that game. Exum has what it takes to finish games, and the Mavs would benefit if Jason Kidd chooses to keep Exum in the team's clutch lineup.
