Riding a winning streak and a beefed-up roster, the Dallas Mavericks are heading into the All-Star break looking to emerge in the West.
DALLAS — One week can make a big difference.
The Dallas Mavericks appeared to have fallen off the Luka Doncic bandwagon, losing back-to-back games against top conference contenders in February's opener. But since then, with wins over Philadelphia, Brooklyn, New York, Oklahoma City and Washington, Dallas looks like it's back for good.
A team that was just running on fire not too long ago is now one of the hottest teams in the NBA. The Mavs realized he was tied with Golden State for the league's longest active winning streak as the All-Star break approached.
Between losses, wins, and seemingly massive orders for face masks, they've also made some big changes to the supporting cast.
The 2024 NBA trade deadline has passed, and the Mavericks have avoided a “hurrah” trade for a big-name star in order to improve their positional needs without compromising their ability to make big moves in the offseason.
Summer additions Richaun Holmes, Seth Curry and Grant Williams are out, and center Daniel Gafford and forward P.J. Washington are added. The depth on the Mavs' roster may be the best we've seen so far during the Doncic era.
What was a huge void at the backup center position is now a strength at the position, with Gafford and his 11.2 PPG, 8.2 rebound averages sliding into the starting rotation while Lively deals with a broken nose. Gafford has already made his presence felt in his short time as a Mav player, clearly showing his defensive effort and rebounding acumen.
Not only has Dallas improved its depth, but it also has more youth. Gafford is only 25 years old and is on a long-term deal at a team-friendly cap number, but this essentially replaces Holmes' 12 million cap hit and is a massive upgrade in production.
Dallas currently has the luxury of having two starters moving forward for at least the next three seasons. Washington, who is in his fifth year out of Kentucky, will slide into the spot Williams was brought in to fill, becoming a multi-position defender with offensive pop when needed.
The forward/center averages 13.5 points per year and is under contract through 2026. He will look to get minutes with Derrick Jones Jr. in a tandem that specializes in athleticism on both sides of the ball.
The new players have emphasized their desire to be part of Dallas' push to compete, and the front office's deadline roster shuffle was quickly praised by Doncic. So far, the results have exceeded expectations. They felt the change of seasons.
In the two wins since the deadline, Washington is averaging 11.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG, while Gafford is averaging 17.5 PPG and 13.0 RPG thanks to his excellent defense in the paint and Doncic's lob targeting. . Most importantly, their presence significantly lengthened the bench.
Mavs President Nico Harrison has long called for more size and stronger rim running to elevate the team around Doncic's extensive skill set, but the Mavs have been limited to what is available and limited assets. Not only has the team's team's atmosphere and culture improved as well.
Depth has greatly improved thanks to Harrison and company, but any chance of meaningful games beyond April still begins and ends with the dual-headed attack of Kyrie Irving and Doncic.
Luka has had MVP-worthy performances for most of this season, but hasn't been shown much love by the league, largely due to Irving being sidelined for the majority of games and the resulting middling team performance. ing.
Irving now appears to have recovered from his injury, and the backcourt duo is collectively scoring nearly 60 points per game. Good things seem to come one after the other, and with a healthy co-star, a revamped rotation, and a winning streak, Doncic was recognized as the NBA Player of the Week for the period ending February 11th.
The rebuilt Mavs will be hoping for more deserving honors in the near future. As of now, they are 31-23 and one game out of fifth place in the West Division heading into their final matchup before the break, taking on the last-place San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center for a Valentine's night meeting. We are welcoming you.
Do you think the Mavericks are building a competitive roster? Share your thoughts with Irvin on Twitter @Twittirv.
