When it's hot, it's hot, but when it's not, you need a short leash.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has been a polarizing player since arriving in Dallas five years ago. His hot shooting could push the Mavericks' offense to new heights, but his poor defense and decision-making could force the Mavericks into the eight-ball. Since the 2019 trade, the Mavericks have been short-staffed, with Hardaway having to play nearly 30 minutes a night during his tenure. Now that the Mavericks' big trade deadline has passed and their talent bucket is full, Hardaway's minutes and the lineup he plays with will need to be closely monitored. Because using him too much, or using him in the wrong way, could cost this team a lot.
First, he won't be allowed to shoot out of slumps like he has in the past. A cold night against Washington nearly cost him a must-win game. The game turned around when he came on with 8 minutes, 23 seconds left in the fourth inning and Dallas trailing by nine points. In the final stretch after he was ejected, the Mavericks outscored the Wizards by 17 points. It's not his fault, all he knows is to keep shooting. The Mavericks had other places to look for inspiration, so coach Jason Kidd needs to figure out when it's not Hardaway's night and step back. There shouldn't be a game where Jaden Hardy, PJ Washington, or even Josh Green are on the bench while Hardaway is shooting 2-of-13. If Hardaway plays, it should be a night where he hits one or two of his first four shots. Even if they do that, it would have to be in a lineup where he's not the third-shortest player.
Dallas made a big splash at the trade deadline, acquiring P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford in deals that released picks and fringe rotation players. Another thing that should have been given up in these trades was the need for Dallas to play three “small” players at the same time. Two of Dallas' five most-used lineups this year (although they have never played more than 100 minutes together in a single lineup) have three players 6-foot-6 or shorter. Both have defensive ratings over 126. Hardaway is the common denominator and it's no secret why teams struggle defensively when he's on the floor. His size, or lack thereof, cannot be overstated. His height is listed as 6 feet 5 inches, but if you've ever seen him in person, you'll know that 6 feet 4 inches is generous. He also doesn't make big plays, which creates serious problems when he's out there with guys like Kyrie Irving and Jaden Hardy, which has happened in each of the past three games.
An eye test reveals that the three cannot play together. It's hard to trust because of the small sample size, but the lineup featuring Hardy, Irving, and Hardaway has the Mavericks' fifth-worst defensive rating (114.3) among three-man lineups that have played at least 20 minutes since the trade deadline. are recorded. As for the other four in the top five, Hardaway is featured in three of them. Again, these are small sample sizes, but the data is supported by eye tests, so it makes sense that this is the case.
Hardaway still has a place on this team. His ability to power an offense with little or no help is invaluable. However, his bad night was avoided with the trade deadline acquisition. Dallas will always be able to play three big bodies and will need to involve Hardaway when the game is slow, as he has the talent to make up for lost shots when he's on the bench. It's a slippery slope considering you can fail seven times and still succeed five times in a row. He plays two more minutes with Hardaway and you get a variety of results, either falling into a hole with a seven-point lead or turning a five-point deficit into a four-point lead for him. The margin of error is minimal when you're trying to win playoff games, and how Dallas manages Hardaway going forward could be the margin that determines whether they make it through this season.
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