The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the NBA’s most disappointing teams this season. With a 13-15 record in the West, and 10th place standing, it’s clear they aren’t where they want to be at this point in time.
And while their troubles are many, there is one big area of the game that is costing them the most: defense. The Mavs are 24th in opponent points per game (114.6) and near the bottom in opponent field goal percentage (47.2%). They have also had 23 different players drop their season-high against them — a rather telling stat when you consider the Mavs have played just 28 games.
“7 different shooting guards have had their season highs against the Dallas Mavericks, 5 different small forwards, 5 different power forwards, and 4 different centers. So everyone has done really well,” said Ed Kupfer on the Hoop Collective podcast.
https://twitter.com/EdKupfer/status/1359912582342180865
Needless to say, the Mavericks are clearly among the NBA’s worst defensive teams, and it is playing a large role in their struggles this year.
If they want to have any hope of making the playoffs, and a run for the Finals, they’re going to have to figure out how to slow down their opponents. Could we see them make a move before the deadline?
