Mavericks Must Address One Uncomfortable Issue Amid Losing Streak
After making the NBA Finals last season, the Dallas Mavericks were expected to be one of the very best teams in the NBA. They added Klay Thompson and filled in any gaps with role players they added this summer, and they got off to a hot start, convincingly beating the San Antonio Spurs in their season opener.
That game feels like so long ago. Dallas has fallen to 5-7, is out of the playoff picture, and has been unable to win in the clutch, losing four straight close games, including a two-point loss to the league-worst Utah Jazz on Thursday.
Nov 14, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) goes to the floor for a ball against the Utah Jazz during the third quarter at Delta Center.
© Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Amid the slow start, the Mavericks must have an uncomfortable conversation: yes, it's true that the role players and bench unit have been unreliable this season, but Luka Doncic has also not lived up to expectations.
According to Caesars Sportsbook, Doncic had the third-highest odds to win NBA MVP heading into the season, at +450. Last season, he led the NBA with 33.9 points per game and shot 38.2 percent from 3-point range. This year, his scoring is down to a still-elite 29.3 points per game, but his shooting from deep has fallen to only 32 percent.
On top of that, he has been horrible in late-game situations. Last year, he shot a respectable 40.9 percent from distance and 45.7 percent from the floor in the final five minutes of close games. This season, those numbers are down to 33.3 percent from 3-point range and only 38.5 percent from the floor.
Doncic is undoubtedly still one of the best players in the league, but the Mavericks' roster is built to allow him to take over when needed. When No. 77 has been called so far this season, it simply hasn't delivered.
Last year, Dallas' offensive rating was 8.5 points better when Doncic is on the floor. This season, the Mavericks are still 6.6 points better, but that small difference matters. The Mavericks have relied on Doncic as the number one option since 2019, and he usually delivers, but this season he has fallen short, and it's time the golden boy plays like an MVP, which he hasn't quite done this season.
