NBA: Biggest Need For Each Western Conference Contender
By Ryan Piers
Dallas Mavericks
Nice Surprise: The chemistry
The Mavericks, like in most years, are the Frankenstein of the NBA. A hodgepodge of tossed-away parts pieced together by Dr. Frankenstein himself, Mark Cuban. But this year, it’s different. They brought in known head case Deron Williams, an athletic guard coming off knee surgery in Wesley Matthews, to fit with a team already consisting of two middling point guards, a bust of a small forward and plethora of aging veterans. This wasn’t supposed to work. Yet, instead of plummeting into NBA purgatory, the Mavericks have emerged as interesting contenders in the West. They are in the upper half of the league in most offensive categories while maintain a consistent defense. It helps that Cuban has best glue to hold his monster together in Rick Carlisle.
Needs Improvement: The pace
According to John Hollinger’s advanced stats, there are 15 teams in the NBA that play faster than the Mavericks. When you look at their point guard depth and wing athleticism, there is no reason the Mavs shouldn’t be playing half-court offense. Light on isolation players, the Mavs should be pushing the ball and lining up guys from long range for quick looks. They are already second in the league in three-point attempts and near the top in percentage. Why not try to get open looks sooner?
Next: Los Angeles Clippers