Dallas Mavericks' 5 biggest weaknesses as NBA Playoffs approach
The Dallas Mavericks will face the LA Clippers in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. This will be the third time in five seasons that both teams square off.
While they have been an offensive powerhouse led admirably by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs also have glaring weaknesses they will need to address if their objective is to win the title. They last won an NBA championship in 2011. While this season promises their best chance of regaining the Larry O'Brien Championship trophy, there are enough factors that can go against them.
Here's a look at some of the weaknesses the Mavericks will need to work on before their playoff campaign.
5 major weaknesses for the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the 2024 NBA Playoffs
#5 The Dallas Mavericks have had health issues
The Dallas Mavericks may have played quality ball in their final stretch of regular season games, but there have been health problems plaguing the roster. Role players who have had an impact on both ends of the floor — Dante Exum, Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and Dereck Lively II — have all dealt with injuries and have been in and out of the lineup, missing a good chunk of games.
While the injury bug hasn't been severe for Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving, the fact that some of their players aren't at 100% will hurt Dallas.
#4 Offensive rebounding
The numbers say it all. The Dallas Mavericks have offensive rebounding issues, and at the time of writing, they are placed 23rd on that aspect of the game. They struggle to secure rebounds, and that coupled with paint defense shows how lack of size has been a problem for Dallas since last season.
Yes, they do have promising names in Dereck Lively II and PJ Washington, but this is also one of the smaller teams in the NBA. This will be one of the major issues the Mavs will have to address if they intend to make a deeper run in the playoffs.
#3 Jason Kidd's coaching adjustments
There have been more than a few instances where some of Jason Kidd's decisions have gone against expectations.
His rotation was always questioned, as was his lineup deployments. However, the last 15 games have marked a stellar turnaround where Kidd fixed things after acquiring P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford.
When he went with a small lineup in their shock defeat to the Boston Celtics earlier this season, there were questions raised over his coaching acumen, but the ultimate test will be figuring out his strategies against teams with more physicality and size.
#2 Lack of playoff experience outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving
Barring their two stars, the rest of the Dallas Mavericks unit hasn't played in enough playoff games to withstand the pressure that comes with each matchup in every round.
While one has proved to be a force in each game, Kyrie Irving comes in as a veteran with 74 playoff games averaging 23.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. His run also included winning a championship with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Doncic has 28 playoff games to his name and that makes them the two major players in the mix with postseason experience. Tim Hardaway Jr. is the other player with just as many playoff games under his belt as Doncic. The unit is young, and their lack of experience is a key factor.
#1 Reliance on their superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to shoulder the offensive load
Much of the Dallas Mavericks offense is spearheaded by their star duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. There have been multiple instances where their offense has sputtered in the absence of either of the two guards.
With Tim Hardaway Jr. struggling with his consistency, the Mavs have been devoid of a quality shotmaker who can be more creative with the offense this season. While it does work in the regular season, a deeper run in the playoffs remains questionable especially if one of the two are sidelined.