The Mavericks lost to the Wizards on Friday night, 117-107. It was an ugly game for Dallas, and one of the main reasons for that is their clear lack of a point guard. For the last seven years, it was easy
to gloss over just how important a game manager is because they had, arguably, the best game manager in the NBA. Now, they have a hole at that position. In the first two games, rookie Cooper Flagg has started at point guard, and, to put it lightly, the Mavericks’ offense has not looked great. If they are trying to develop his skillset, these reps are excellent. However, if they are trying to win like general manager Nico Harrison has said they are, they need an alternate solution.
One play late against Washington confirmed this for me. The Mavericks were down 108-102, with a chance to cut the lead to one possession. The ball was in Flagg’s hands, and he was guarded by CJ McCollum near half court. McCollum poked the ball away, Flagg recovered, got sped up, tried to get into a pick-and-roll with Anthony Davis, and lost the ball. The Wizards came down and scored, making that sequence a two-possession swing in a close game. In that moment, one thing became clear: it is not just a requirement to have a point guard in the playoffs; you need a guy who can get you into your sets every step of the way, or it is impossible to win any close game. The no-guard experiment has to be over. Not only was Dallas unable to get into the offense late (or at all), but P.J. Washington and Anthony Davis, who handled the ball a fair amount, combined for 13 turnovers. Trying to get these forwards to dribble is unnecessary and futile.
Whether it is internal or through a trade, a point guard must be inserted into this lineup. They signed D’Angelo Russell to help with ball-handling. Why not see what he can do? Ryan Nembhard is a guy that I have vouched for since June. Let him play 25 minutes. Brandon Williams has been good in spurts. There are players that can help this team already on the end of the bench. Hell, even Jaden Hardy looked okay when he was out there on Friday. Normally, a two-game sample size is insufficient to make long-term judgments. But these two games have been so damning that it is safe to say this team will not get where they want to go unless they have a point guard who can control the game in key situations.
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