After a 1-3 start to the regular season, many fans are struggling to comprehend how such a talented Dallas Mavericks roster has so far executed a faceplant in the win column. How could such an elite group
of bigs, inclusive of coveted Cooper Flagg, continue to have performances that don’t demonstrate that elite nature? The problem with rushing to assign blame (as well as with pulling out your hair) is that four games is four games. That’s 4. One of their three losses came against a Spurs team that has arguably the most dominant big man in the league in Victor Wembanyama. While that may not have reduced the Mavs front court to ineffectual, it nevertheless tested them in a way that they needed. They lost the game, and it was an early lesson for them on setbacks (and on playing against a 7 1/2 foot, once-in-a—lifetime superstar). One of the other two losses came against defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder. Go figure with that one. They didn’t roll over and die or anything.
Perhaps instead of looking for reasons why this team hasn’t started off undefeated, we should acknowledge to ourselves that this team is built differently than the Mavs teams of recent years that we’re used to watching. They are built to play (and win) as a team, they were constructed with a defense-first mindset, and one of the key components of their starting lineup is an NBA rookie who has played in a total of four (4) games. It’s not like this group has a long history of playing alongside each other, either, especially the starting unit. A situation like this will take some time to allow for the group to get a feel for each other and to gel.
We’ve also been taught to expect fireworks on a nightly basis the last few years when Doncic was on the team. While Flagg definitely has the potential to provide those fireworks (and did indeed at several moments during the win against the Toronto Raptors wherein he scored 22 points), we should recall to ourselves that the specific DNA of this year’s team is different than it has been in recent years, and as such, we must temper (or at least reconfigure) our expectations for the on-court action we’re going to see each night. While it might be frustrating in some ways, there are other ways that watching this team can provide excitement that we aren’t used to. The defense will continue to improve and (most likely) be a formidable unit for opposing teams. Turnovers, blocks, contested shots, and general aggressiveness on the defensive side are all factors that could win this squad a good amount of games. And if they stay healthy, it most definitely will do just that.
And none of this is to say that they don’t have offensive firepower. It just might not always be as flashy as it once was. But there shouldn’t be any shortage of super dunks. As mentioned already, Cooper Flagg will provide fireworks, and they’ll begin to come more and more frequently. Anthony Davis will have a very impressive scoring average, and he’ll look unstoppable at times (especially once some of the other guys create more efficient floor spacing). And, in case you forgot, Kyrie Irving will (hopefully) be back with the team at some point before the season ends. That should go a long way in making up for some of the flashy plays we may be wishing for by then. Dallas also has other guys that can handle and shoot the ball. The most important ingredient for all of these things to hit a speed that starts the win column lighting up with a good amount of frequency is: time.
And if that doesn’t work, fire Nico and/or move the team to Las Vegas and forget I ever said anything.
