Abhay Pancharathi

The Dallas Mavericks are set to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011, marking a significant achievement as the first team to reach the Finals after missing the playoffs the previous year since the 2007-08 Boston Celtics. Unlike those Celtics teams, who made blockbuster trades for two All-Stars to complement their all-star wing Paul Pierce, the Mavericks relied on marginal trades and offseason signings to bolster their roster around the stellar backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Identifying key weaknesses such as rim protection, shooting, and athleticism, the Mavericks' front office made moves to address these issues. These adjustments have led to a remarkable turnaround, setting the stage for a deep playoff run.

Too much basketball discourse has surrounded their top two, so it is time to shed some light on the "other players" who set the Mavericks apart.

Player Profiles

P.J. Washington

The first of Dallas' trade acquisitions at the deadline was for Hornets forward PJ Washington. Washington is a long athletic wing who can find his own shot or knock down catch and shoot threes. He filled Dallas' need for a 3rd creator who could stretch the floor a position Grant Williams was, obviously, incapable of filling in. Before the trade deadline, Dallas' most run lineup of Doncic, Irving, Williams, Derrick Jones Jr., and Dereck Lively had a negative net rating. In 99 minutes, this lineup was getting outscored by 2.3 points per 100 possessions, not becoming a team with title aspirations. The obvious odd man out was Williams. Since signing a 55 million dollar contract over the summer, Williams had been massively underwhelming, shooting 49% from 2 and 37% from 3, down from the prior year in Boston where he shot 55% from 2 and 40% from 3. He was especially poor on the defensive side of the ball; brought in to guard big wings such as Jayson Tatum and LeBron James, Williams became a liability, as Tatum scored 39 points in the sole matchup while Williams was on the Mavericks while James averaged 29.5 points per game over two games. In the Celtics game specifically, Williams was rendered unplayable as Tatum repeatedly roasted him to the rim.

However, since swapping out Williams for PJ Washington, that same lineup has outscored opponents by 13 points per 100 possessions in the regular season and 17 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs. Washington has become the third star for the Mavs, his absurd shooting being the catalyst in the Mavericks' 6-game series win over the Thunder. That same lineup blasted OKC by 30 points per 100 possessions. 

A reason for this particular dominance over OKC comes from P.J. Washington's floater brilliance. Against OKC's drop coverage, Washington was able to feast on floaters, and combined with Luka Doncic, another player with excellent floater and hook feel, these forays into the lane often resulted in 2 easy points for Dallas.

P.J.'s build, shooting, defense, and self-creation ability have turned him into a legitimate 3rd star for the Mavericks, someone who can attack on-ball or closeouts when his superstar guard tandem kicks the ball out to him. In the playoffs, this tertiary option matters; when teams sell out to stop a team's top two options, they must have players who can step up and win games. Philadelphia's playoff run was cut short because their third "star", Tobias Harris, was rendered utterly ineffective against the New York Knicks.

Dereck Lively II

Dereck Lively, the 20-year-old rookie big man from Duke is, arguably, the third most important player on a title-contending team. Simply put, the Mavericks defend and score at a far better pace with Dereck Lively on the court. This playoffs, Dallas' big 3 of Doncic, Irving, and Washington have a 21.27 net rating with Dereck Lively on the court. Lively is already among the NBA's best shot blockers, as his 7'7 wingspan and 40-inch vertical allow him to affect any shot taken around the paint. His proficiency as a screen defender is the reason for Dallas' 104 Defensive Rating with him this playoffs, a mark which would be the best in 4 years. Following a screen, Lively is switched to Anthony Edwards. While this would be a death sentence for 99% of centers, Lively is the rare center who stays with Edwards, even forcing a turnover.

On offense, Lively is an obvious lob threat given his measurables, but furthermore Lively has shown that he can make passing reads when he catches the ball on a pick-and-roll. On this play, both screen defenders attempt to trap Kyrie leaving Lively open at the top of the key. Lively sees Karl Anthony Towns coming into the paint and finds the open man and even though it's a miss it's an impressive find by a big man.

In Lively, the Mavericks lucked into an athletic shot-blocking big man who is already an excellent screener and shows promise as a connective hub in the center of Dallas' offense.

Derrick Jones Jr.

This year, Derrick Jones Jr. is the 293rd-highest-paid player in basketball. He is making less than players such as Mike Muscala, Malachi Flynn, and Aleksej Pokusevski, players who are not rotation-caliber players anymore. Always a supremely athletic player, Jones has become a legit defensive stopper. His 6'7 frame and 7'0 wingspan make him as big as most wings... such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown whom he will undoubtedly get the matchup against along with P.J. Washington.

Watch his immaculate defense here, his remarkable lateral quickness and long wingspan let him recover on Paul George after being beaten. Then he's strong enough to withstand the shoulder and agile enough to switch onto Normal Powell with no problem. Then, excellent hand discipline and not letting George draw a foul resulted in a shot clock violation.

The Clippers are the only team the Mavericks faced this playoffs whom a wing scorer leads, so clips such as the one above show the value that DJJ brings to the Finals Matchup. 

Aside from being elite defensively, offensively Jones is a capable lob threat and three-point shooter. His shot chart shows that he is primarily a corner three-point specialist and finisher. Unsurprisingly, 99% of his threes are assisted according to CleaningTheGlass, a symptom of playing with two elite playmakers, and 77% of his shot attempts at the basket are assisted, a mark that is in the 78th percentile league-wide. On a team with Doncic and Irving, having an athletic, above-the-rim finisher, who is shooting 66% at the rim and 46% from the corner in these playoffs is a huge boost, providing late-clock kick-out opportunities or easy lobs from the dunker spot. Much as Aaron Gordon did for the Denver Nuggets, the Mavericks took a raw athlete and turned him into a star role player. Jones has been the most efficient forward in the NBA this playoffs, boasting a blistering 57.8% eFG%. Whether or not his hot three-point shooting keeps up will be the true X-Factor for the Mavericks in the Finals. The Mavericks got themselves a steal, paying DJJ only 2.7 million dollars this year. However, his prowess as a defensive stopper, lob threat, and three-point shooter has earned a 12-15 million dollar contract. Whether or not Dallas can keep Jones this off-season is a big question as to whether or not they will see continued success.

Daniel Gafford

The final piece to the Mavericks Finals roster is the 25-year-old big man from Arkansas. Spending multiple years maligned on a pitiful Wizards roster, Gafford has completely revitalized his career in Dallas as part of a potent 1-2 Center punch with the previously mentioned Dereck Lively. Gafford made headlines earlier this year as a candidate to break Wilt Chamberlain's 57-year-old record of 35 consecutive shots made, and while Gafford's streak ended at 33 shots, it is a glimpse into what he provides on the court. When he attempts a shot, more likely than not that shot will go in. A center with that kind of touch is special, as Dallas' maestro at point guard can easily recognize a mismatch and trust Gafford to score. He was the most efficient big man in the league this year, shooting a blistering 78% from the field. On the defensive side, he is a capable rim-protector who fixed Dallas' pre-trade-deadline problem of non-Lively minutes. Their backup big before the Gafford trade was between Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell, two obvious weaknesses at the rim.

Gafford is an adept pick-and-roll defender which is crucial for a modern big man, especially in the playoffs. Watch as he hedges the screen forcing Anthony Edwards to pick up his dribble, then rotates around to make McDaniels pass difficult causing a turnover. Hedging is a defensive tactic that involves jumping in front of a screen to force a ball handler to pick up their dribble, similar to a trap.

Off Season

While it may be early to talk about the Mavericks off-season, seeing as how they're in the NBA Finals, there are clear moves to be made. Firstly, their third-highest-paid player, Tim Hardaway Jr. should be shipped out for whatever he nets, be it a 2nd or an end-of-the-rotation role player. A portion of that 16.2 million dollars should be focused on a Derrick Jones Jr. multi-year extension, and the rest should be focused on shooting guard Jaden Hardy. These moves would lock up the Mavericks' best wing defender and a depth guard who can take Hardaway's spot as a pure scorer; a microwave. Bringing back the core of a Finals-caliber team while also seeing leaps from Lively and Hardy will have this team in contention for at least 5 years. With any leftover money, a move for a bench facilitator who can keep the offense running when Luka and Kyrie both sit would be huge, keeping them fresh for the playoffs. Free agents who fit this mold would be Minnesota's Monte Morris, Washington's Tyus Jones, or a reunion with the Lakers' Spencer Dinwiddie. The first two options should be relatively inexpensive while the third poses a potential starting-caliber guard in a bench role.

Regardless of the outcome of the Finals, Dallas Mavericks fans should be excited for the future, not only because of their big-name backcourt but also the role players who allow Doncic and Irving to play their game. The reason for last year's disappointing season end was not to blame Luka or Kyrie, instead, the team around them was ill-suited to compete. General Manager Nico Harrison has done a masterful job identifying key weaknesses and addressing them with undervalued assets. Whether or not the Mavericks can retain these assets will determine how competitive this Mavericks team will be in the years to come.