Sports Illustrated - 21.10.2019

NEW ACQUISITION \ † INJURED ( 2017 – 18 STATS)

LUKA DONˇCI ́C will have to

avoid the sophomore

slump, but he’s well

beyond that. He was

a seasoned vet out of

the gate. I think he’ll

duplicate what he did

last year. He does it

all at that size [6' 7",

218 pounds]. What he

lacks in athleticism

he can speed up with

his IQ and his strength

and his shooting range.

He never seemed to

have a down month,

he just powered

through.... The biggest

key to their season

is KRISTAPS PORZINGIS’s

health and whether

he can perform like

the rising star he was

a couple years ago in

New York. Dallas will be

less of a distraction—

now he can focus on

basketball. Dirk retires,

and they get a guy

who’s kind of like him—

it’s pretty lucky. I don’t

think they gave up too

much for Porzingis.

I’m not high on Dennis

Smith Jr., and if you

get the best player in

the deal, to me, you

won.... They have to

figure out what young

guys fit around those

two moving forward

and who to keep when

they decide to spend

money again. They

definitely need a third

guy at some point....

I like DELON WRIGHT as a

bench role guy. They

have some nice parts,

but they need more heft

in the starting lineup.

Even DORIAN FINNEY-SMITH

and MAXI KLEBER have

had some moments.

SETH CURRY is coming

back, but they need

more firepower in the

starting lineup....

I’d put them lower

than Sacramento and

New Orleans as far as

making the playoffs,

unless their guys

are just so dynamic

together—which could

still happen.

Projected Lineup

Bench

Anyone paying attention knew

that 6' 7" point guard Luka Donˇci ́ c,

entering the NBA at 19 with two

dominant European seasons under

his belt, was never going to be

a normal rookie. In an up-and-down year the

Mavericks didn’t treat him like one: DONCIˇ ́C’S

29.6% USAGE RATE was the highest for a rookie in

the 42 seasons the stat has been kept. And now,

as the post-Dirk era begins, Dallas can pair him

with a presumably healthy Kristaps Porzingis (and

build on the team’s European flavor). The 7' 3"

Porzingis—who hasn’t played since tearing his left

ACL with the Knicks in February 2018—can ease

some of the pressure on the Mavs’ lead ballhandler.

(His usage two years ago before his injury was

31.0.) He also gives Donˇci ́ c a high-efficiency scorer,

something the Mavs lacked last season. There’s

room for statistical improvement across the board

as Donˇci ́ c continues to acclimate to the NBA.

Expect wins to follow. —Jeremy Woo

29.6%

TELLING NUMBER

ENEMY LINES

A rival scout weighs in

KRISTAPS

PORZINGIS†

22.7 PPG; 6.6 RPG;

2.4 BPG; 43.9 FG%

PF

Starters

SF

TIM

HARDAWAY JR.

18.1 PPG; 3.4 RPG;

40.4 FG%; 34.0 3FG%

LUKA

DONCIˇ ́C

21.2 PPG; 7. 8 RPG;

6.0 APG; 42.7 FG%

PG SG

DELON

WRIGHT*

8.7 PPG; 3.5 RPG;

3.3 APG; 43.4 FG%

C

DWIGHT

POWELL

10.6 PPG; 5.3 RPG;

0.6 BPG; 59.7 FG%

SG

SETH

CURRY*

7. 9 PPG; 1.6 RPG;
   45.6 FG%; 45.0 3FG%

PF

DORIAN

FINNEY-SMITH

7. 5 PPG; 4.8 RPG;
   43.2 FG%; 31.1 3FG%

97

GREG NELSON (DONCIC)

DALLAS

2018 – 19 RECORD 33– 49 3rd in Southwest

Mavericks COACH RICK CARLISLE 12th season with Mavericks

∂41 wins ∂Miss the playoffs ∂After a so-so start, Mark Cuban (jokingly?) asks Dirk to unretire.

THE

WEST

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