Dallas Mavericks: The great, the good and the ugly

The Dallas Mavericks’ season is just getting started with preseason  underway and Luka Doncic already in full form. Most outlets have the team in Dallas projected to finish anywhere between the 3rd seed in the Western Conference to possibly the 7th seed at best. This is the moment Mavs’ fans have all been waiting for.

Grab your Mavs gear and let’s take a stroll down the upcoming season.

THE GREAT

What makes this upcoming season great? Well, the simplest answer is Doncic. Luka magic is in full force and NBA fans everywhere caught a glimpse of it Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz. The Mavs’ MVP doesn’t seem to have lost a step and looks geared to take the team to the next level. If you break down the European guard, there’s no question he is a top NBA player.

In a recent survey by NBA general managers, a majority of them agreed that Doncic is the best player to build an NBA team around. He just beat out Milwaukee Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo by 4 percent of the votes.

If you look at his numbers, there are not many players that can average a double-double in every single game. Against the Utah Jazz the other day, Doncic scored 19 points and tagged along six rebounds and five assists. This was in just under 16 minutes, while also shooting eight of 10 from the field.

If there is anything great about this season, it is the never ending fascination of Luka magic.

The Good

While nothing can beat the highlights of Luka, another good aspect of this season is the addition of Jason Kidd. The former Mavs guard comes in after 13 seasons of Coach Rick Carlisle. The current coach comes in with a new philosophy as he hopes to turn the team around in that image.

In his two head coaching stints, Kidd was seen as a coach who, at times, did not make the best decisions. However, when it comes down to it, his main goals centered on individual player development and the true meaning of teamwork. If a player struggles on either side of the ball, Kidd expects everyone to come together and work on their keys as a squad.

His time in Los Angeles was key to his development as a coach. I believe Kidd needed a step in some sort of assistant role before he took on another head coaching role.

Give it time and I believe he will solve the Kristaps Porzingis issues. #INKIDDIBELIEVE.

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The Bad

When it comes down to it, explaining a “bad” aspect of the team was very difficult to do. However there is one thing and that is overall improvement. As usual, Dallas failed to land a big time free agent.

One of the biggest needs this season was adding someone who would complement Doncic on both sides of the ball. A high caliber role player or all-star athlete may come to haunt the team down the road. This past summer a number of free agents were on the board including DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen.

Missing out on a second/third player is crucial to the team’s development. Yes the team did a good job of adding players such as Reggie Bullock, Moses Brown and Sterling Brown, but they still do not match the former free agents listed above.

Basically it wasn’t enough.

Whatever the issues may be, like every other NBA fan, I am excited to have basketball back on the big screen. Nothing beats Luka magic and the fascination of the Dallas Mavericks.

When it’s all said and before we can all agree: Basketball is back.

• Published on 10/08/2021 at 12:30 PM
• Last updated at 10/08/2021 at 12:00 PM