Last Week:1↓
2023-24 record: 50-32
OffRtg: 117.0 (8) DefRtg: 114.9 (18) NetRtg: +2.1 (15) Pace: 100.6 (7)
Key addition(s): Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall
Key departure(s): Derrick Jones Jr., Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr.
Three numbers to know:
Starting from their first game with Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington until Game No. 80, before punting their final two games, the Mavs had the league’s second-best record at 21-7, ranking in the top six on both ends of the floor – huge improvement on D.
In the conference semis, they scored 18.5 points more per 100 possessions than the Thunder allowed in the first round. And in the West finals, they scored 11.4 more than the Wolves allowed in the conference semis.
Luka Doncic (28.9, 9.5 and 8.1) was just the fifth different player in NBA history – joining LeBron James (twice), Nikola Jokic (twice) and Oscar Robinson (twice) – to average at least 28 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the playoffs with a minimum of 10 games played.
Key question: Can their defense pick up where it left off?
That 21-7 stretch, the Mavs ranked sixth defensively, up from 22nd prior to the additions of Gafford and Washington. Doncic and Kyrie Irving were a part of that improvement, but it will be fascinating to see how well this team defends with Doncic, Irving and Thompson all on the floor together. Jones will be missed on that end of the floor. The Mavs allowed just 99.7 points per 100 possessions in his 283 regular season minutes alongside Gafford and Washington, but they allowed 120.0 per 100 in 200 minutes with Gafford and Washington on the floor without Jones.
Though, Thompson should get plenty of open looks in this offense. His catch-and-shoot 3-point percentage of 39.2% over his three post-injury seasons is lower than it was in the three seasons prior (43.0%), but still strong and likely to earn the respect of opposing defenses.
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