Anatomy of a win streak: Numbers tell the Mavericks’ story

You don’t win six games in a row in the NBA by accident.

Usually, there is numeric evidence that supports why a run of success happens. And there are some clear indicators for the Mavericks, who rolled into the All-Star break with six consecutive wins – three against really good teams, three against really bad teams.

Three at home. Three on the road.

There is nothing to apologize for about this streak. It’s legitimate. The Mavericks have played better than just about anybody in the NBA in the last two weeks.

Here’s the proof:

• They are outscoring their opponents by 18 points per game during the win streak, 122.2 to 104.2.
• They are shooting 51.2 percent from the field and 38.4 percent from three-point land. Their competition: 41.4 percent and 31.2 percent.
• The Mavericks have been more aggressive than their foes, getting to the free-throw line 21.3 times per game to 16.2 for their opponents. That’s the opportunity for five more free points, which is a huge cushion to have working in your favor.
• Even rebounding, perhaps the Mavericks’ biggest issue all season, has come around. They have won the glass 49-46 on average during the streak.
• Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving have played like the superstars they are. As Spurs’ coach Gregg Popovich said after Wednesday’s 116-93 Mavericks’ win at American Airlines Center: “I thought Luka and Kyrie, they played like Hall of Fame players. They were fantastic. We couldn’t do anything with them.” In the streak, Dončić has averaged 29.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 9.2 assists. Irving has averaged 26.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists. And by the way, he’s shot 42.9 percent from three-point land and 56.7 percent overall. Luka has been at 51.7 percent and 37.9 percent. The Mavericks have not lost since Irving returned from a sprained right thumb.

Clearly, the Mavericks are playing well and they have risen a spot in the Western Conference standings because of it. They go into the All-Star break seventh at 32-23, a game behind New Orleans and Phoenix.

Above that, there is a gap to the top four, who appear to be cemented (for now), although the order is to be determined.

“Everyone’s bunched up,” coach Jason Kidd said. “One through four is bunched up. Five through nine is bunched up. So every game is going to mean something and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

So the Mavericks need to enjoy the break. When they return next week for practice on Tuesday and a meeting on Wednesday at AAC against Phoenix, there will be 27 games remaining – almost exactly one-third of the season. And it’s going to be on.

What the Mavericks have done with their winning streak is regain relevancy and ensure that these next two months are going to be packed with meaningful games.

Here’s a couple other takeaways from the win over San Antonio:

Impressive return for Lively: Rookie center Dereck Lively II missed seven games with a broken nose that required surgery. He was back for 17 minutes on Wednesday and he was so impactful that the Mavericks were plus-27 in that quarter-and-a-half that he was on the floor. He finished with eight points and five rebounds, along with three blocked shots. The Lively-Daniel Gafford tag team at center ought to give the Mavericks lots of options the rest of the way. And it’s clear that their rebounding is improved. “He’s bringing that energy,” Lively said of Gafford, who had 10 points and 10 rebounds in 23 minutes. “He has a high motor. He’s out there chasing every board and going after every shot (to block). Having a person like that just makes everything easier.”

Strong numbers: The biggest stat of the night? One hour, 58 minutes. That’s how long it took to play the game and it was a wonderful throwback to when the games typically were always within a few minutes of two hours, barring overtime. The two teams combined for only 25 free throws and nobody really complained much about anything.

X: @ESefko