PORTLAND, Ore. – It’s been an interesting first quarter of the season for the Mavericks.
They have played 21 games and shown several different personalities while keeping up a solid pace in the cutthroat Western Conference.
Identity?
Nope. Not even close. Not yet, anyway. But what Jason Kidd and his coaching staff have done is show to everyone, most importantly his players, that the Mavericks can hit the curveball and just about any other pitch people throw at them.
They’ve had a love of diversity through the first 21 games.
“We’ve had a couple teams here of late, just different groups playing at a high level,” Kidd said after the quick, take-no-prisoners 2-0 trip to Utah and Portland. “Now we got to figure out once we get whole how to become one team.
“That is the next step – becoming one. We have multiple teams right now. And the goal is at the right time to become that one team and we understand what time of the year that is.”
That would be April, May and, hopefully, June.
But in December, it’s more about laying a foundation that will survive the best of the next 61 games and the playoffs.
Figuring out how best to utilize players like Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy is important to a team with aspirations of a championship.
Is it as healthy as being healthy and having Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson operating at peak performance five or six months from now? No. But it’s a necessary ingredient of an elite team.
Defined roles and happy campers.
“I think it’s great to be able to showcase versatility,” Dinwiddie said after his 20-point showing in the 137-131 win at Portland, including 14 in the fourth quarter. “It’s great to get a lot of guys early season reps and build their confidence.
“And then it’s going to be when we get full strength, choosing that core group that’s going to rock and hope they carry us as far as we need to go. And everybody else needs to be ready on back-to-backs and injuries. We got to be ready when that time comes.”
Dinwiddie is the poster kid for figuring out where the pieces fit this season. In the past four games, he’s had three 20-point games and averaged 17.6 points and seven assists. All four games have been wins, three without Luka.
Grimes has been sizzling of late, too. His 28 points against the Blazers were a season-best and third-highest of his career. He also had a career-high five steals. It’s worth noting that Grimes also hit 5-of-6 free throws after he went 1-of-6 in Utah.
Kidd lauded both players and Dončić’s ability to facilitate for both players.
“Spencer’s been one of the hottest players for us,” Kidd said. “And Q. stepping up and making some free throws after his free-throw performance last night. And then the trust, (with Luka) giving up the ball to guys knowing they’re going to step up and make plays.
“Once we get whole, he (Grimes) will go back to coming off the bench. But starting or coming off the bench, he’s willing to play that role at a high level for us. And we need that if we want to win games and the ultimate goal is to win a championship.”
It comes down to embracing the team concept for the Mavericks – and any other good team. And the early portion of the season has done nothing if not convince everybody that each piece on this team is going to get chances to contribute.
Jazian Gortman, who was a longshot to make this team in September, O-Max Prosper and Dwight Powell all have had impactful moments. It’s the way a good team is built.
“We got to figure out as a team – when we’re whole, the minutes are going to come down and can we play those minutes as hard as we can and put ourselves in position to win games,” Kidd said. “That’s just chemistry and it takes time. But our depth has helped us with some injuries and sickness. For these guys to step up in their place, that just shows the depth and how good this team can be.”
Here’s a few other takeaways from the win at Portland:
Luka’s return was seamless: It was kind of funny to Dončić that anybody was concerned about him returning to the lineup after five games out with a right wrist sprain. To ease any concerns, he doled out 13 assists against the Blazers. And afterward, he said his wrist is fine. “A little sore,” he said. “Obviously not 100 percent. But it’s fine.”
Gafford fills the void: With starter Dereck Lively II out with a hyperextended knee, Daniel Gafford piled up 19 points and made the Blazers pay on the interior at both ends of the court. The Mavs also got productive minutes from Dwight Powell. And the bench, thanks mostly to Dinwiddie, came through in the second half. After scoring just four points in the first half, the reserves had 21 after halftime.
Strong numbers: The Mavericks shot 55 percent from the field and 50 percent (18-of-36) from three-point range.
Wrong numbers: The Mavericks allowed Portland to shoot 58 percent from the field and 58 percent (18-of-31) from three-point range.
X: @ESefko
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