Mavs no longer relying strictly on their offense for wins

It wasn’t easy for Jason Kidd to transform the Dallas Mavericks from a team that was reliant on racking up a lot of points to a team that added some defensive substance to their game.

But that is the balancing act Kidd – the Mavs’ first-year coach — currently has on his table. And so far, so good.

Yes, the Mavs may not be knocking the socks off the nets like they were last year when they averaged 112.4 points. This year the Mavs are averaging 105.5 points.

However, instead of allowing 110.2 points like they did last season, this year the Mavs are only giving up 102.7 points per game. That’s what Kidd wanted to reach, figuring that a physical dose of defense will go a long way towards helping his team once the playoffs roll around.

“It’s sometimes easier to say, but it’s hard to do action-wise,” Kidd said. “Just in the past being such an offensive dominant team, a lot of shots have gone in for them. So for now if shots weren’t going in we’re saying, ‘We’re going to the next play, let’s get a stop and get another shot at it.’

“But as a coach it’s easier to say because you’re not out there running around trying to stop talented players. These guys truly believe that they can slow teams down.”

And so far this season, a lot of team’s offense have trickled to a snail’s pace when facing the Mavs.

During a recent 10-day span, the Mavs defeated the Golden State Warriors (99-82), Chicago Bulls (113-99) and Memphis Grizzlies (112-85). The Warriors had the NBA’s best record at the time, and the 82 points they scored were their season low.

The Bulls had the Eastern Conference’s best record and a nine-game winning streak when they squared off against the Mavs. And the Grizzlies were the darlings of the NBA and were clutching an 11-game winning streak when they suffered their lowest scoring output of the season after playing the Mavs.

Overall, the Mavs are 14-3 when holding opponents under 100 points.

“They truly take pride in trying to hold teams under 100 points,” Kidd said. “They’re sharing the ball on the offensive end.

“No matter who shoots it they want to share the ball and use the pass as a weapon. And we’ve done that of late and we’ve had some success with that.”

That success has given the players a change of mind in how to approach a game. They don’t show as much anguish anymore when they miss a shot.

“They move on to the next play,” Kidd said. “And that was one of the hardest things for us is that we kind of hung onto that play.

“If we missed the open shot that we normally would have made, that would stay with us for a play or two. But now we move on to the next play, which has helped us on both ends.”

It also helps that the Mavs have a core group of players who have been here and have gotten accustomed to each other. And they like each other and cheer for one another – if it’s someone who plays the same position.

“As much as coaches or fans want the defense to be great from day one, it took us some time to get there,” Kidd said. “Also, when you look at our offense, we want us to make every shot from day one, but it just doesn’t work that way.

“But that locker room, they still believe that they can win. They still think that they have a lot to give, so they’re playing at a high level on the defensive end.”

MLK DAY MEMORIES: One of the most memorable games the Mavs ever played on Martin Luther King Jr. Day occurred on Jan. 19, 2009, in Philadelphia.

The game against the 76ers was tied at 93, and the clocking was winding down. Then, Dirk Nowitzki performed a nifty shake-and-bake move and launched and buried a fallaway jumper over the out-stretched arms of Reggie Evans as time expired, and the Mavs got out of Philly with a dramatic 95-93 victory.

Jason Kidd was the Mavs’ starting point guard at the time, and finished that game with 22 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He also was 8-of-11 from the field, including 6-of-8 from three-point territory.

“It’s an honor to play on this day,” Kidd said. “Martin Luther King, the things that he did, (he was) just so unselfish for people he didn’t even know.

“The things that he stood for, the things that we’re fighting for today as a country.”

BRIEFLY: Well, that didn’t last long. Saturday’s contest against Orlando was the first time the Mavs went into a game fully healthy since the first three games of the season. But that streak of good fortune didn’t last long as forward Reggie Bullock didn’t play in Monday night’s 104-102 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder due to right knee soreness. And forward Maxi Kleber left the game against the Thunder with a sore left knee. . .Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Monday. Mosley became the 16^th NBA head coach who entered the health and safety protocols at some point this season. Mosley and the Magic were in Dallas this past Saturday to play the Mavs.

Twitter: @DwainPrice