The Mavericks have changed plenty around the edges, but the one issue that keeps hanging over them is the same old one: the 3-point shot.
Dallas spent the offseason adding size, length and defensive versatility. What it did not do was become a meaningfully better shooting team, and 12 games into the season the numbers look awfully familiar to last year’s 26-win group. The Mavericks are at 33.6 percent from deep this season, barely off the 34.4 percent they posted a year ago.
That gap, or lack of one, matters because the modern NBA still comes back to the same place. If the shots don’t fall, the margin for error disappears.
Thursday night in Minneapolis was a brutal example. Minnesota buried 15 triples at about 47 percent and rolled Dallas 133-94, handing the Mavericks their most lopsided loss of the season and extending the Timberwolves’ winning streak in the series to seven straight. LaMelo Ball went 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, Bones Hyland added 5-of-6 off the bench, and those two alone accounted for 11 of Minnesota’s 15 makes.
Dallas, meanwhile, shot 13-of-48 from 3-point range. That’s 27.1 percent, and it told the whole story.
The Mavericks’ season record shows the same pattern. They are 5-2 when they hit at least 35 percent from deep and 2-3 when they fall below that line. That kind of split leaves little mystery about what drives their wins and losses.
Against Minnesota, the shooting gap fed everything else. The Timberwolves led by as many as 44 points, shot 57.8 percent from the field and scored 74 points in the paint. Dallas never found a response because it didn’t have one available.
Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving combined to go 9-of-23 against Minnesota’s pressure, which is what happens when a defense can crowd two players and not worry much about the rest.
Still, there are reasons to think Dallas can climb out of this shooting rut. Irving has been the most reliable threat, averaging 2.8 made 3-pointers per game and carrying the heaviest volume on the roster.
P.J. Washington has nudged his accuracy up to 35.1 percent after shooting 32.5 percent last season.
Zaccharie Risacher is at 29.5 percent, though he shot 36.8 percent with Atlanta a year ago. Max Christie has started slowly at 26.3 percent after finishing last season at a career-best 40.4 percent.
So no, the season is not hanging by a thread. Dallas is 7-5, and it has already found ways to win with defense, offensive rebounding and late-game execution. Those are the kinds of traits that can travel.
The upside has shown up in flashes, too. The Mavericks shot 41.2 percent from 3-point range in both games against Indiana and hit 40 percent against Brooklyn, and they won all three. That’s the version of this team that can stretch its ceiling.
In Other News...
Mavericks Suddenly Face A Max Christie Concern They Cant Ignore
Max Christie has been one of the more dependable pieces in the Mavericks early-season rotation, showing up in 11 of 12 games while carving out a steady role with his defense, energy and timely minutes. He has also given Dallas a little production on the stat sheet, averaging 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, which makes his availability more than a routine injury note as the team continues to sort out its backcourt depth.
Now the Mavericks have to monitor him closely ahead of the Cleveland game, with Christie dealing with an ankle issue that has put him on the injury report. If he cannot go, it would be only the second game he has missed all season, a small number that underscores how often Dallas has been able to count on him and why this status matters with a tough matchup looming. [Read more 🡒]
Doug McDermotts Retirement Brings Back A Mavericks Team-Building Reminder
Doug McDermotts retirement announcement on Nov. 13 brought a familiar name back into view for Mavericks fans, even if his time in Dallas was brief. Drafted in 2014, McDermott carved out a 12-year NBA career across seven teams, finishing with 6,162 points and the kind of shooting touch that kept him in demand long after the draft-night buzz faded.
The reaction around his exit underscored what made him such a respected pro. Coaches Rick Carlisle and Mike Brown offered reflections on his career and character, while his father, Greg McDermott, also weighed in on the journey. For Dallas, it was another reminder of how much roster-building in the NBA depends on players who can fit different roles, adapt quickly and leave a positive imprint wherever they land. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Face A Tough Mavericks Test After A Chaotic Travel Delay
The Cavaliers trip home turned messy before they ever got back to Cleveland, with a nationwide flight grounding tied to a communications issue throwing off their schedule ahead of a home game against the Mavericks. It adds an unusual wrinkle to a matchup between two teams sitting close in the standings, especially with Dallas bringing a dangerous mix of youthful energy and veteran shot-making behind Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving.
Cleveland still has the added backdrop of celebrating its 2016 NBA championship during the game, but the bigger immediate concern is how much normal preparation the team can squeeze in after the travel disruption. For Dallas, it is the kind of spot that can turn into a real test on the road, because even a familiar opponent can look different when the pregame routine has been scrambled. [Read more 🡒]