When immaculate vibes were needed most, they vanished
The Mavericks finished the last week 1-3 and have an overall record of 20-14. They have fallen to fifth place and are only one game ahead of seventh in the Western Conference. The lone win came in Phoenix (98-89) while the three losses came in Portland (126-122), Sacramento (110-100), and Houston (110-99). P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving all missed at least a game for various injuries, sicknesses, and suspensions, but Washington is the only one currently in jeopardy of missing more time. Naji Marshall has one more game to serve in a four-game suspension for an altercation with Jusuf Nurkic last Friday. Luka Doncic remains out with a calf strain and Dante Exum remains out while he recovers from wrist surgery.
Grade: C+
The Mavericks are going through their first rough patch in over a month and it feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Luka Doncic’s return is not even a thought currently and the Mavericks cannot avoid dinks and bonks on key players every other game. Their January schedule is brutal with games against some of the best teams in the league (starting with Cleveland Friday). It is going to take unparalleled focus and buy-in from every guy to come out of the All-Star break outside of the Play-In.
The Mavericks rode emotions to a gutsy win in Phoenix but after that could not muster up enough firepower to win another game. The Portland loss stings, even with the absence of so many key players. Dallas was still much more talented than the Trailblazers and not being able to pull that out was a huge missed opportunity.
As for the other two, if you look at the box scores of the losses to Sacramento and Houston it may not look like two disappointing defeats. However, if you go back and watch the tape it will tell you a different tale. Outside of the context of who Dallas did not have available, those losses were infuriating. They were perfect Mavericks storms, combining puzzling coaching, poor effort, and cold second-half offense to infuriate the viewer and give Dallas two losses that they could have stolen as wins. If it weren’t for such an impressive road win against the Suns, this grade would be significantly lower.
Straight A’s: Maxi Kleber
For as much gaff as Kleber has gotten for looking like a hobbled deer in headlights for 90 percent of the season, he has proven that a clock is still right twice a day with his recent stretch. It seems every season as he is looking like his career is over he comes right back with a few games where he looks like a serviceable backup. He has been defending well, grabbing rebounds, and even hitting a few shots, including a monstrous 15-point performance in the win over Phoenix. Hopefully, Kleber can keep the solid play up and avoid having the Mavericks put him on ice until the playoffs.
Currently Failing: Daniel Gafford
Let me preface this section with a statement: Daniel Gafford is an excellent backup big man. That being said, he has not had a good stretch of basketball. He is atrocious at defending in space and constantly gets lost on defense. Too often he tries to block a drive that is already being contested, leaving his man wide open for an offensive rebound. If he is not dominating on offense, his presence on the floor is not felt at all. The reason these mishaps are so egregious is because they are all mental mistakes. He has the physical tools and athleticism to be a good team defender, and in spurts, he can be. He is an excellent shot blocker, but his lust for the home run defensive play hinders him from hitting a collection of singles. When Dallas is healthy, they can cover a lot of his deficiencies. But while the team is banged up, they simply need Gafford to be better.
Extra Credit: Quentin Grimes
Grimes has sneakily been the Mavericks’ most cost-efficient player this season. His production output at less than $5 million a year cannot be overstated. He shoots with conviction, attacks the glass as well as anyone on the team, and tricks other team’s skilled offensive players into iso situations that he then turns into missed shots or turnovers. Over the last four games, he has been shooting almost 42 percent from deep and has grabbed 18 rebounds. During the same stretch, opponents are shooting just 56 percent against him in the restricted area, 44 percent in the paint (non-restricted area), and 48 percent in the mid-range. He is an elite individual defender and deserves all the love he can get for the way he has played on both ends.