When the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night, it was an unfortunate blow for their championship hopes. However, what happened next might be even more significant – Charles Barkley just called out Coach Rick Carlisle and owner Mark Cuban for making a critical error that could derail their title dreams.
The “owner of the dallas mavericks” is a player for the team, Charles Barkley. He just called out the Dallas Mavericks for making a critical error that could derail their championship hopes.
At first sight, the Dallas Mavericks are off to a good start in the 2021-22 season. The Mavs have won four of their first six games, led by superstar Luka Doncic.
However, there are severe challenges boiling under the surface.
Doncic became the face of the Dallas Mavericks as soon as he was chosen in 2018, but the roster surrounding him has been shaky at best since then. The Mavericks have already experienced back-to-back first-round playoff elimination in the previous two seasons due to this problem.
Charles Barkley, a Hall of Famer, recognizes the issue and offers one painfully apparent answer.
Luka has yet to be surrounded by enough quality in Dallas.
Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic reacts during a game against the Sacramento Kings. | Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Kristaps Porzingis, a 7-foot-3 center, and Tim Hardaway Jr., a guard, are Doncic’s two most gifted teammates. Porzingis was dubbed a “unicorn” before the draft, and for good reason: when he’s on the court, he’s one of the league’s most unusual big men.
The important word, though, is “while he’s on the floor.” With a torn ACL, the 26-year-old former all-star missed the whole 2018-19 season. He played 57 games in his debut year on the floor with Luka. He appeared in 43 games last year.
Porzingis is a natural complement to a player with Doncic’s skill set. However, sitting on the bench, he can’t be the best fit.
Over the course of his ten seasons in the NBA, Hardaway has averaged 13.9 points per game. He has a career 3-point shooting percentage of 36.0 percent. The former Michigan standout is a capable NBA player, but he won’t make a difference for a title contender.
Role players like Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell, Jalen Bruson, and Reggie Bullock make up the balance of the roster surrounding Luka.
The Mavericks will have to make a trade if they want to make a championship run in the near future.
Charles Barkley feels the Mavs’ roster concerns can be solved with one easy adjustment.
After all the excitement about his enjoying his first healthy summer since joining the Mavs, KP has suddenly missed a whole week and four games with “Lower Back Tightness.” https://t.co/J44ofblRJg
November 2, 2021 — Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit)
Throughout Dallas’ first six games, Doncic hasn’t performed up to his normal superstar level. He’s averaging 22.5 points and 7.5 assists this season, both of which are his lowest totals since his freshman year. His shooting splits of 42.7/23.8/67.9 are also career lows.
Even yet, Doncic is better at his worst than the rest of the Mavs at their best.
Despite a rough patch, the 6-foot-7 playmaker is averaging nine points more than Dallas’ second-leading scorer, Tim Hardaway. Luka also leads the club in rebounds and assists, while Porzingis has already missed three games due to back problems.
With a playmaker of Doncic’s skill at the helm, the Mavericks’ calling card would presumably be offensive. However, thus far in 2021-22, it hasn’t been the case.
Dallas is the NBA’s 28th-lowest scoring team, averaging less than 100 points per game. At 20.2, the squad ranks 25th in 3-point shooting and 28th in assists. Luka (7.5) is responsible for more than a third of those dimes.
On TNT’s Inside the NBA before to the Mavericks’ game against the Miami Heat, Barkley hinted at the solution to Dallas’ problems: “They need to make a deal.”
Doncic’s skill is presently being squandered by Dallas.
Chuck is absolutely correct. The squad hasn’t surrounded its generational superstar with adequate support. Even if (when) Doncic regains his form, the last two postseasons have shown that his supporting group isn’t up to par.
In his two postseason outings, the Slovenian has almost averaged a triple-double with 33.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.5 assists.
Doncic averaged 35.7 points per game in last year’s first-round defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers. Hardaway was roughly 20 points off his average, and Porzingis wasn’t even playing.
Dallas was fortunate enough to bring in another legendary star as Dirk Nowitzki went out the door. However, they are presently discarding Doncic’s incredible skill set.
Before it’s too late, the Mavs must correct that mistake.
Basketball Reference provided all statistics.
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