Dallas Mavericks Need Everything They're Getting from Super-Sub Brandan Wright

Historically, the Sixth Man of the Year award has been reserved for guys who bring instant offense off the bench. Dallas Mavericks' Brandan Wright might not fit that description, but he has been every bit as impactful as any other bench player in the league.

Wright, 27, doesn't get a lot of playing time, but he is one of the Mavs' most efficient players in his 19.3 minutes per game.

Dallas' net rating is 3.5 points per 100 possessions better with the 6'10" big man on the floor. He leads the league in field-goal percentage, connecting at an insane 80 percent clip early on in the season. As icing on the cake, Wright is also second only to New Orleans Pelicans' Anthony Davis in player efficiency rating.

His offensive load has also increased. Wright has scored in double digits in Dallas' last eight games. His teammates trust him to score when they feed him the ball, and opponents have to scheme against his efficient movement on the court.

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Wright has always been very efficient, but his numbers so far are truly special if he is able to sustain them. To head coach Rick Carlisle, it's no mystery as to why his backup center is thriving.

"He's a knowledgeable player that understands where openings are," Carlisle said, according to ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon. "He does a good job anticipating and getting to them. We've got guys that understand where to get him the ball, where he is and things like that. That helps, too." 

Wright himself appears to have a straightforward mindset on how to play the game.

"My job is simple. When I get the ball, I need to make a play with it," he said.

While being a regular on highlight reels is nice, Wright's influence on this year's Mavericks team has gone way beyond that.

A Versatile Presence On Both Ends

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Wright has done an excellent job emulating Tyson Chandler's presence. He is running pick-and-rolls just as effectively as the Mavs' starting center, and is throwing in a healthy dose of rim protection to spice it up.

It's no secret how Wright has such a high field-goal percentage. He lives above the rim and gets the majority of his points through dunks. 

Wright usually finds his looks in two different ways—either by setting a screen and rolling to the basket, or by lurking on the weak side. Here are two examples of him being on the receiving end of J.J. Barea's lobs:

He is great at timing cuts and his teammates usually have no trouble finding him.

"He understands how to read his defender, and it's easy to get the ball to him. You can't overthrow him. I have actually [tried]. It hasn't happened yet," Mavs guard Devin Harris said according to MacMahon.

Wright isn't a post player, but he has a nice hook shot in his arsenal. Take a look at these two plays:

When defenders rotate in time and the dunk isn't there, he generally puts the ball on the floor for a dribble or two. He is supremely athletic and has a very soft touch for a big man, which allows him to rise above the interior defender and finish over the top.

Wright always looks for the finish when he gets the ball anywhere in the vicinity of the rim. That decisiveness certainly contributes to his efficiency.

While he excels at a couple of things offensively, Wright is considerably more versatile on the defensive end. Here are a couple of clips of his defensive presence:

The first play is a great example of his pick-and-roll defense. Wright is presented with the challenge of stopping the driving guard, while not losing the roll man. He baits Houston Rockets' Francisco Garcia into the drive and swats the shot.

In the following play, Wright completely shuts down Donatas Motiejunas in the post. He holds his ground, stays down on the fakes, forces the travel and blocks the shot for good measure.

There are some bruisers around the league who can push Wright around a little more in the post, but he is strong enough to hold his own against most guys. Even if his matchup slips past him he still has the leaping ability to recover and contest the shot.

The Mavericks as a team tend to bring a lot of help, and Wright's speed helps him time rotations. In the third clip, he stays with his man for long enough to make a dump-off impossible, but still does his job as a weak-side defender.

With his 7'4" pterodactyl wingspan, Wright is able to close out on shooters and interrupt passing lanes. In the final play of the montage, he does just that. After hedging, he runs back to his man with outstretched arms and inadvertently forces a turnover.

That kind of length and speed also gives Dallas the freedom to occasionally switch Wright onto guards without compromising the defense.

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His rim protection has been solid overall. Wright ranks eighth in the league in blocks per 36 minutes among players who have played 150 minutes or more this season.

Having Wright on the roster is a true luxury for Dallas. He has a very similar skill set to that of Chandler, which allows the team to maintain its identity even when the starting center is off the floor. 

Carlisle has also played both Chandler and Wright together for defensive purposes against bigger frontcourts. Even though neither of the two players have range, their combined mobility makes up for the lack of spacing. 

Wright increased his field-goal percentage to 67.7 percent last year. His incredible efficiency will inevitably take a dip at some point, but it's certainly not impossible for him to shoot over 70 percent over the entire season.

The Mavs are getting all they could possibly ask for from Wright. They just have to hope he continues to deliver.

All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference or NBA.com, unless otherwise noted.

You can follow me on Twitter: @VytisLasaitis