Biggest Question Marks for Dallas Mavericks Heading into NBA Season
Out of any potential playoff team in the Western Conference, the Dallas Mavericks went through the biggest overhaul this summer. While the team is still built around Dirk Nowitzki, the 2011 NBA champions will head into this regular season with three new starters.
Most would agree that Dallas got better at both ends of the floor. Chandler Parsons might not be quite the defender Shawn Marion is, but he is a more versatile threat offensively. On the other end, Tyson Chandler will be sliding right back into his familiar rim-protector role, which is something Dallas has lacked in the last couple of years.
Jose Calderon also changed uniforms in the offseason, and the team's head coach Rick Carlisle will have two new point guards in Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton to work with instead.
Just how much potential this roster has remains a bit of a mystery, but they can be considered a dark-horse contender for now.
The preseason is essentially a sandbox for coaches, who get to experiment with lineups, teach their systems and evaluate who deserves the last roster spot that might be up for grabs.
While it's absurd to draw unwavering conclusions from what we've seen so far, it's sensible to examine the questions and concerns relating the Mavericks right now.
Can Jameer Nelson Fill Jose Calderon's Role?
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A lot of people are already jumping on the Mavericks' bandwagon, but those who are still hesitant mostly have reservations when it comes to the team's point guard position.
Calderon, who was sent to the New York Knicks in the trade for Tyson Chandler this summer, was a liability on defense. However, his offensive arsenal was a perfect complement to Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis.
Calderon could run the team, but had no problem deferring the ball-handling duties to Ellis, while assuming the role of a spot-up shooter himself. He would always lurk around the perimeter at the top of the key on Nowitzki's post-ups, which usually gave the German enough space to work with.
His direct replacements are Raymond Felton and Jameer Nelson. Felton's recent seasons have looked anything but encouraging, but Nelson could very well pick up the slack.
Granted, Nelson probably won't hit 44.9 percent of his shots from beyond the arc like Calderon did last year. He has, however, shot over 40 percent when Dwight Howard was still with the Orlando Magic.
Since Dallas will have many offensive threats on the floor this season, Nelson will get a whole lot of open shots, and a legitimate opportunity to replicate his past shooting numbers.
Can the Defense Catch Up to the Offense?
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This is perhaps the biggest question for the Mavericks right now. Even without Parsons, the team had a top-three offense last season. Their starting lineup has looked absolutely unstoppable in preseason, suggesting this could very well be the best offensive team in the league.
But can they get stops?
They ranked 22nd in points per possession allowed last season. They now have Chandler to anchor their defense in the back, and he has done well in preseason. His individual defense slipped a little bit last year, but it was mostly due to his coming to terms with the fact that the dysfunctional New York Knicks were a sinking ship.
Carlisle has mixed up his schemes by rolling out the zone when he has several minus-defenders on the floor, then going for man-to-man when the matchups are more favorable. It has yielded mixed results.
The Mavericks didn't allow the Cleveland Cavaliers to establish any kind of offensive rhythm in their preseason meeting, but it's hard to read into it. Cleveland head coach David Blatt used the game to experiment, pretty much playing into Dallas' zone by not having enough shooters on the floor.
Dallas probably won't be an elite defensive team, but early signs suggest that they will at least be above average. They could also improve a lot defensively as the year goes on, considering they are so reliant on zone defense, which takes time for players to pick up.
Will Charlie Villanueva Make the Roster?
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Charlie Villanueva was a late addition to the preseason roster and he was only guaranteed an opportunity to prove he deserves a regular gig.
The 6'11" forward has sparked some polarizing opinions on whether his contributions are welcomed.
On one hand, he would be the only power forward with a relatively reliable three-point shot off the Mavericks' bench. He has an extremely quick release and can swiftly punish opposing big men who leave him open.
On the flip side, Villanueva does very little else. His defense has been atrocious during preseason, and he doesn't have much time left to showcase any kind of improvement on that end.
We have seen guys like Donatas Motiejunas exploiting Villanueva in the post. He's even hard to hide in Carlisle's defensive zone schemes. Villanueva is an exploitable liability one-on-one, not to mention that being slow to close out on shooters doesn't help his case, either.
Villanueva's defensive instincts have also looked very poor in his five preseason games. Even when his teammates signal for a switch, he tends to hold onto his man too much, ignoring his surroundings.
Al-Farouq Aminu and Jae Crowder have been playing relatively well, so Villanueva looks expendable.
How Much Can Carlisle Rest Chandler, Nowitzki?
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Carlisle has two agendas going into the season—win as many games as possible and rest his big men.
The Western Conference is unforgiving to streaky teams that tend to slump, so establishing a consistent rotation is crucial. Still, Carlisle will need to make sure that both Chandler and Nowitzki stay healthy and remain fresh for the playoffs.
It's truly a dilemma. If you rest your key guys too much and fall behind in the standings, you'll have to put more strain on them down the road in order to catch up. If you play them too much, they could burn out by the time the postseason rolls around.
Carlisle is good at mixing and matching different lineups, so he will likely find a suitable balance (though it could take some time).
Can Aminu, Crowder Become Two-Way Threats?
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The Mavericks lost Vince Carter in the offseason, meaning they will miss his instant offense off the bench. He was another ball-handler who could create off the dribble—something his replacements aren't necessarily known for.
Parsons will likely play a lot of minutes and make up for the absence of Carter, but Jae Crowder and Al-Farouq Aminu will also need to contribute on both ends to fill that void.
Crowder showed last season that he can be a decent three-point shooter from the corners. He has also looked more assertive in preseason, but his offensive game is still relatively limited.
To Aminu, three-point shooting is a foreign concept. He started taking some threes last season, but didn't really work on his range until hooking up with the Mavericks and coach Carlisle this summer.
His shot is understandably streaky, but he has been letting it fly with growing confidence during preseason. He is already effective in transition (and makes timely cuts), so a reliable corner three would most likely be sufficient for him.
Crowder is already a good defender. Aminu has all the tools to be one as well, but still has to work on his fundamentals a little bit.
Both Aminu and Crowder will be involved in lineups mixed with starters and, if they can carry their weight on both ends, they will help make the Mavs a very hard team to beat.
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