Dallas Mavericks' Versatility Must Become Lineup Stability
The Dallas Mavericks have an ample amount of complementary pieces behind an excellent starting lineup. However, finding playing time for all the players and settling on a rotation is no easy task, which is something that Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle continues to tinker with.
The Mavericks have a very versatile roster, with depth at every position. It's a recipe for regular-season success, but only if used correctly. Distributing minutes, setting up a consistent rotation and finding efficient lineups is no easy task.
Maintaining consistent production through an entire game is almost impossible. Even deep teams are generally vulnerable when their primary scorers need a breather, which can allow opponents to go on extended runs. Competent coaches know how to minimize those windows with smart substitution patterns.
Carlisle has a lot of tools to work with, but keeping everyone involved is a challenge, which he has already acknowledged.
“We’re going to need balance,” Carlisle said, according to the Star-Telegram's Gil Lebreton. “We’re going to need a lot of guys to contribute.
“I just have to keep everybody as involved as possible, and keep our energy and competitive level really high.”
Even though Carlisle continues to make little tweaks in his rotation, the first four games of the season have been relatively revealing as far as allocation of playing time goes.
General Rotation
Last season, Dallas found a lot of success running a lineup featuring Dirk Nowitzki, Jae Crowder, Vince Carter, Brandan Wright and Devin Harris. That particular group was deadly on both ends of the floor, outscoring opponents by 26.6 points per 100 possessions.
Carlisle has gone back to the same method this year, inserting Nowitzki into otherwise bench-exclusive lineups.
Nowitzki is generally the first man heading to the bench, taking a seat with seven to five remaining minutes in the opening quarters. Depending on the matchups, Tyson Chandler, Monta Ellis and sometimes Jameer Nelson also take a seat, with Al-Farouq Aminu, Harris or Wright replacing them.
Carlisle then puts Nowitzki back into the game to lead a bench-exclusive lineup for a minute or two and starts the second quarter with the same group.
Eventually, the starters begin coming back in, once again sending the German to the bench.
Chandler Parsons has done a decent job at the power forward position. This has allowed Nowitzki's minutes to be spread out among various lineups.
The second half of games is generally a similar story, although Harris often closes games in place of Nelson.
Lineups
Carlisle has experimented a little with his first substitution. With Nowitzki being the first guy heading to the bench, several players have replaced him depending on the matchups.
The most-played lineup outside the starting unit features Nelson, Ellis, Harris, Parsons and Chandler. It’s a super-small five that Carlisle has tried a couple of times.
The offensive versatility is evident—that group contains four guys who are able to beat their opponents off the dribble and an excellent screener in Chandler. They move the ball very well and can run circles around opponents. However, they have given up an abysmal defensive rating of 118.4.
The sample size is too small to determine whether going small can produce enough scoring to make up for the defensive lapses. It’s still an intriguing idea, and Carlisle will likely continue testing it.
Aminu and Richard Jefferson are the other two players often joining the starters in place of Nowitzki, but neither of those two early lineups have been particularly successful.
Here are some of the most-used Mavs lineups so far:
| Lineup | Minutes | Net Rtg. |
| Aminu-Barea-Harris-Nowitzki-Wright | 13 | 53.2 |
| Jefferson-Barea-Harris-Nowitzki-Wright | 13 | 20.8 |
| Parsons-Nelson-Ellis-Nowitzki-Chandler | 48 | 7.8 |
| Ellis-Nelson-Harris-Parsons-Chandler | 15 | -20.6 |
Having Nowitzki starting the second quarter with the reserves continues last year's trend. The five of J.J. Barea, Harris, Aminu, Nowitzki and Wright is the most effective Mavericks lineup that has logged over 10 minutes this season. That unit is outscoring opponents by 53.2 points per 100 possessions.
The second-best Dallas lineup is identical to the one above, with Jefferson replacing Aminu.
A larger sample size will even out the numbers, but this is most certainly one of Carlisle’s most effective weapons. Nowitzki is able to feast on the opposing team’s reserves, while Harris and Barea help by penetrating the lane.
Barea has only played three games so far, but he has spent the majority of his floor time next to Nowitzki. Carlisle clearly appreciates that match of speed and finesse.
Wright and Harris also mesh well with Nowitzki. In the 368 minutes the trio played together last year, the Mavericks outscored their opponents by an impressive 14.5 points per 100 possessions.
Closing Thoughts
The Mavericks are well on their way to finding a balanced rotation. The team still suffers offensively when Nowitzki sits, but it’s something that pays dividends in the long run. Parsons is very versatile, but he needs some more time to adjust to the stretch-4 role he fills in Nowitzki’s absence. Once he does, it should ease the burden.
One of the most interesting lineup-related topics to follow moving forward will be whether the three-guard thing can work. Raymond Felton is on his way back from injury, which will further crowd the backcourt. If Carlisle wants to implement the former New York Knick in his rotation, he will have to look into playing even more small ball.
There is also a lot of competition for minutes on the wing. Aminu and Jefferson are the biggest beneficiaries so far, while Crowder has been glued to the bench. Aminu’s defense is improving, and if he can add a consistent corner three-point shot, Carlisle will be able to craft together even deadlier lineups.
No rotation is ever set in stone, as every game is different and may require on-the-fly adjustments. Injuries are also part of the picture. Even so, Carlisle seems to have a pretty solid plan to help his team grind through the regular season.
You can follow me on Twitter: @VytisLasaitis.
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