5 Statistics That Are Defining Dallas Mavericks' Season So Far
The Dallas Mavericks have had a statistically polarizing start to the 2014-15 NBA regular season.
At 17-8 and sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference (as of Dec. 15), the Mavs have clear strengths and weaknesses, which is reflected in the stats. They have settled in among league leaders in certain categories while joining unflattering company at the bottom of the league in others.
The Mavs offense has set the league on fire. Head coach Rick Carlisle has implemented a system based almost solely on pick-and-rolls and smart cuts which has forced even elite defensive teams to make concessions.
Even though the foundation and the identity of the team is set, Carlisle has continued to experiment with different lineup combinations. Other than utilizing the luxury of their shooting big men, the Mavs have also examined the effectiveness of playing Brandan Wright and Tyson Chandler together in an attempt to beef up the defensive numbers.
Defensively, the Mavericks have lacked stability, although there are some positive signs. Chandler has brought solid rim protection, yet there are still some alarming defensive numbers that stand out. There has been some statistical improvement since last year, but there is a ton of room to grow.
It's been proven in the past that teams without a defensive backbone won't go far in the playoffs. Still, the offensive numbers are defining Dallas' season so far, and this team could go down as one of the best offenses ever.
Offensive Efficiency: 113.4
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Dallas' offensive efficiency has been one of the hottest topics early on. The Mavs are scoring 113.4 points per 100 possessions, by far the best number in the league, per ESPN's Hollinger stats.
According to Basketball-Reference.com's estimations, the Mavs are on pace to beat the all-time team record for offensive rating.
It's amazing how easily the offense has come to this team, especially considering how many players were brought in last summer. Then again, Dallas ranked third in the league in this category during 2013-14, and a couple of key additions have helped coach Carlisle take things even further.
Bringing back Chandler as the team's starting center has worked wonders. His smothering screens and decisive rolls to the basket have been key to the team's offensive success. Dirk Nowitzki summed it up best:
“When we can spread the floor with Tyson or [Brandan Wright] rolling,” Nowitzki said, according to Zach Lowe of Grantland, “it’s a b---h to guard.”
Other than the ever-present threat of Nowitzki's shooting, the Mavericks added a versatile wing in Chandler Parsons. His ability to drive, pass and shoot was the final piece to the puzzle of solidifying a supremely effective offense.
Points on Drives: 811
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A huge part of Dallas' offensive success has come through the drive-and-kick game. This is reflected in the statistical department as well, as the Mavericks lead the league in points on drives, per NBA.com.
The Mavericks have collectively scored 507 points on drives this season, which equates to a league-leading 38.7 points per game on rim attacks. They also lead the league in total drives with 811.
Dallas is still very much a jump-shooting team, but a lot of those great perimeter looks are generated through relentless rim assaults. Monta Ellis has been the catalyst in this category, as he leads the league in total points on drives by an individual player this season, according to NBA.com.
Ellis has excelled attacking the basket on pick-and-rolls and has been practically unstoppable when hooking up with Nowitzki on handoff plays.
Parsons has also been of huge help, especially as a secondary driver. He tends to spot up on the perimeter, catch the ball off the initial drive-and-kick and then pump-fake his defender out of the way. This has allowed the Mavericks to send waves of penetration at their opponents to find holes.
Opponent Field-Goal Percentage at Rim: 51.5
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One of the few encouraging aspects of the Mavs' defense this season has been improved rim protection.
Dallas is allowing opponents to shoot 51.5 percent at the rim this year, which ranks 15th in the league per NBA.com. It's not a fantastic ranking, but it's a significant step in the right direction compared to last year.
Without Chandler in the middle to make up for other players' defensive lapses, the Mavericks gave up an incredible amount of easy baskets. According to NBA.com, they ranked 28th in the league in opponent field-goal percentage at the rim, giving up an abysmal 55.1 percent up close.
The 2013-14 Mavericks were 20th in the league in blocks per game, a category they are second in this season. With Samuel Dalembert and Nowitzki as the team's starting frontcourt for most of last year, it's not surprising how badly the Mavs defended the basket.
With Wright and Chandler as rim protectors, the Mavericks' interior defense has been fortified. Their intimidating presence at the basket has occasionally deterred opposing guards from attacking the rim, forcing them to settle for jumpers instead.
Opponent 3-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 39.7
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As much as the rim-protection factor has improved for the Mavericks, it hasn't fixed a brittle perimeter defense.
The Mavericks have so far allowed their opponents to shoot 39.7 percent from beyond the arc. Unsurprisingly, that is by far the highest figure in the league.
Earlier in the season, you could argue that the Mavericks simply ran into some hot-shooting teams, but it's pretty clear that wasn't the case. There are a lot of mishaps on a regular basis which allow opponents to spot up for open jumpers.
The Mavericks have had a tendency to over-help on drives, often when it's completely unnecessary. It's a team-wide issue that likely stems from Carlisle's defensive scheme, which encourages helping. Still, the players have to do a better job recognizing who they are leaving open, as well as whether or not another teammate can realistically rotate in time to contest a long-range shot.
Ellis and Jameer Nelson aren't exactly elite defensive stoppers. They get stuck on screens, which allows shooters to pull up as soon as they see a glimpse of daylight.
The perimeter defense is a huge issue, and it's questionable whether Carlisle has the right players at his disposal to properly address the problem.
Turnover Differential: 4.6
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Another weakness of Dallas' defense is their lethargic tendencies in transition. When they turn the ball over, it often leads to fast-break opportunities for opponents.
In fact, the Mavericks rank dead last in the league in opponent fast-break points, giving up 16.5 per game.
The numbers are bad, but it could be worse if the Mavericks didn't take care of the ball. Dallas commits the third-fewest turnovers per game with 11.4. Opponents generally create fast-break opportunities against the Mavs after offensive rebounds rather than punish sloppy passes.
It's another surprising statistic considering the significant roster turnover and the pass-friendly offense. The Mavericks have been on the same page when moving the ball, which has been helped by the fact that they have a lot of patient, veteran ball-handlers.
On the flip side, Dallas ranks third in turnovers forced with 16 per game. That fuels their own transition offense and has them ranked 10th in the league in fast-break points.
The Mavericks are forcing 4.6 more turnovers per game than they cough up the ball themselves, which is by far the best differential in the league. This is a refreshing statistic that says a lot about the discipline Carlisle imposes on his players.
Instead of trying to force tough passes, the Mavericks do a good job evaluating the risk-reward factor when moving the ball.
You can follow me on Twitter: @VytisLasaitis
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