The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 146-111 on Saturday. It was a convincing win that saw Dallas perform well throughout the affair. There was no shortage of energy at American Airlines Center as PJ Washington Jr. and Daniel Gafford made their Mavericks debuts following the NBA trade deadline.
Both of the newly-acquired Mavericks played well. Washington scored 14 points, recorded five rebounds, and had one steal. Meanwhile, Gafford finished the game with 19 points and nine rebounds.
So what can we learn from Saturday's affair? Yes, it's only one game, but it was an important victory nonetheless.
When Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have help, the Mavericks can be unstoppable
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving enjoyed spectacular outings once again. Luka led the charge with 32 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in just three quarters of action. Irving recorded 25 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and one steal.
However, the Mavericks star-studded duo had plenty of help in the lopsided victory. As aforementioned, Washington and Gafford played well. Their contributions both offensively and defensively stood out.
Mavs head coach Jason Kidd addressed Washington and Gafford's impact on the Mavericks after the win.
“They were great,” Kidd said. “Offensively, defensively, they didn't seem nervous. They were really good. The first quarter, I think they set a franchise record for 47 points in the first…. Let everybody know that everybody was comfortable and excited about having those two apart of the team. I thought it was a great team win from start to finish.”
Of course, the Mavericks feature other talented players as well. Tim Hardaway Jr. is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, while Maxi Kleber and Derrick Jones Jr. are more than capable of helping out. Dereck Lively II's return from injury will be crucial for the Mavs as well.
The Mavs' rebounding is set to improve
The Mavericks' rebounding struggles were well-documented early this season. However, adding Gafford and Washington is going to help in that area.
Gafford had nine rebounds on Saturday, and Washington added five. Doncic and Irving continued to help on the glass as well from the guard positions. Maxi Kleber's effort on the boards cannot go ignored, as he finished with 12 rebounds in addition to his 12 points.
And once Dereck Lively II returns, the Mavericks will see a drastic increase in their rebounding ability.
General manager Nico Harrison deserves a lot of credit for the moves made prior to the trade deadline. On Saturday, He revealed what Dallas' goals were before acquiring Gafford and Washington.
“The trade deadline, as you know, is always kind of a hectic thing,” Harrison said during Washington and Gafford's introductory press conference. “But we came in there with three goals, and we feel like we accomplished them. We wanted to get bigger, we wanted to get more depth, and we also want to get some more scoring in the frontcourt. And these gentlemen, they represent all of that.
“So we're really excited to have them. We think we did accomplish our goals and we think that our team is better because of that.”
Dallas can be a serious contender in the Western Conference
Some analysts around the NBA world were not taking the Mavericks especially seriously prior to the trade deadline. The team had endured an up-and-down injury-plagued first-half of the season, and those analysts questioned if the Mavs could truly make a playoff run.
The Mavericks silenced their critics at the deadline, though. And Saturday's win against a talented Thunder team showcased their newfound potential.
Of course, overcoming the best teams in the conference still won't be easy. With that being said, it is not difficult to envision the Mavericks performing well down the stretch and clinching a top-six spot in the West.
And once they are in the postseason, anything can happen. The Mavericks have officially put the Western Conference on notice.
Follow Us
Subscribe