The Dallas Mavericks look primed for another deep playoff run after finishing fourth in the Western Conference and fighting to the Conference Finals last season. Despite losing their second-best player in Jalen Brunson, head coach Jason Kidd's Mavs have not lost a step, winning one out of their first two games this season.
Here are three of our hottest takeaways one week into the Mavs' season.
1. Luka Doncic will win MVP
Luka Doncic may be the only superstar in the league without a legitimate All-Star on his team. Everything runs through Doncic, and while it may not always be conducive to winning playoff basketball, it can definitely be overwhelming to face in the regular season. Through two games, Doncic is averaging 33.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8 assists per game — MVP numbers.
The offense will continue to be all Doncic, and the All-Star has shown that he is capable of shouldering the load. In crunch time, the Mavs offense tends to slow down, Doncic pounding the ball, before hunting mismatches and going to work. He is only getting better, his footwork becoming even more elite, and his floor vision constantly improving as the game slows down for him. Barring health issues, Doncic will be in the MVP conversation and ultimately come away with his first MVP trophy.
2. Christian Wood emerges as the go-to second option
While Doncic may not share the court with any All-Stars, Christian Wood is a legitimate weapon. In the Mavs' season opener against the Suns, Wood dropped 16 straight points in the fourth quarter while facing DeAndre Ayton, and most importantly, those buckets came with Doncic on the bench.
The Mavs' Achilles heel as Doncic has led them through playoff runs has been those 10-12 minutes where Doncic is forced to take a rest. They've been unable to maintain or close down on leads without Doncic, but Christian Wood can put the ball in the basket no matter the situation. Through two games with the Mavs, Wood is averaging 25 points on 50% shooting from three in just 24 minutes per game. The Mavs need this level of production from Wood to compete with Doncic off the floor.
3. Tim Hardaway Jr. will be traded
Tim Hardaway Jr. almost feels like the odd man out of this Mavs roster. Hardaway Jr. shot 3-10 in both games the Mavericks have played this season, unable to find a rhythm in 25.5 minutes per game. He is still getting a healthy chunk of the minutes, but his streakiness may leave Kidd feeling as though the 30-year-old is too unreliable.
If he cannot consistently knock down looks next to Doncic, what is Hardaway Jr. bringing to the table? He is far from an excellent defender, albeit lengthy, and more of a secondary rather than primary playmaker. Hardaway Jr. is making $19 million a year, and is under contract for the next three years. The Mavs could target someone like Jae Crowder to fill in the shooting woes while providing some solid defense on the other end.
For the Mavs, it's all about putting the best pieces around Doncic. It's tough to expect the MVP candidate to be a positive defender, so surrounding him with another negative defender in Hardaway Jr. leaves too many holes in their team defense. Hardaway Jr. has had a successful four seasons with the Mavericks, but this year might be his last in Dallas.
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