The Dallas Mavericks have started the 2023-24 NBA season on a high note. Following their forgettable 2022-23 campaign, it is clear that Dallas features the potential to compete. But what has the Mavs' biggest disappointment been so far in 2023-24?
Kyrie Irving hasn't exactly shot the lights out up to this point. He is still finding ways to help Dallas win though. Maxi Kleber is struggling in his 18 minutes per game. Today, though, we will not be focusing in on one player.
The Mavs' biggest disappointment to open the season has been their defense, although some improvement has been shown.
Mavs' defensive stats in 2023-24
The Mavs' defense has not been great to open the new season. The surface numbers alone unfortunately tell us all we need to know.
Dallas has only held their opponents to 110 points or less three times in 2023-24. Again, the Mavs' record is impressive but many of their wins have resulted from high-scoring affairs rather than defensive masterpieces.
Let's take a closer look at Dallas' underlying statistics, via NBA.com.
Defensive rating is an important statistic. The Mavs aren't at the very bottom in the stat, but they are below league-average. Dallas ranks 23rd in defensive rating.
The Mavs are doing a good job of defending opponents off turnovers. They rank eighth in opponents points off turnovers.
The Mavs are closer to the middle-of-the-pack when it comes to second chance points surrendered, checking in at No. 16 overall. Dallas is also ranked 20th in opposing fast-break points.
All of these rankings are not at the bottom of the league. It's clear Dallas can hold their own on defense, yet, why are they still struggling to limit opponents' overall points per game? There is one stat we haven't covered yet that explains Dallas' defensive issues.
The primary concern for this Mavs' defense has been points in the paint.
The Mavs rank 29th in points allowed in the paint. Only the Indiana Pacers are ranked lower than Dallas in this category.
Mavs' defense searching for answers in the paint
The Mavs are looking to fix their interior defense. Dallas is hopeful that Dereck Lively II, who stands 7'1 and is regarded as a respectable defender, can help in this department.
In fact, Lively's absence was significantly felt in the Mavs' recent defeat against the Toronto Raptors. Dallas lost 127-116 while surrendering far too many points in the paint. Lively didn't play in the game which led to Toronto taking advantage.
In total, the Raptors scored an alarming 72 points in the paint.
The Raptors also out-rebounded the Mavs 50-38, which included Toronto grabbing 15 offensive boards. Their second chances led to more scoring opportunities in the interior.
Dallas brought Grant Williams in to help on defense, and he's done a nice job on the perimeter. The 24-year-old is only 6'6 though, so he isn't exactly going to clog up driving lanes.
How can Mavs solve this concern
Overall, the Mavs have seen defensive improvement in a number of categories. But it's clear they need to solve their points surrendered in the paint issue.
Perhaps making a trade for defensive-first big men would solve the problem. Adding at least two such players would help matters. And these players don't need to be stars, so Dallas will not need to give up much in a trade.
Adding defensive help on the perimeter wouldn't hurt either. But the Mavs must make it a priority to improve their interior defense.
In the end, Dallas fans should be excited for this season. The Mavs will try to maintain their winning record moving forward.
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