Subscribe
Follow Us
Failure and humiliation can be strong motivators for success. Or, they can completely demoralize a team to the point where it never fully recovers. The Dallas Mavericks are at this exact crossroads going into the 2023-24 NBA campaign, but they have done plenty during the offseason to ensure that they fall under the former category rather than the latter. Mavs fans should be carrying a similar feeling of optimism.
But hope does not equate with championship-level confidence. Although Dallas is only two seasons removed from a Western Conference Finals run, there are arguably more contenders than ever before. A big reason for that is parity, which in theory should bode well for Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the entire squad. There is still a gaping hole that must be covered up, however.
Until that happens, the Mavericks are unlikely to seize the Larry O'Brien Trophy. It is all too easy to discount this team's talent and recent accomplishments. I will not fall into that trap, but I also can't just neglect their obvious weakness. Let's get into the unfortunate business at hand, as we further examine the Mavs' fatal flaw that will deny them an NBA championship this season.
Mavs' downfall will be Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving's defense
It feels borderline inappropriate to pinpoint the current face of the franchise and a former champ as the biggest roadblocks to a title run. Dallas does not even enter that conversation without them. Again, though, we are here to discuss why the Mavericks will be unable to reach the summit of the basketball mountain.
In order to survive such a steep climb in harsh conditions with enemies all around, superstars must push beyond their limits. Doncic and Irving do not have what it takes to successfully lead this ultimate trek, at least not as a collective defensive unit.
How original, right? No, I am not merely jumping on the latest hoops fad. In fact, I believe the organization significantly improved its defense. Rookie center Dereck Lively II has the makings of an elite rim protector and should have an immediate impact. Grant Williams may put his foot in his mouth on occasion, but he offers the physicality the Mavs need on a consistent basis. Dante Exum is still on an NBA roster because of the strides he has made on defense.
All of those additions make this an unequivocally more balanced team that can board up the flood gates when things get hairy. The backcourt's woes remain a serious concern, however.
Mavs' superstar guards will face a similar problem as last year
It is reasonable to expect that Luka Doncic worked hard to address his poor defense after all the backlash he and the team received last season. We have gone through this before, though, and he is still a liability on that end of the floor. If the 24-year-old is going to continue to be one of the most dominant players on offense, it is hard to imagine him elevating his defensive production.
Many franchises endure the same dilemma, and they accept it because there is usually a competent guard who can pick up the slack left by the top scorer. But Kyrie Irving is also an offensive alpha, with most of his effort and energy being dedicated to getting buckets for his team.
While the eight-time All-Star may not be the weak link Doncic is, he still succumbs to considerable lapses in focus on defense. Irving's defensive rating plummeted to a career-worst 116.0 with the Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets last season, per StatMuse. That type of output is simply unacceptable if he wants to compete for another championship.
Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving could be exposed in NBA playoffs
Doncic and Irving are both expected and asked to take over games. That cannot change, but Irving needs to place a little more emphasis on disrupting opposing guards. Although the Mavs' roster should be able to compete with the upper echelon of the West, their best competitors are going to have momentum halters on their side. Can they say the same?
The Denver Nuggets have Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Memphis Grizzlies can lean on former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. Devin Booker is an underrated defender for the Phoenix Suns and Austin Reaves' numbers are bound to improve for the Los Angeles Lakers based on his relentless hustle and improved footwork. Those advantages will look painfully apparent in the playoffs.
Unless Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving dig deeper in that aspect of their respective games, which is definitely possible, Dallas is once again going to find itself frequently engaged in a buckets bonanza. That will work better in the regular season this time around, but it just doesn't seem sustainable for the long haul.
