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The Dallas Mavericks have had a lot of success so far this season, and few people anticipated them to play as well as they have been.
There were a lot of worries about this team and its new head coach, Jason Kidd heading into the season, but he has certainly helped this team out as they are presently the fifth seed in the Western Conference with a 27-20 record despite some crucial injuries. This season, Luka Doncic has only played in 32 games while Kristaps Porzingis has only played in 31.
Because they have some high-level role players who have really stepped up for this club, the Mavs have been able to achieve plenty of success this season. Dallas has also been playing excellent defense, as they are now rated fourth in terms of defensive efficiency. Both of their star players have missed several games this season, so the Mavs have had to rely on some of their role players to step up and fill larger roles.
Despite the fact that Tim Hardaway Jr is not having the season he expected, several other Mavs players have stepped up to help him, Luka, and Porzingis.
Let's take a look at the three biggest unsung heroes of this year's Mavs team.
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Mavs Unsung Heroes 2022
3. Dorian Finney-Smith
Dorian Finney-Smith isn't one of those players who will blow you away with his stats, but he has been a key component of this Mavs team's success during the first half of the season. He stands at 6 foot 7′ and can defend at a high level while also scoring 10.3 points and grabbing 4.9 rebounds a game.
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Every championship-caliber team needs players who can score 10 points per game while also defending at a high level and doing all of the dirty work for the team. Dorian Finney-Smith is one of those players that is always diving for a loose ball, blocking shots, and doing anything he can on the court to help his team win. Finney-Smith is also shooting 36.9% from three-point range, which has been a big part of the Mavs' success since he is someone who can help the team spread the floor.
2. Maxi Kleber
Maxi Kleber, like Dorian Finney-Smith, is one of those guys who doesn't amaze anyone with his stats but does a lot of the small things in basketball the right way. On this Mavs team, he is another player who is shooting over 36% and is, once again, one of the major reasons for their success.
If the Mavericks want to win a championship, they will need players like him to keep playing high-level defense and working as hard as they can. Off the bench, what he can provide for this Mavs team is more than serviceable, and they will be counting on him to keep up this level of performance for the rest of the season.
1. Jalen Brunson
When Luka Doncic isn't on the floor, it's difficult to envision Jalen Brunson having the season he's having right now. He's currently averaging 15.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. He also has an 18.22 PER, which ranks him 56th in the NBA. For a guy who was previously seen of as merely a role piece, he has really performed this season, and there's a case to be made that he should win the league's Most Improved Player Award.
His progression since joining the NBA is nothing short of remarkable, as he moved from averaging 9.3 games in his rookie season to 15.8 games only three seasons later. Jalen Brunson has been a key bright spot for this Mavs squad, and if they want to find any success. towards the end of the season and perhaps win an NBA title in the difficult Western Conference, they will need him to keep playing at this high level.
It will be intriguing to see what moves the Mavs make during the trade deadline, and how it affects Jalen Brunson. With this Mavs team, he has obviously demonstrated that he deserves a larger role, and it will be fascinating to see how he fits in with that new player if they do bring back a star-caliber guy. They must continue to provide him with these kinds of opportunities because it is evident that when no star is on the floor and he needs to score the basketball, he is the one who can do it.
Dallas is another one of those teams that are going to have to make a big splash because they desperately need another star to pair next to Luka.
