You might not know it watching the second half of Monday night’s game against the Boston Celtics, but the Dallas Mavericks look like arguably the best team in basketball.
Yes, it’s early, and yes, the Mavericks’ 3-1 record only qualifies them for seventh place in what is shaping up to be a brutally tough Western Conference. They’re currently tied with the vaunted Sacramento Kings in the standings. So … yeah.
But while the credits are still rolling in the Small Sample Size Theater, the Mavs do look like an offensive juggernaut in the making. They’re virtually lapping the field in offensive efficiency, with a rating of 118.1 points per 100 possessions. With Tyson Chandler diving to the hoop and Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons spreading the floor, Dallas is close to unstoppable in the pick and roll. Nowitzki and head coach Rick Carlisle have track records to suggest this early explosion isn’t a fluke.
At the same time, the Mavs — or anyone else, for that matter — are not going to outscore people en route to a championship.
That puts Parsons, the new $45 million man, in the spotlight. For all its scoring prowess, Dallas’ roster has an inordinate number of players who are average to minus defenders. Parsons, perhaps, is chief among them. A tremendous slasher and knockdown 3-point shooter, particularly from the corners, Parsons has never been a particularly good defender. Much of the Houston Rockets’ inconsistency last season can be traced to the fact they gave big minutes to three players — James Harden, Jeremy Lin and Parsons — who were unable (or unwilling) to stop the ball.
It’s not really an option now, though; Parsons must get better defensively if Dallas is to be a legitimate contender. There are too many good wing players for the Mavs to have a chance if he doesn’t. Of course, “better” is a relative term. While it’s unlikely Parsons will morph into Kawhi Leonard, he can follow Nowtizki’s lead. One of the greatest shooters ever, Nowitzki is far from a lockdown defender, but he expanded his understanding of defensive positioning and communication late in his career to make himself a more complete player — making Dallas a better team as a result.
If Parsons can just do that much, an already scary Dallas squad could be downright terrifying come June.
Other loose balls from around the NBA:
— First-game jitters aside, the Cleveland Cavaliers have some wrinkles to iron out. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving look uncertain as to who should take charge, and Dion Waiters is in danger of being marginalized. At the same time, Tristan Thompson looks like a revelation as a championship-caliber garbage man.
— DeMarcus Cousins’ technical foul antics have overshadowed his talent for some time, but there’s no longer any overlooking it: Boogie is a certifiable beast and might be the best center in the NBA.
— Speaking of “arguably the best center,” Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol are going to do some nifty things passing out of the high and low post for the Chicago Bulls. Regardless of whether Derrick Rose can stay healthy, it’s possible to see Chicago coming out of an Eastern Conference that is completely up for grabs.
— Nerlens Noel did this Monday night:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWrXkTqB0Ts&w=640&h=360]
If you were wondering why the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him last year despite his knee injury, there you go.
— The season is barely a week old and I’ve seen multiple players hang their mouthpieces over their ears. Is this new? Is this really at all convenient? Is this gross? (The answer to the latter is, yes.)
https://twitter.com/RichardGJP/status/518996057984729088/
Ick. Well, at least they’re not sticking it in their undershirts.
Photo via Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports Images
