There’s no reason to panic, as there is still a whole lot of games left and some causes of their struggles – injuries and COVID-19-related absences – were out of their control and are no longer hampering them for the time being. The full roster is good to go for the time being. And Luka Doncic isn’t even off his rookie contract, so there’s no pressure on being title contenders immediately.
Still, this Mavericks team has plenty of issues to patch up. One of them sticks out like a sore thumb despite being a strength of last year’s team that posted the most efficient offense in history.
Awful shooting from beyond the arc has severely hampered Dallas’ 2020-21 season. While the league average is 36.8 percent from deep, no one else on the Mavericks has even cracked 34 percent, aside from the following players, who are listed in order from highest to lowest 3-point percentage.
The Mavericks, at 32.7 percent from deep, own the league’s worst 3-point percentage. Hardaway Jr. averages the most 3-point attempts per game on the squad. The next four all take over five triples per game, beating out the only other above-average shooters the Mavericks have. Their most efficient marksmen, Kleber, has only played half of the season so far.
Last year’s squad bombed away on 3-pointers 41.3 times per game, second only to the Houston Rockets. Dallas made 36.7 percent of their threes last season, which tied for the 10th best percentage in the league. This season, the Mavericks are taking considerably fewer triples – only 35.8 attempts per game, which ranks 14th.
Even if Kristaps Porzingis’ shooting eventually returns to normal, it might not be enough to pull the Mavericks out of the basement. There are several ways to alleviate Dallas’ 3-point shooting woes.
Dallas Mavericks</a> spent all of last season building up has crumbled. They just escaped a six-game losing streak that had them sliding down the Western Conference standings to 13th place.</p>
<p>There’s no reason to panic, as there is still a whole lot of games left and some causes of their struggles – injuries and COVID-19-related absences – were out of their control and are no longer hampering them for the time being. The full roster is good to go for the time being. And<a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/04/dallas-mavericks-3-ways-3-point-shooting/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/doncilu01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow"> Luka Doncic</a> isn’t even off his rookie contract, so there’s no pressure on being title contenders immediately.</p>
<p>Still, this Mavericks team has plenty of issues to patch up. One of them sticks out like a sore thumb despite being a strength of last year’s team that posted the most efficient offense in history.</p>
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<h2>The Dallas Mavericks need serious help with their 3-point shooting. Luckily, there are several ways to address the issue.</h2>
<p>Awful shooting from beyond the arc has severely hampered Dallas’ 2020-21 season. While the league average is 36.8 percent from deep, no one else on the Mavericks has even cracked 34 percent, aside from the following players, who are listed in order from highest to lowest 3-point percentage.</p>
<ol>
<li>Maxi Kleber – 46.2 percent on 3.5 3-point attempts per game</li>
<li>Tim Hardaway Jr. – 39.6 percent on 7.8 attempts per game</li>
<li>Trey Burke – 39.5 percent on 3.9 attempts per game</li>
<li>Jalen Brunson – 39.1 percent on 2.6 attempts per game</li>
</ol>
<p>The Mavericks, at 32.7 percent from deep, own the league’s worst 3-point percentage. Hardaway Jr. averages the most 3-point attempts per game on the squad. The next four all take over five triples per game, beating out the only other above-average shooters the Mavericks have. Their most efficient marksmen, Kleber, has only played half of the season so far.</p>
<p>Last year’s squad bombed away on 3-pointers 41.3 times per game, second only to the Houston Rockets. Dallas made 36.7 percent of their threes last season, which tied for the 10th best percentage in the league. This season, the Mavericks are taking considerably fewer triples – only 35.8 attempts per game, which ranks 14th.</p>
<p>Even if Kristaps Porzingis’ shooting eventually returns to normal, it might not be enough to pull the Mavericks out of the basement. There are several ways to alleviate Dallas’ 3-point shooting woes.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/04/dallas-mavericks-3-ways-3-point-shooting/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 3 </a>
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<img class="wp-image-422247 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/04/dallas-mavericks-3-ways-3-point-shooting/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2557,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1230322350.jpeg" alt="Dallas Mavericks" width="3200" height="2557" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1230322350.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1230322350-768x614.jpeg 768w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1230322350-600x480.jpeg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Dallas Mavericks (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>3. Elevating Trey Burke or Jalen Brunson to the starting lineup</h2>
<p>One reason for Dallas’ 3-point problems could be the departure of Seth Curry. The sharpshooting guard was traded for Josh Richardson and a draft pick in an attempt to help improve Dallas’ mediocre defense.</p>
<p>Curry is not a star, but he made have had more impact on Dallas than we realized. His 12.4 points per game last season was only fourth on the team but he was the Mavericks’ most valuable floor spacer. He shot 45.2 percent from beyond the arc, which ranked first on the team and third in the whole league, on 5.0 attempts.</p>
<p>Removing a knockdown shooter like Curry, who shot a team-high 48.1 percent on catch-and-shoot threes, seems to have left the Mavericks short of a desperately needed marksman. While neither Trey Burke nor Jalen Brunson are the shooter that Curry is, they’re the best in-house options.</p>
<p>Swapping out Dorian Finney-Smith or Josh Richardson for either of the point guards would make the starting lineup more dangerous and give more balance to the lineup. Having a shifty guard that can knock down shots from the perimeter and have a bigger knack for playmaking gives the Mavs more variety on offense. Moving either defensive specialist to the bench would also offer an opportunity to find their shot against bench units.</p>
<p>There’s ample evidence to suggest Richardson is at least an above-average perimeter shooter, as he posted three seasons shooting above average from beyond the arc in his first four seasons in the league. For Finney-Smith, there isn’t as much hope. He had a career year by shooting 37.6 percent from three last season but in his prior three seasons, he shot below 32 percent.</p>
<p>If Dallas’ untrustworthy shooters can’t rediscover the shot they once had, Dallas will have to reshuffle their roster to surround Doncic with reliable floor spacers.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/04/dallas-mavericks-3-ways-3-point-shooting/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 2 </a>
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<img class="wp-image-422250 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/04/dallas-mavericks-3-ways-3-point-shooting/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2166,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1293499727.jpeg" alt="Dallas Mavericks " width="3200" height="2166" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1293499727.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1293499727-768x520.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Dallas Mavericks (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>2. Trading for role players that are better shooters</h2>
<p>The best place to find better shooters to surround Doncic and Porzingis with is the trade market. As the trade deadline (March 25th) draws closer, more and more players should become available for trade.</p>
<p>The New Orleans Pelicans are looking to trade sharpshooter JJ Redick to open up playing time for their young guards. The Mavs could acquire him by sending James Johnson and a second-round pick. It may take multiple picks, as the market for Redick could be competitive.</p>
<p>Wayne Ellington, Ben McLemore, Garrett Temple and Alec Burks are veteran, sharpshooting guards with cheap, expiring contracts on rebuilding teams. P.J. Tucker and Mike Muscala are stretch bigs in the same position.</p>
<p>Trading for expiring contracts can be risky but the Mavericks, with one of the best young stars in the league, should be one of the more attractive free agent destinations. If Dallas is worried about losing their new additions after a portion of a season, they can target players with multiple years on their contract such as Norman Powell, Terry Rozier or Terrence Ross.</p>
<p>Dallas has plenty of avenues to acquire shooters. Although their asset chest isn’t brimming with value – Brunson, rookies Josh Green and Tyrell Terry, and second-round picks are just about the only assets a rebuilding team would be interested in – they should have enough to improve the team around the edges.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/04/dallas-mavericks-3-ways-3-point-shooting/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 1 </a>
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<img class="wp-image-422249 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/04/dallas-mavericks-3-ways-3-point-shooting/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2160,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1295574800.jpeg" alt="Dallas Mavericks " width="3200" height="2160" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1295574800.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1295574800-768x518.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Dallas Mavericks (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>1. Trading for a star that can shoot</h2>
<p>If the Mavericks’ front office wants to lean heavily into Dallas’ identity as a team built on perimeter shooting, it would be in their best interest to trade for a star that can light it up from deep.</p>
<p>When discussing stars that could be moved, Zach LaVine and Bradley Beal are the first to come to mind. There isn’t any indication that either shooting guard is looking for a new home or that their teams are shopping them but Dallas should inquire about them anyway. Both players can operate by themselves and provide floor spacing when they’re off the ball.</p>
<p>The numbers speak for themselves. Beal leads the league in scoring at 34.8 points per game and can create his own shot from anywhere. Even though his 35.7 3-point percentage is below average, he commands serious defensive attention. LaVine averages 26.5 points and shoots 40.1 percent from deep, making 3.4 triples per game.</p>
<p>Porzingis would likely have to be moved for a player of their caliber. But it certainly won’t happen right now. His trade value is shot due to his injury history and flat out bad performance this season. He needs to get back on track for his trade value to build up.</p>
<p>It would be best for Dallas to keep Porzingis and create a big three with him, Doncic and another star but it might not work out that way. The Mavericks would need to bring in a third team to garner enough assets to pry away someone like LaVine or Beal.</p>
<p>One realistic target could be Victor Oladipo. Although his playstyle isn’t based around 3-point shooting – he’s a slasher that shoots a decently high volume from deep on near-average efficiency – his cost is rather low since he’s an unrestricted free agent. He’s shooting over 40 percent on catch-and-shoot triples this season. Dallas runs the risk of losing him after this season but could be rewarded handsomely if they convince him to sign long-term.</p>
<p>While trading for a third star would be the most difficult option to pull off, it’s the one that would help the Dallas Mavericks the most. A team with three high-level scorers, especially with one as talented as Doncic leading the way, is a fearsome beast.</p>
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