Play of the Game: Mavericks show that they can use multiple ball drives to create good shots

Oct 7, 2022 - 12:17 AM

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The Dallas Mavericks have serious concerns regarding their third ball handler coming into this season. Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie is one of the best playmaking backcourts in the league, but there does not appear to be a third playmaker anywhere on this roster. The Mavericks have stated hope for Frank Ntilikina and Josh Green to step up and fill some of that void. During the Mavericks first preseason game, this specific play showed a potential answer to this concern.

Reggie Bullock begins by attacking a set defense. He puts two feet in the paint which Jason Kidd has harped on as a precursor to good three point shots. Then he kicks the ball to Josh Green who retraces his steps to the paint. Green finds Dorian Finney-Smith who attacks yet again drawing help. Finney-Smith is then able to find Green who is wide open. The defense reacts with a hard closeout while Reggie Bullock relocates to the corner resulting in a wide open three which he buries.

This is basketball poetry. This also exactly the type of multiple attacks in a single possession that the Golden State Warriors used to attack the Mavericks last season. It is important not to take too much from anything that happens in the preseason, but this type of play shows an important and translatable skill which can be carried over to the regular season.

The Mavericks have long relied on the brilliance of Doncic to create the vast majority of their looks. He will continue to create a ton of good looks for himself and teammates but this type of play shows that the Mavericks have more of a backup plan than it might appear for the times when neither he nor Dinwiddie is able to conjur a great look out of thin air.