The Doncic-Porzingis-Brunson trio might just be the key to success
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Orlando Magic 108-92. The Mavericks were on the second night of a back-to-back yet still managed to come out strong and take down the Magic in a grindy effort.
Kristaps Porzingis came up big in his return as he got off to a hot start to get the game going. Things never slowed down for Dallas as they pick up another win at home to put them at five games over .500.
Here are three stats to note.
61: Combined points for Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jalen Brunson
With Porzingis returning to the starting lineup, I was curious to see how he would impact Brunson’s offensive production, given how well JB’s been playing as a starter next to Doncic. Through one game there’s nothing to worry about so far.
The ball movement was spectacular and the three of them were all able to get the looks they wanted. The trio combined for 61 on the night, even with Porzingis being on a minute restriction. Coach Kidd should be able to rely on these three to set the tone offensively on a night-to-night basis.
9: Team turnovers
Going into tonight’s game, Dallas ranked second in fewest turnovers committed per game, averaging 12.4 per night. With Doncic and Brunson appearing to be the permanent starting backcourt moving forward, Dallas’ offense has improved in many different areas. The ball movement has been better, everyone has gotten greater quality looks, and they’ve picked up wins against some of the toughest teams in the league. With Brunson solidifying himself as the secondary ball-handler in the starting lineup, this allows for Nico Harrison and the Mavericks to prioritize other areas of improvement heading into trade season.
48.1/26.9: Shooting splits for the Magic
While the Magic were without several key players, Dallas managed to hold them to 48.1 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from three. Before tonight, the Mavs averaged a defensive rating of 98.8 over the last five games (1st in the league) while going 4-1 over that stretch.
If Dallas can continue playing high-level defense while also getting 60-70 points a night from the Doncic-Brunson-Porzingis trio, I feel very good about this team as we march towards the playoffs.
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