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Dallas Mavericks: 3 Reasons Why “Big D” Can Reclaim The West

By Matthew Lottice

Oct 30, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons (25) is congratulated by owner Mark Cuban and the Maverick fans during the second half against the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Jazz 120-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons (25) is congratulated by owner Mark Cuban and the Maverick fans during the second half against the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Jazz 120-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 2, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during the game against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Spurs 113-111. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban during the game against the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Spurs 113-111. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Can the Dallas Mavericks reclaim the NBA‘s Western Conference?

The Dallas Mavericks celebrated a title after several years of watching it slip from their grasp multiple times over Dirk Nowitzki’s career. Major overhauls precluded them from defending it and they haven’t returned to such prominence. They haven’t earned a 50-win season in three years, but pushed San Antonio to seven games last playoffs.

With Nowitzki’s days as Dallas’ first option waning, Mark Cuban publicly decreed to exhaust all resources and options to improve his roster around his veteran German superstar. It’s a formula originating from San Antonio’s dealing with Tim Duncan and it has prolonged his career according to his own concessions.

Rick Carlisle is an elite NBA coach with an established regimen who can fit a diverse mix of players into his program. Here are three reasons the Dallas Mavericks could restore such luster they enjoyed four short years ago.

Mar 20, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) guards Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson (14) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton (2) guards Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson (14) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 106-94. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

Point guard depth

Dirk Nowitzki couldn’t have asked for a better gift than Jason Kidd’s reunion with the Dallas Mavericks. Aside from his rapport with Steve Nash, J Kidd was the next best option to make life easier for him. His veteran experience and defensive prowess boosted a stellar Dallas Mavericks squad that won it all in 2010-2011. Now he’s got four proven veterans to orchestrate things for him in Jameer Nelson, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, and Juan Jose Barea.

Nelson has started with Felton out due to a suspension for a gun altercation with his fiancee as a New York Knick. Nelson and Felton are established floor generals who can run an offense and get their own if needed.

Barea was freed by Minnesota right before this season began and signed back with Dallas. It was in Dallas where he started dating Miss Puerto Rico beauty pageants, so he might as well return to the NBA team where he performed best. Harris is another ex-Maverick who made a few rounds after starting his career in Dallas. Both guys know about Rick Carlisle’s system and Nowtizki’s comfort levels.

All four of these players are in their 30s and have displayed their capabilities in this league. Carlisle has a nice crop of guards to use in his rotation. This is the deepest guard unit in the NBA, but it may also pose a threat. Carlisle will have to find roles for each and balance out minutes. If all four make necessary sacrifices, it presents a great asset for this roster.

Sep 29, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler (6) and forward Chandler Parsons (25) pose for a portrait during media day at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 29, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler (6) and forward Chandler Parsons (25) pose for a portrait during media day at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Two Chandlers

Mark Cuban and general manager went hard after Chandler Parsons in the offseason. In a somewhat contentious signing with the Houston Rockets still involved in the chase, before they ultimately declined to match his three-year, $46 million contract, Parsons became Dallas’ small forward. The Mavericks were coerced into injecting more youth on their roster after not having enough of it the past few seasons.

Parsons is a classic second-round steal by Houston. The 6-10 small forward owns basketball lineage. Hs grandfather Don was a Rutgers alumni who received a contract offer from the New York Knicks. His father Gary played Division II college hoops. Parsons combined his genes with a tremendous work ethic and played all four years under Billy Donovan at Florida.

Parsons is a less skilled, Caucasian version of Kevin Durant. He’s incredibly athletic, an upper tier defender, and is versatile offensively. He played extremely well alongside Dwight Howard and James Harden so it shouldn’t be tremendously difficult for him to mesh with Nowtizki.

Like Barea and Harris, Tyson Chandler reunited with a franchise he experienced the pinnacle of his NBA years. Chandler and Felton were traded out of New York for a number of veterans on last year’s Mavericks roster. Chandler isn’t an offensive force at center. He’s never averaged more than 11.8 ppg, but he’s got an affinity for developing successful pick-and-roll tandems with point guards in his past.

What Chandler brings in a seven-foot frame is a less offensively talented version of Kevin Garnett. He does it in Bill Russell, Nate Thurmond, Willis Reed, Dave Cowens, Dikembe Mutombo, and Marcus Camby fashion. He’s been an All-Star, won Defensive Player of the Year, rebounds, provides second-chances for scoring with his back-taps on misses, and anchors down the paint.

When Chandler left in a trade to the Knicks, Dallas wandered absent an equivalent center in terms of impact. Brandan Haywood, Ian Mahinhmi, Chris Kaman, and Samuel Dalembert haven’t shored up his void. Defensive-minded Rick Carlisle has to be ecstatic the center from his championship team is recalled for a second act.

Mar 27, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) and guard Monta Ellis (11) walk off the court during the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at the American Airlines Center. The Clippers won 109-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) and guard Monta Ellis (11) walk off the court during the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at the American Airlines Center. The Clippers won 109-103. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Getting offensive

It’s a given Dallas will improve defensively with Tyson Chandler back in the middle. He’s a shot blocker, shot changer, and gobbler of rebounds. He’s an ideal fit for a coach like Carlisle who emphasizes defense first. Ostensibly, they can’t regress to past defensive levels with such personnel upgrades.

What could be even more worrisome for other teams in the Western Conference is how lethal this roster forecasts to be offensively.

Donnie Nelson’s father, Don, subscribed to an uptempo and high-scoring philosophy throughout his years coaching NBA teams. Don’t get this Mavericks team confused with Nelson’s fast-paced teams in Milwaukee, Golden State, and one time in Dallas. However, there are numerous scorers who can get their own shot and create for others.

Monta Ellis has become comparable to Allen Iverson in that he is this era’s undersized off guard who has routinely been a 20 ppg scorer for many of his nine years in the NBA. Ellis hasn’t won scoring titles, but he was often among the top 10-15 scorers during his time in Golden State. Add his explosiveness alongside Nowitzki, Parsons, Chandler’s love for alley-oops, four point guards with credible scoring abilities, and you suddenly have a vast array of scoring options that opposing teams must cover.

Shawn Marion and Vince Carter are certified stars of the 2000s, but that decade is gone. Marion started most of last season’s games for Dallas at small forward, but Parsons adds more potency from a scoring perspective. Marion and Carter were quality veterans, but there is only so much left in older tanks on a nightly basis. Richard Jefferson, Al-Farouq Aminu, Jae Crowder, Greg Smith, and Brandan Knight will upgrade a bench that may give Nowitzki and fellow starters a few extra minutes rest before closing out fourth quarters.

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