Mavericks: 3 role players who need to step up to help Luka Doncic

Kristaps Porzingis

Is it disrespectful to put Porzingis in the “role player” category? Sure, but he doesn’t really have room to complain. It’s not like he’s playing like a star right now.

Porzingis is supposed to be Doncic’s partner. He’s the second-best player on the team, in theory. In reality, he’s been a passenger.

In Game 3, he had just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting. That’s not going to cut it against a team that boasts Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Averaging 14.3 points in the series isn’t good enough.

Failing to score is one thing. Disappointing production on the boards is another huge problem.

How does someone who stands 7-foot-3 consistently grab fewer rebounds than 6-foot-7 Doncic? The point guard has had seven or more rebounds in each game. Porzingis has yet to haul in more than four. In Game 3, the center also had fewer than Dorian Finney-Smith, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Willie Cauley Stein, who played half the minutes.

Porzingis averaged 20.1 points and 8.9 rebounds during the regular season, so the Mavericks know he can do more. He’s going to have to for Dallas to keep their advantage, let alone have a chance without Doncic if it comes to that.