DALLAS — The first big test for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024-’25 season arrived right as the holidays are around the corner. Next man up has always been the rallying cry anytime an important player goes down, but how the team has responded to losing their franchise player Luka Doncic for an extended amount of time has been encouraging.
Going to Denver and leaving with a 123-120 win without Doncic and largely winning with a shortened rotation was the type of gutsy performance that carries a season, or at least provides the kind of experience that can be drawn on again during trying times.
With an eight-man rotation of Kyrie Irving leading the way in the backcourt with Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie, the Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford combo down low, and a perimeter mix of Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Naji Marshall, Dallas survived the late addition of Nikola Jokic into the lineup and upset the 2022-’23 champions.
Lively and Washington, both of whom missed the early November clash with Denver, were spectacular as Dallas staved off elimination in the NBA Cup. Washington and Irving filled in with nearly 40 minutes of playing time each, and six Mavs were in double figures in scoring.
In years prior, losing Doncic for an extended period would have been a crisis. Dallas’ ‘24-’25 fortified roster, built with an eye for improved depth, has been able to stand on its own without arguably the game’s best player.
The Luka-less Mavs won four straight games before the overtime loss in Miami to the Heat where they once again failed to close out a tight contest late, one of their early-season bugaboos. However, Dallas rebounded a night later in Atlanta, being a bucket shy of tying their season-scoring high in the 129-119 win over the Hawks.
In Doncic’s absence, Jaden Hardy and Marshall have made the most of their minutes. Even Dinwiddie has seen a positive step up in play as he gets more opportunities. Dinwiddie made four of seven from deep in the win over Atlanta after a rough showing in Miami.
As expected, however, the hero against ATL was Irving, scoring 32 on six made threes and a perfect free-throw shooting night. Irving has been a revelation in 2024 – a need for Dallas with Doncic hobbled – with career highs in shooting percentages in and outside of the arc.
Irving’s 4th quarter tear, scoring 16 of those 32 in the last 12 minutes, will add credence to being the de facto closer even in Doncic’s return. Hardy filled Luka’s starting spot in Atlanta with 23 and demonstrated an extra gear throughout the night, a plus for a team on the second night of an East Coast back-to-back.
Marshall, meanwhile, has continued his string of excellent play, compounding his stellar defensive effort while averaging 23 points per game since Doncic left the lineup. The free agent pickup Marshall has quickly acclimated himself into the rotation as the glue guy, allowing Dallas to trade out Thompson a lot more than was initially expected going into the year.
If Dinwiddie can find consistent success, these three players will allow Dallas to take Doncic’s recovery carefully while the team continues to build their confidence. As the depth pieces continue to grow, the Mavericks have an opportunity to show a new facet as a team capable of shouldering the load as the season’s injuries come up without missing a step.
The arrival of the New York Knicks on Wednesday night in Dallas will be another test for the group and likely spells high Marshall minutes again as the Mavs’ perimeter defense will be tested often.
Mikal Bridges has had a slow start to his deep shot, but the rest of the Knick lineup, including new star Karl-Anthony Towns, have been on point. Towns is shooting at 47% from deep on the year, with Jalen Brunson and OJ Anunoby joining the 40% and up club.
New York is fourth in the East coming into Dallas, and a rag-tag Mavs win over Brunson and the Knicks’ star-laden lineup would be a feather in the cap ahead of the holidays that can be remembered when their roster is back to full strength.
Do you think the depth of the lineup has improved in Dallas? Share your thoughts with Irvin on X (formerly Twitter) @Twittirv.
