Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Christian Wood Adds Punch to Mavs Offense
The Dallas Mavericks took a took step forward last season, reaching the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2011. The Mavs finished fifth in team offensive rating and Luka Doncic has established himself as of the best scorers in playoff history.
But with Jalen Brunson out of the equation, how can Christian Wood help elevate the offense?
NBA.com reporter John Schuhmann explains Wood's benefit.
"He’s a capable jump-shooter," Schuhmann wrote. "He’s shot 289-for-387 (74.7%) in the restricted area on the road over the last three seasons, the 11th best mark among 162 players with at least 300 road restricted-area attempts over that stretch."
One area to highlight is Wood's ability to spread the floor. Last season, Wood was one of 29 players that set 1,500 or more ball screens, as he rolled 57 percent of the time.
After catching the ball down low, Wood can finish at the rim or take a jumper outside.
Doncic should benefit from Wood's presence, as the Mavs star finished first in pick-and-roll plays during the playoffs.
"Wood should be a good complement to Doncic in the Mavs’ offense," Schuhmann wrote. "If the defense takes the ball out of Doncic’s hands, Wood should be able to take advantage himself or keep it moving."
Last season Wood shot 39 percent from beyond the arc. In March, he knocked down 46.9 percent of his 3-point tries.
This could come in handy, as Dallas finished the year with the third-highest 3-point percentage.
"He shot 3s off the dribble (37.5%) almost as well as he did off the catch (39.7%) last season," Schuhmann wrote. "So he can side-step a close-out and shoot off the bounce."
One area Dallas hopes he improves upon is his defense. Last season, he struggled at the rim letting opponents knock down 63.1 percent of their shots with him down low.
Schuhmann explains that Wood will, "probably need to be stronger on the other end of the floor," if he hopes to gain valuable minutes with JaVale McGee, Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber in the mix.
While his defense needs work, Wood's offensive production should help a team that was one series away from the NBA Finals.
"His move to Dallas is an opportunity to finally win some games and partner with one of the best pick-and-roll ball-handlers in the league," Schuhmann wrote.
