Wood Joins Nowitzki & Porzingis in Exclusive Mavs Club
The Dallas Mavericks traded for Christian Wood during the offseason to raise the ceiling of their team around Luka Doncic. With a dynamic offensive talent that can do everything as a play finisher while also self-generating offense, there's a lot to like next to a generational talent.
Wood began the season coming off the bench in a sixth-man role that was rarely used to close out games. A lot has changed since then. JaVale McGee has been unplayable, prompting a change from the opening night starting lineup. Maxi Kleber would often slide over to the five when the Mavs closed games, but he's possibly out for the season with a torn hamstring.
The Mavs have played eight games since Kleber's injury. With many of the team's key defensive players also sidelined, there's been a full embrace of utilizing scoring firepower by starting Wood. The results have led to a 6-2 record so far, including a loss with Doncic sidelined.
Wood has averaged 20.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.6 block over his last eight games. He joins Dirk Nowitzki and Kristaps Porzingis as the only Mavs players to ever have 160+ points, 70+ rebounds, and 20+ blocks in an eight-game span.
With Kleber being sidelined, Wood is playing far more often as the actual anchor of the defense at the five as opposed to spending time off-ball while Kleber does that job. He has clearly made it a point to grow in that role to make a positive defensive impact. It's shown in his shot blocking as he's recorded at least two blocks in these eight games — making him just one-of-three players in the NBA with a stretch of games with multiple blocks spanning for that period.
The Mavs have experienced real success when Wood has shared the floor with Doncic this season. Dallas has have a 120.1 offensive rating, 112.6 defensive rating, and 7.5 net rating in the 560 minutes that both players have shared the floor this season. When Doncic and Wood start together, the Mavs are 5-1 so far.
There naturally are contrasts in how different defenses approach a particular matchup. Against the Mavs, some teams try to stay in more of a base pick-and-roll defense, while others get aggressive with double-teaming Doncic to force the Mavs into a 4-on-3 situation where the short-roller has to make a play. Other teams soft switch to try to force the Mavs to play out of isolation to try to tire out Doncic over the course of a game.
It's too easy for the Mavs to shred apart most base pick-and-roll defenses because it all starts with just how dominant of a threat Doncic has become. He is an elite finisher and short-range shot creator in addition to being a flat out savant at knowing how to manipulate defenders with no-look passes and using timing. With a screener like Wood, who can catch lobs, knock down pick-and-pop jumpers, and be a general, aggressive paint scorer, the duo checks every possible box. In most instances, a base pick-and-roll coverage will get picked apart.
When the defense decides to switch, Doncic has the size and talent to punish any matchup. He can get to a step-back 3 shooting over a big man trying to contest, or simply get by them for a finish or short-range jumper. He can bully a small off a guard-to-guard screen or Ghost screen, or deep switch in Stack pick-and-roll. Meanwhile, Wood can punish smaller defenders in the post off the switch in ways Porzingis was unable. It's difficult to rely on switching as a result.
A lot of opposing teams have decided that being put in a 4-on-3 situation is a better outcome than allowing Doncic to attack them in all of the previously mentioned ways for the aforementioned reasons. With Wood on the court, he can make the short-roll passing read, shoot on the catch, get to the rim, or play out of a quick backdown dribble in the middle of the floor. The other options on the roster are often limited to drawing a defender and passing out or making the occasional finish.
The ultimate point here is that Doncic and Wood form an incredible game-wrecker type presence with how they can counter what defenses tend to throw at them. That's not a common partnership and even with Porzingis, his shortcomings didn't offer this level of potential.
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