Mavs Want to Silence Critics: 'People Think Last Year Was a Fluke'
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Expectations were tempered for the Dallas Mavericks in coach Jason Kidd's first season. However, the team proceeded to win 52 games, secure home-court advantage in the playoffs, win a first-round playoff series and advance to the Western Conference Finals before ultimately falling to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
That success was seen by many as Dallas maxing out its ceiling, and because of that perception, there is more skepticism from critics heading into the 2022-23 season. Dorian Finney-Smith, who is the heart and soul of the Mavs' defense alongside Reggie Bullock, will be playing with a chip on his shoulder in hopes of proving the critics wrong.
“I still feel like people in the league think it’s a fluke. A lot of guys were hurt (around the league) and they’re going to be back this year. I still feel like they look (negatively) at us and we still got a point to prove," said Finney-Smith.
The West was hampered some last year with the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets missing many key players that could've elevated their status. That said, the Mavs would've had a chance against any team on any given night as long as Luka Doncic graces the court ... just ask the top-seeded Phoenix Suns, who were fully healthy when Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie booted them from the postseason in a second-round Game 7 blowout.
“Collectively, we fell short. We didn’t win a championship. So there’s always going to be another step to take. That comes with the fact that we have a top-five player (in Doncic) and no other player that’s made an all-star team," said Dinwiddie.
“If you look at it like that, even if MFFLs believe in us, it’s probably not going to get as much recognition nationwide just from the standpoint that you’re use to seeing two or three max guys on a roster leading (established contenders). I think that’s why maybe there’s a disconnect between local and national (respect)."
Although losing Jalen Brunson in free agency hurts, the addition of Christian Wood is looking like a major success so far in preseason play. Wood is averaging 19 points and 7 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action while shooting 60 percent from the field, including 50 percent from deep. He's also shown that he's capable of having an impact with or without Doncic on the court, which is what the team needs when Doncic takes a breather.
“It looks like (Wood) has been here for a while. He can score the ball and he has given us something we haven't had when you look at Maxi (Kleber) being able to shoot the 3 now we can see him post up and play at a post with him," said Kidd after Wood led the Mavs with 23 points on 8-12 shooting on Friday night.
"Defensively, he’s learning the system and I think he is doing a great job just in the short time that he’s been here. He can score the ball, but then on the other side, he’s talking and trying to get used to the defensive schemes that we have taught guys before him and he’s catching on. He’s going to be fine, but he does give us something besides Luka in the post. We can go to him and post too.”
Critics can say what they want, but from what we've seen from the Mavs in training camp and preseason, it appears that yet another season of proving people wrong is on the horizon. Dallas will gladly accept the underdog label again.
