Spencer Dinwiddie Upgraded to Starting Lineup? What It Means for Mavs
DALLAS - While it hasn’t been made official, the Dallas Mavericks have toyed with the idea of Spencer Dinwiddie being the team’s starting 2-guard.
“We believe we’re going to be a bigger team,” coach Jason Kidd said via ESPN. “Nothing against (Jalen Brunson’s) height, but with Spencer starting, our starting five is going to be big with JaVale (McGee) starting at the center. We believe we’re going to have a lot more offense coming off the bench.”
If this statement holds, Dinwiddie will have big shoes to fill. Last postseason, Brunson was Dallas’ second-leading scorer. In the first three games against the Utah Jazz, Brunson averaged 31 points.
With Luka Doncic out, it was Brunson’s production that propelled Dallas to a 2-1 series lead. But with Brunson gone, the Mavs must find a 2-guard.
How can Dinwiddie fit that role?
Last season, Dinwiddie started seven games for the Mavs. As a starter in Dallas, he averaged 21.8 points. His best game came on March 5 against the Sacramento Kings, as he finished with 36 points and seven assists.
He started in three games during the first round of the playoffs, averaging 19.6 points and 6.6 assists. In Game 1 against Utah, he contributed 22 points and eight assists.
For his career, Dinwiddie has averaged 15.1 points and 6.3 assists as a starter. The 6-6 guard’s best season came in 2019-2020, as he started in 49 of 64 games and averaged 20.6 points.
Compare his scoring last season to Brunson’s and they are very similar. For Dallas, Brunson averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, and shot 50.2 percent. Similarly, Dinwiddie averaged 15.8 points and, 3.9 assists and shot 49.8 percent.
What does this mean for the Mavericks?
It means a continuous amount of scoring. At his best, Dinwiddie can provide quality offense, as he proved in clutch playoff moments.
The biggest question will be: Can he stay healthy? During the 2019-2020 season, he suffered a partial ACL tear that sidelined him for nine months. This caused him to play in three games the following season.
During his time with the Wizards, he missed six games because of rest/conditioning. However, Dallas showed confidence in Dinwiddie’s abilities by trading away Kristaps Porzingis, their second-leading scorer.
It's not yet official. But Dinwiddie starting might just work.
