By james art The Dallas Mavericks’ 3-1 record is more than appealing to Kyrie Irving and his team. After a 120-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he made a statement that will shock many.
“We have the best rim protection in the league,” Irving said, via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News .
Despite Irving’s claim, the numbers don’t exactly back that up. The Mavericks are just 19th in the league in blocks per game (5.3). However, the Dallas guard has a very valid point about his team.
The combination of Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively II in the center rotation creates a lot of problems for teams. Their athleticism, timing and ball sense allow the Mavericks’ perimeter players to not worry about their matchup going to them. Gafford warned of his potential and delivered on that promise.
For example, Gafford was seventh in the NBA with 2.1 blocks per game and sixth in the playoffs with 1.5 blocks per game. Note that the center only played 24.5 and 20.2 minutes, respectively. Considering the minutes he plays, that’s impressive with the amount of blocked shots.
Kyrie Irving’s claim is about more than just blocking shots for the Mavericks
Last season, Dallas was 17th in the league with five blocks per game, but stepped up when it mattered most. They were fifth in the NBA during the playoffs in that category. Even though they played the most games in the playoffs besides the Boston Celtics, that’s impressive.
Still, the stats don’t match what Irving says. Fortunately, he knows that protecting the rim isn’t just about blocking shots. Dallas is ninth in the league in defensive field goal percentage (44.2%). That’s even ahead of the defending champion Celtics. They also have the 12th best defensive rating in the league.
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Returning to Lively II, he made his mark already this season. Lively II has some skills that fit right alongside Irving. Although he is working on his offensive game, his defensive skills are still brilliant. He’s only averaging one block this season, but playing alongside Gafford could help him create a better interior defense.
The Mavericks also stole Naji Marshall from the New Orleans Pelicans, who was a big help. His combination of perimeter defense and rim protection was a big help. Dallas will travel south to face the young Houston Rockets. Their rim protection could be essential against their rising center, Alperen Sengun.