After losing to the Suns, the Dallas Mavericks suffered a three-game losing streak and dropped to 24-20 and fell to eighth in the West. Even more distressingly, the team's second-in-command player Irving will miss several games due to injury. The Mavericks were strong early in the season, but as the schedule progressed, they gradually returned to a similar position to the same position as last season, raising concerns about whether they could repeat the mistakes they made and miss out on the playoffs again.
The Mavericks' previous form can be described as ups and downs. At the beginning of the season, they played a dazzling performance with Doncic and Irving, and the team was at the top of the West for a while. However, as the schedule progressed, some questions gradually surfaced. Factors such as the lack of strength on the defensive end and the low level of tacit understanding between the players have caused the Mavericks' record to gradually decline. And this losing streak has exposed the Lone Ranger's predicament vividly. Irving's injury has weakened the team to a certain extent, which has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the team's offensive stability. The team needs to adjust their form as soon as possible and get back to winning rhythm.
This season, Doncic has shown impressive performance on the offensive end, leading the league scoring list for a long time, averaging 336 points, second only to Embiid. His scoring ability and shooting skills are hard to ignore. Defensively, however, Doncic has struggled to do so, with his defensive movement speed considered one of the slowest in the league and his defensive efficiency index falling to 215th in the league, which has undoubtedly been a constraint on his team's better record.
Doncic's offensive talent is undoubtedly a highlight for the Mavericks, and his scoring ability and basketball IQ have helped the team immensely. He has shown great scoring ability and excellent playmaking on the offensive end, and his passing and shooting skills are breathtaking. However, it is precisely because of his over-reliance on the offensive end that he does not invest enough on the defensive end, and his defensive efficiency ranks low in the league. In response to his slow pace and poor defense, Doncic needs to strengthen his training and improve his defensive ability in order to fully play his strength.
Irving and Doncic are one of the core of the Mavericks, and the chemistry between them is key to the team's success. On the pitch, however, their collaboration did not go as well as it could have been. Irving expressed dissatisfaction with Doncic's dominance on the offensive end, as well as his performance on the defensive end. As a result, Irving's form on the court was sluggish for a while, and he was unable to perform at the level he should have. And Doncic also felt the pressure because of Irving's frustration and didn't get enough support many times. The cooperation between them requires more communication and tacit understanding to resolve the contradictions in the cooperation.
As the team's shooting guard, Irving needs the ball to play well. However, under Doncic's system, it is difficult for him to get enough possession and the opportunity to play at his best. Doncic's possession of the ball on the offensive end limited Irving's offensive space, which led to a sluggish performance in the game. At the same time, Doncic's laxity on the defensive end also frustrated Irving, who had to play for Doncic on the defensive end"Break the siege", which undoubtedly had a negative impact on his fitness and condition. The collaboration between Irving and Doncic requires more communication and understanding to be more effective on the court.
The Mavericks' predicament was obvious, with Doncic's offensive firepower and Irving's individual ability being impeccable, but the team's overall performance was not on full play. In order to improve the Mavericks' record, they need to find a better way to work together and bring out the best in Doncic and Irving.
A key issue that the Mavericks need to address is how to handle the partnership between Doncic and Irving. The two of them are the core of the team and need to work better together to improve the team's record. First, Doncic needs to focus more on the defensive end to minimize the negative impact on the team. He needs to improve his defensive awareness and improve his defensive ability so that he can build a better defensive system for the team. Second, Irving needs to accept Doncic's ball monopoly and play better on the court. He can help the team by making better use of his scoring prowess, rather than just relying on possession. Finally, the team needs to strengthen the overall understanding and improve the coordination between the players. They need more communication and understanding to find the most effective offensive tactics to improve the overall strength of the team. In short, the Mavericks need to find a balance in terms of Doncic and Irving's cooperation, while strengthening the overall improvement of strength, in order to play better in this season's competition.