Mavs Donuts: Dallas’ Playoff Push Begins; Porzingis Needed More Touches?

DallasBasketball.com lists 12 of the biggest NBA storylines in addition to relevant Dallas Mavericks news and analysis.

With the NBA returning from the All-Star break, there are a few juicy tidbits to marinate your basketball needs in until Thursday night's action. Leave it to DallasBasketball.com to satisfy those content needs, especially of the Dallas Mavericks variety.

Another day, another dozen "Mavs Donuts."  

Donut 1: Kyle Kuzma Criticizes Mavs

During an interview with NBC Sports Washington, Kyle Kuzma shared his thoughts on what Kristaps Porzingis brings to the Wizards, as well as what he saw from his situation during his time with the Mavericks.

"That's because you're playing through him, you're playing him in the post, you let him get touches, you let him feel the ball, and I feel like when he was in Dallas he wasn't necessarily a part of things, and that's no disrespect", Kuzma told NBC Sports Washington. 

Donut 2: Where Do the Mavs rank on 75th Anniversary Team

The NBA's 75th-anniversary team has been the source for a lot of debates during the downtime as many wait for the regular season to resume after the All-Star break.

The Dallas Mavericks had some representation on the list with Dirk Nowitzki (17th), Steve Nash (37th), and Jason Kidd (43rd) each being included.

Donut 3: Former Mavs Guard JJ Redick Rips Zion Williamson

On a recent episode of ESPN's First Take, former Mavs guard and Duke alum JJ Redick had something to say about Zion Willamson's lack of team involvement. 

"There's a responsibility that you have as an athlete when you play a team sport to be fully invested," Redick said Tuesday on First Take. "You're fully invested in your body, you're fully invested in your work and you're fully invested in your teammates. That is your responsibility, and we have not seen that from Zion."

Redick confirmed that he had such conversations with the New Orleans Pelicans in his time as Williamson's teammate. The podcast host labeled it "pattern behavior" and called Williamson a "detached" teammate. It's rare to see Redick take off the gloves as an analyst. The criticism means so much more, considering he was Williamson's teammate.

Donut 4: Kemba Walker Sidelined for the Season

Kemba Walker's time in New York is over according to reports from ESPN. Despite a few standout performances, such as the triple-double on Christmas and a 44-point outing vs. the Washington Wizards, the guard is having the worst statistical season of his 11-season career. 

Next season marks the last year of his contract, which will help the Knicks find a trade partner for the veteran point guard. 

Donut 5: James Harden Leads Jersey Sales

Unlike his pregame outfits, James Harden jerseys are a hot commodity. Per Philadelphia 76ers' PR, his jerseys are the highest selling on the Fanatics Network in the span of the Brooklyn Nets-Sixers trade. 

Donut 6: Jusuf Nurkic Injures Foot

Portland fans, prepare for the NBA lottery (if you weren’t already) in light of the news of Jusuf Nurkic's foot injury. Left foot plantar fasciitis is the latest injury to plague the Trail Blazers. It's hard to envision the Blazers making the playoffs. 

Donut 7: On This Day

Dallas isn't the first "D-Town" known for its tenacious defense. In the early-to-mid 2000s Detroit Pistons harbored one of the best shot-blockers in NBA history. On February 24, 2002, Ben Wallace swatted 10 shot attempts in an 88-82 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Donut 8: A Humbled Luka Doncic Inspired Recent Play

A certain level of greatness has come to be the expectation from Luka Doncic by observers of the Dallas Mavericks and NBA as a whole. He's been getting the job done at a high level, potentially solidifying his place as one of the All-NBA teams for a third consecutive season.

Doncic missed 10 games due to a combination of ankle soreness and COVID.

During that absence, there was a focus from Doncic to lose extra weight to maximize his performance. He mentioned that he changed his diet to include more chicken, vegetables, and rice, when talking with The Dallas Morning News. Doncic has a nutritionist guiding him now, and it seems to have made a big difference in a short period of time.

Donut 9: Ideal Playoff Matchup for Mavs?

On a recent DallasBasketball.com roundtable, Grant Afseth, Dalton Trigg, and Mike Fisher discussed who they think would make for a favorable playoff matchup. Fisher had quite the take. 

Three things for me …

1) “Disaster” is the right word for the play-in thing. I’m not a fan — but I’m especially not a fan of Dallas being in it.

2) Who not to play? Regardless of standings and seeding … I have Clippers nightmares. Always.

3) I hope Dallas doesn’t try to manipulate itself toward a foe in any way other than winning. This field is unpredictable enough that nobody is guaranteed much. Get Luka in the tournament and maybe magical things can happen.

Donut 10: No Tampering No Problem

Afseth's NBA Notebook covered a few reports, including the Nets-Sixers trade gravitating around James Harden and Ben Simmons. 

There was reporting that took place well in advance of the Harden trade about teams potentially filing formal complaints with the league office to get a tampering investigation going. However, nothing of the sort has yet to occur.

“There is no ongoing investigation, right now,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “No team has logged a formal complaint with the league. These are things we watch play out, unfortunately, in many cases, in the media.”

Donut 11: Will Kyrie Play In Brooklyn Soon?

Due to vaccination laws, Nets star Kyrie Irving has yet to suit up in Brooklyn. In quite the convenient timing, as the Nets sit in the lower half of the Eastern Conference, "good" news is coming down the pipeline. New York Mayor Eric Adams alluded to a change in the city's mandates in the coming weeks. 

Donut 12: What's Next for Mavs?

After an eight-day break, the Mavs face the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Friday. Aside from the game acting as a test for Dallas, it's also a chance to get a head start in a tie-breaking scenario, as the two teams are separated by only two losses.