Mavs Step Back: Breaking Down Dallas’ Loss to Pelicans; Nets Preview

The Dallas Mavericks have some things to be optimistic about despite starting the season 1-2. However, coach Jason Kidd has some adjustments to make going forward. Mavs Step Back recaps Dallas’ loss to the New Orleans Pelicans and previews Thursday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.

Although the Dallas Mavericks are 1-2 after their first three games of the season, they could’ve easily been 3-0 had Luka Doncic been slightly more accurate on a couple of last-second 3-pointers.

On this episode of the Mavs Step Back Podcast, hosts Dalton Trigg and Drew Johnson recap Dallas’ disappointing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite clawing back from a 16-point, first-half deficit to take a seven-point lead with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Mavs ended up losing 113-111 after a Doncic buzzer-beater attempt came up just a bit short.

After enduring two losses by just two points each, the Mavs’ main issues appear to be fixable by coach Jason Kidd. But how long will it take for the proper adjustments to be made?

One of the biggest issues in New Orleans was the defensive play of JaVale McGee. And well as Christian Wood has played, he might find himself taking over as the Mavs’ starting center at some point despite McGee being promised the starting spot during the offseason.

Wood has established himself as Dallas’ second-best player by averaging 24.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per game on 62.2 percent shooting from the field and 61.5 percent shooting from deep. The more he plays, the better is he Mavs will be.

After hitting on several other points from the Pelicans game, the guys pivot to Dallas’ upcoming matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night. Can the Mavs successfully keep the ball out of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s hands in order to force Ben Simmons to beat them? Can Dallas’ wing duo of Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock bounce back in Brooklyn? Is Doncic’s current workload cause for concern later this season?

All those topics and more are discussed on today’s episode. You can listen here:

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