Dallas Mavericks Proving to Be More Than Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving In Playoff Push

The Dallas Mavericks' depth has been on full display during their six-game winning streak and has turned them into one of the NBA's most dangerous teams entering the playoffs.

Mar 29, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (0) and P.J. Washington (25). / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

With all of the chips pushed to the middle of the table, it wasn't Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving who took the shot to ice the game for the Dallas Mavericks against the Sacramento Kings in a battle of teams playing to avoid the play-in tournament.

It was Mavs guard Dante Exum who found the ball in his hands in a tied game with under 30 seconds left in regulation. And after missing all three of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter, he didn't hesitate to take the potential go-ahead shot after getting the pass from P.J. Washington off of a Doncic double team. Exum found nothing but net to put the Mavs ahead for good en route to a pivotal 107-103 win over the Kings on Friday at the Golden 1 Center.

"That speaks of the trust of our team," Doncic said of Exum's go-ahead 3-pointer. "We know they’re going to double me and Kai a lot of times. That’s the trust we have, the whole team."

Mar 29, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Dante Exum (0) and P.J. Washington. / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

“The trust was really tested when Exum was in the game late," Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said. "He had great looks. No one was upset. Everyone was just wanting him to make them. But everyone trusted him with that last three. That’s the beauty of this team is that we know they’re going to take the ball out of Luka and Kai’s hands and someone else is going to have to step up.”

The win was Dallas' (44-29) second straight over the Kings (42-31) and sixth in a row. It also gave the Mavs more breathing room for the sixth seed, as they lead the Kings by 1.5 games and now only trail the New Orleans Pelicans (45-28) by a game for the fifth seed.

The Mavs have gone 12-6 since the All-Star break and have won 10 of their last 11 games. Beyond the win streak, though, how Dallas has been winning has made it one of the most dangerous teams in the Western Conference.

Doncic and Irving did what they normally do, combining for 56 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds, but the rest of the starting lineup only combined to score 20 points and shot 8 for 22 from the field. With the rest of the lineup's struggles, rookie center Dereck Lively II stepped up off the bench with 12 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

Outside of Friday, the Mavs' supporting cast had been stellar in their previous four games, as four players had scored in double-figures in each win. Dallas has also stepped up defensively, not allowing more than 107 points during its six-game winning streak. The Mavs' average of 102.17 points allowed per game during their recent run is their best this season and well below their season average of 116.4 points allowed per game. It's also a stark contrast compared to a Mavs team that leaned heavily on winning in shootouts.

They also held the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors to under 100 points before allowing 126 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 14.

Doncic and Irving will always give the Mavs a chance regardless of who is standing opposite them. But now the rest of the team is starting to round into form with the two superstars at the helm. And if Doncic and Irving's teammates can continue to step up like they have of late, the Mavs will have as good a chance as anyone to make it out of the Western Conference.