JaVale McGee emerges as two-way threat for Dallas Mavericks

Thanks to JaVale McGee, a dunker of lob passes who can also passionately protect the rim is back and roaming the middle for the Dallas Mavericks.

Ever since the start of their 2010-11 championship season, the Mavs have had a center who could catch the high lob pass and dunk it on offense and block and alter shots on defense. That short list included Tyson Chandler and Brandan Wright.

But with Chandler now playing for the Phoenix Suns and Wright playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, the Mavs went into August devoid of players who could play above the rim on both ends of the court.

That is until they signed McGee to a two-year contract on Aug. 13.

McGee has been absorbed with getting in better game condition as he recovers from a left tibial stress fracture that has nagged him for over two years. But the 7-foot, 270-pound center finally displayed his two-way arsenal during Friday’s 97-88 triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies.

While playing a season-high 18 minutes, McGee scored a season-high 10 points, blocked a season-high three shots, and three of his four dunks came on lob passes (from Raymond Felton, Chandler Parsons and J.J. Barea).

All three of his blocks were against Grizzlies two-time All-Star Zach Randolph, who usually gives the Mavs fits with his rugged style of play.

“I’m just getting my timing right and trying to get in conditioning,” McGee said. “I definitely try to bring the dunking aspect and the shot-blocking aspect.

“Since I came in the league that’s what I’ve always been about.”

Bringing athleticism also has always been a part of McGee’s game, and it’s something the Mavs have sorely needed as they try to keep pace with the Western Conference’s upper-echelon teams.

“If you look at all the good teams, they have some athleticism on the big spots, and the lob threat needs to be there in everybody’s game,” forward Dirk Nowitzki said. “Matching up with [Zach Randolph] is a very tough matchup in our league — he’s a great low-post scorer.

“But [McGee] stayed down and used his length, got a couple blocks and finished above the rim. He was just very active, and it was fun to watch, and he definitely was a game-changer for us.”

With all due respect to starting center Zaza Pachulia, Parsons, at small forward, salivates at the options available to him when he’s on the floor with McGee and has the ball in his hands.

“I love Zaza, first of all, he’s been unbelievable for us,” Parsons said. “He played great [Friday] too, but that’s not the typical [center] I’m used to playing with.

“I’m playing with Dwight [Howard], I’m playing with Tyson, I’m playing with Brandan Wright, and these guys. The way [McGee] sets screens-and-rolls and has that lob threat is a whole another part of the game that we’ve been missing.”

McGee, likewise, is feeling the (lob) connection he has with Parsons.

“CP is going to throw an oop, or he’s looking for the pass every time,” McGee said. “So it’s definitely a good thing for me.”

The Mavs (15-12) know that having a center who’s a threat to play above the rim or step back and make a jump shot forces opponents to alter their defensive alignment.

“It’s a different look besides that,” Parsons said, referring to what McGee gives the Mavs. “He can pop back and hit the shot, and pass the ball as well from the high post.

“JaVale, I threw him a horrible alley-oop [Friday] and he still almost caught it and finished it. The guy, he’s a freak, so it makes everything so much easier, it loosens up the defense on pick-and-rolls. It really opens the game for me to play with him.”

The Mavs were a plus-20 in plus-minus point differential with McGee on the floor against the Grizzlies. It was the highest number for any of the game’s 23 players.

McGee, who turns 28 on Jan. 19, acknowledged that his game against Memphis is only a snapshot of what he can offer the Mavs. As his minutes increase, he believes other parts of his game will surface.

“It’s rewarding, but it’s not the end of the road,” McGee said of Friday’s showing. “It’s not even close to the end.

“So I’ve just got to keep working until I’m out there playing 30 minutes a game.”

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 5:39 PM with the headline "JaVale McGee emerges as two-way threat for Dallas Mavericks."