What went right with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015-16
Changing styles
After an embarrassing 133-111 road loss to the lottery-bound Kings on March 27, the Mavericks changed from an up-tempo offense to a more deliberate style. Credit goes to the players for being able to play at a breakneck speed for the balance of the season, and then switching gears and dialing everything down. The results were astonishing. The Mavericks won seven of their next eight games and clinched a playoff berth with a hard-fought 101-92 win in the next-to-last game of the season at Utah on April 11. During the style change, the Mavericks — who previously had an open-door policy for teams to score at will — didn’t allow any of their last nine opponents to score more than 98 points. Before that season-changing streak, 19 of the Mavericks’ previous 21 foes scored at least 101.
Keeping hope alive
The season hit a speed bump when the Mavericks were 35-38 and were on the verge of missing the playoffs for just the second time in the last 16 seasons. But the Mavericks reinvented themselves and qualified for the playoffs for the 15th time in the past 16 years. Only the San Antonio Spurs, who have been to the playoffs for 18 straight seasons, have a more consistent postseason run than the Mavericks. “In 18 years I’ve never been prouder of a group,” said Donnie Nelson, the Mavericks’ president of basketball operations. “The result isn’t what we all wanted, but, man, these guys gave it every ounce that they had.”
Youth and growth
Injuries were the main culprit preventing the 42-40 Mavericks from enjoying another 50-win season and a higher seed in the playoffs. Players missed a total of 96 games due to various ailments — not counting the playoffs. The flip side, however, is that the injuries to Chandler Parsons and David Lee allowed more playing time for rookies Justin Anderson and Salah Mejri and second-year pro Dwight Powell to showcase their talents. All three players showed the cupboard isn’t bare and that youth can be served when the younger players are given ample time to play through their mistakes. A case can be made that, particularly without the play of Anderson and Mejri down the stretch, the Mavericks would not have made the playoffs. That’s how valuable those two were during the critical stages when the Mavericks were seeded ninth in the Western Conference and in danger of missing the postseason.
This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 6:57 PM with the headline "What went right with the Dallas Mavericks in 2015-16."