The Dallas Mavericks have stayed the course amid trial and error this season as Dallas has reeled off three straight wins after starting the season an abysmal 5-7 through the first twelve games. We’ve learned quite a bit about the new rendition of this Mavericks team through the first 15 games of the season, and while they’re far from reaching their potential, Mavericks fans can slowly see the formation of a team that could potentially run for another championship could compete.

Unfortunately for the Mavericks, it was just announced that superstar Luka Doncic will miss at least the next three games due to a right wrist sprain. This halts head coach Jason Kidd’s ability to refine this Mavericks rotation to its ultimate potential, as Dallas’ win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night looked like the most complete team win of the entire season.

All of Dallas’ complementary pieces contributed on both sides of the ball in that game, as Kyrie Irving and Doncic led a balanced attack for Dallas’ attack. Kidd opted to play Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy primarily as the primary guards off the bench in that game, as Spencer Dinwiddie didn’t even see the floor.

For Mavericks fans, it felt like Kidd finally found his optimal rotation off the bench in that Pelicans game until Dante Exum returned from injury. However, there is still a lot more basketball to be played by the Mavericks this season, and they will need to optimize their rotation this stretch without Doncic.

Considering Doncic’s lackluster defensive performance this season and the fact that he hasn’t looked all that mobile with the ball in his hands until recently, this stretch without Doncic could yield a host of benefits for this Mavericks team. .

First and foremost, Irving has been in the background offensively all season, and he has had to differ from Doncic in many crucial situations this season, such as early in games where Doncic is shooting inefficiently or even in clutch scenarios. While it may not be ideal for an extended stretch, given Irving’s age and the dynamism Doncic brings to Dallas’ offense when he and Irving play well together, Irving, as the sole focal point of Dallas’ offense, would make this possible. can generate profit. racks without Doncic.

Irving is currently averaging 24.3 points and 5.2 assists per game on absurd shooting numbers of 54.5/53.8/85.7. If Irving’s continued excellence from outside continues at the same pace or even shows a slight dip in production, Dallas should still have enough shot creation to see through this stretch, especially if Quentin Grimes and Jaden Hardy continue their rise in that category as well.

There’s no doubt that Doncic adds more offensively than he takes away from this Mavericks team, but being out of the lineup will give role players like Hardy, Grimes and Naji Marshall more leniency on the offensive end. This could pay huge dividends for Dallas come the end of the season, as such players don’t have nearly as much room to create for themselves offensively with both Doncic and Irving in the lineup.

This could also provide an opportunity for sharpshooter Klay Thompson to get some more reps as an initiator, as Thompson has struggled at times to create his own looks despite his success in catch-and-shoot scenarios for Dallas this season.

This is by no means an experimental period for the Mavericks, and tonight they play a crucial game in the Emirates NBA Cup against the Denver Nuggets. However, Dallas’ offense could certainly be accentuated in the long run based on role players becoming more comfortable in the flow of the offense during this stretch. Irving is also playing better than Doncic at the moment, to be fair, and Doncic getting some much-needed rest could further strengthen this squad if his mobility improves after returning from injury.