Story by
Mavs By The Numbers: NBA 'Stock' Is Rising In Defensive Rankings
- Story by
- Mavs By The Numbers: NBA 'Stock' Is Rising In Defensive Rankings
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
DALLAS - Masai Ujiri spent the entire offseason talking about size, length and athleticism. Four games in, the numbers are backing him up in the most measurable way possible.
Dallas is averaging 18 stocks per game, a term that combines steals and blocks, which ranks second in the NBA. Last season, the Mavericks finished 20th at 12.7 per game.
Advertisement
That is a jump of more than five per night and it is not coming from one player.
Cooper Flagg and Zaccharie Risacher are tied for the league lead with 16 each through four games. Daniel Gafford is tied for sixth with 13. Three Mavericks in the top 10 of a leaguewide category this early is the kind of thing that happens when a roster is built deliberately around a specific trait.
READ MORE: Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Praises Dallas Mavs' 'Ideal' Offseason Move
Monday night in Miami was a great showcase of their new defensive identity under head coach Dusty May. Dallas generated 11 steals and 10 blocks in Monday's 113-109 win at Kaseya Center, meaning the Mavericks produced 21 defensive plays that ended in a steal or block against a Heat team that is physical and does not give the ball away carelessly. Flagg alone contributed five steals and three blocks in that game while also putting up 29 points and 11 assists.
Advertisement
Risacher's spot as the stocks leader is the most surprising part; the former No. 1 overall pick arrived from Atlanta this summer with questions about whether he would ever find his footing and his offense has developed slowly. The defense has not. He has been disruptive from the opening week, using his length to jump passing lanes and contest shots at the rim as a help defender.
Gafford's presence makes sense given his history. He finished 10th in the league in total blocks last season and has been the only healthy center on the roster throughout training camp and the early schedule, meaning he has absorbed heavy minutes protecting the paint.
READ MORE: Cooper Flagg's Near Triple-Double Gives Mavs Major Boost In Win Over Miami
Four games is a tiny sample and steals in particular tend to fluctuate wildly over short stretches. Gambling for deflections can also create problems, since a team that chases steals often surrenders easy looks when those attempts fail. Dallas has allowed 128, 105, 122 and 109 points in its four games, which is not the profile of an elite defense yet.
Advertisement
But the raw disruption is real and it reflects exactly what the front office set out to build. The Mavericks got longer at nearly every position this offseason, with an average roster height around 6-foot-7 and wings who can switch across multiple assignments.
