Dallas Mavericks: 5 Keys To A Deep Postseason Run

3) Even with Tyson Chandler back, defense needs to be better than last year

The title of this slide may sound absolutely redundant, but in the grand scheme of things, defensive questions still linger. Dallas knows what it’s getting from Tyson Chandler. The Mavs have seen it before.

They’re more than likely going to get that Defensive Player of the Year candidate that made an impact back in 2011. That’s a given.

What about the rest of the roster?

Monta Ellis is improving defensively, but he’s still someone I wouldn’t want going one-on-one against a dominant ball handler in the backcourt. Dirk Nowitzki is another year older, and if the first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs is any indication, Dirk has lost more than just a step defensively.

And while many may want to criticize his defensive game a little prematurely, Chandler Parsons still has plenty of room to grow on defense. Rick Carlisle tends to be a master at these types of things. This defense is going to be way better than last year, but it can’t be giving up near-triple digits in scoring like the Mavs did last year.

Speaking of Chandler Parsons…