Breaking down Jameer Nelson's Game in Dallas (Videos)

For the next week, we’re going to take a look at the three veteran point guards for the Dallas Mavericks. In Part One, we’re breaking down the newcomer from Orlando, Jameer Nelson.

Rick Carlisle has a dilemma on his hands. It’s a good one to have, though. Three point guards, all capable of starting for the Dallas Mavericks. But who will it be?

It’s time we try to answer that question. Let’s start with the newcomer from the Orlando Magic and former All-Star, Jameer Nelson.

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Nelson got the short end of the stick the final years of his tenure in Orlando, the only team he had played for since he came into the NBA in 2004 out of Saint Joseph’s. Coming out of college in his junior year, where he led the Hawks to the Elite Eight and was named the National Player of the Year, Nelson isn’t known for being a pass-first point guard.

He gets his points, and is pretty solid at doing it. Nelson’s rookie year is the only season where he averaged less than 10 points a game, and only two other times (2006-07 and 2011-12) did he average less than 12 points per game.

Entering his 11th year, Nelson has averaged 12.6 points and 5.4 assists per game. The last two years, however, Nelson has refined his game to be an effective passing point guard. In 2012-13, he averaged a career-high 7.4 assists per game, then followed that up last year with 7.0 assists on a young Magic team.

Now he’s on a veteran Mavericks team with a better core around him and a chance to win right away. He may be getting older, but Nelson is the kind of point guard Dallas can heavily utilize in any offensive set, whether it be the 3-point game or in pick-and-roll situations.

For instance, take a look at this pick-and-roll sequence with Nelson and Dwight Howard from a few years ago.

Looks almost like this, doesn’t it?

That was Jason Kidd throwing a lob to Tyson Chandler, who will be the Mavs’ center again this year. This pick-and-roll with the center has become a staple in Dallas’ offense. It starts at the top of the key, then by the time the opposing center (in this case, Marcin Gortat) switches off, Chandler is all alone to finish off the alley oop.

Nelson didn’t have this luxury after Dwight was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. How he managed to average seven assists per game in the two years in Orlando by himself seems like a mystery.

My guess it was due to nice plays like this, where Nelson’s awareness is on full display.

Nelson sucked in the entire Portland defense, leaving Andrew Nicholson all alone for the one-handed slam. This is the benefit of having a point guard with great handles. Watch the play again, and notice how quick Nelson uses the pick, splits the double team and finishes with the quick pass to Nicholson.

Playing on a team with Monta Ellis and Chandler Parsons will benefit Nelson. Both guys love to move without the basketball and attack the basket, but they’re also playmakers who can pass it back out to the open man, like this play starting from the 11-second mark.

All you need to see is that one play. One of Carlisle’s experiments he tried last year that was surprising, was posting up Monta at the elbow — kind of like where Dirk Nowitzki likes to operate. Ellis averaged 1.6 touches per game at the elbow last year for Dallas, which is surprisingly high for a shooting guard his size.

Nelson will feel right at home in Dallas. He has more talent around him with the Mavs than he did at any point in Orlando. It helps to have a center that will catch anything thrown to him at the rim, as well as three offensive stars who will increase his assist total.

Looking back on this summer, Nelson may be Dallas’ most underrated signing of the offseason.

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By Danny Webster | Oct 4, 2014