Dallas Mavericks: Dwight Powell Showing Confidence

Dwight Powell has the tools to do some good things for the Dallas Mavericks. It just wasn’t going to happen right away.

It’s not because Powell is a bad player. It’s just because he’s a rookie. And if you’re a rookie playing in Dallas, you virtually have no business playing on an active roster.

But Powell is quickly learning what it means to make the most of an opportunity.

Dallas lost to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night 114-107, but it was a game that nearly didn’t matter. The Mavericks didn’t have Rajon Rondo, Dirk Nowitzki or Tyson Chandler in the lineup due to rest.

On a night where Monta Ellis struggled heavily and the Mavericks were battling on the second night of a back-to-back after a grueling overtime win in Sacramento, Dallas almost pulled off a remarkable, yet hilarious, comeback.

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Eight players were in double figures in that game. One of those players was the young big man out of Stanford, Powell.

The rookie scored 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, and also grabbed five rebounds in 29 minutes of action. He was so impressive that, while Dallas was making its comeback, Powell was on the floor during a situation where Greg Smith is the norm.

When Dallas made the trade for Rondo, the Mavericks were probably adamant about getting back a big man who could replace Brandan Wright. Tyler Zeller was the consensus first choice with how well he’s been playing, but Powell is a project Dallas can best utilize.

He’s not like a Wright who can leap over people and catch any lob thrown his way. He’s athletic, especially when it comes to rebounding.

But as seen on Wednesday, Powell has a lot of elements to his game that might have Rick Carlisle considering more minutes for Powell over Greg Smith. That theory was true on Friday, again against the Nuggets, and Powell played 14 minutes. He scored only four points but had two steals and a rebound.

Knowing Carlisle, who knows if this is something Dallas can go to over and over. Smith has still played in many more games than Powell, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see Smith get his minutes back behind Chandler once the regular season starts nearing its close.

It’s no secret, though, what Powell can bring to the table. He’s a big man with a soft touch on his jump shot, has the ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket with no regard for his safety or his defender’s, and he’s very smart, especially in a double team situation.

It might go overlooked, but Powell, who went to Stanford all four years, definitely helps. Not only is he a college senior who is capable of playing the game, but he’s smart. Having a smart, young player playing for a smart coach could prove wonders for this rookie.

That’s why it’s good to get Powell minutes now, rather than later. It’s best for Dallas to know what they’re getting from him and how his game could best be utilized. There are moments in a Mavericks game where Chandler is 15 feet away from the basket and takes a jumper.

That kind of play design would be perfect for Powell, and as he expands his range (and he’s already a capable 3-point shooter), he could be a nice stretch-center.

Again, it’s uncertain whether Carlisle did this because it was the Nuggets and Powell proved to be effective Wednesday night and decided to keep the hot hand in the rotation.

Powell is showing confidence, though, and that’s a great thing to see if you’re a Mavericks fan. It’s something to watch going forward. He could be the next Charlie Villanueva, who has mysteriously vanished from Carlisle’s rotation because Al-Farouq Aminu is playing much better defense.

The lack of athleticism from Smith definitely gives Powell a slight edge in that department, but he’ll need to show a lot more going forward.

So far through two games, when his number has been called, the rookie hasn’t disappointed.

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