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Dallas Mavericks: Chandler Parsons The Key To Mavs’ Success

By Danny Webster

Mar 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons (25) shoots prior to the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons (25) shoots prior to the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chandler Parsons returned March 8 from a seven-game absence due to a sprained ankle.

In those seven games, the Dallas Mavericks went 3-4.

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That alone should be the given reason as to why he’s so vital to Dallas’ success. With the acquisitions of Rajon Rondo and Amar’e Stoudemire, Parsons hasn’t had much time to play with either or both of them. It’s taken Parsons longer to get acclimated with his two newest teammates on the floor.

It could also explain why Dallas has been so terrible offensively the last couple of weeks. Dallas scored more than 100 points just once in those seven games Parsons was out. That was the 102-93 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on March 2 where Rondo carried the Mavericks offensively.

Dallas averaged 89.3 points per game in those other six games. Insert any word you see fit to describe that stretch of games.

So it’s no surprise that when Parsons returned to the lineup on March 8 in the win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks started to play like the team that’s expected to compete for a championship. Even the abysmal game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday saw Parsons score 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

His offense is what’s going to be the difference maker for Dallas as it approaches the playoffs.

The Mavericks are supposed to have enough offense with Parsons being out. The key words are “supposed to.” Monta Ellis hasn’t been the same since the hip injury he suffered on Feb. 9 against the Los Angeles Clippers. In the 10 games Ellis played after that hip injury, he shot the ball 151 times and made only 53 of them.

If you’re doing math at home, that’s 35.1 percent shooting, and he averaged only 13.8 points per game during that stretch.

Dirk Nowitzki hasn’t been as great, either. There could be a multitude of reasons why this is. He’s either tired, or it’s a sign of old age. From the All-Star Game up until that March 8 win over the Lakers, Dirk has taken 130 shots and made only 47 of them.

That’s 36.1 percent shooting over the course of nine games, averaging 11.4 points per game. He also scored in single digits twice and shot 50 percent or better only one time.

If those two aren’t scoring, Dallas doesn’t have a chance to win anything.

Enter Parsons, who has been on a much-needed offensive tear since returning from his injury. After a quiet 5-of-11 shooting in the win over the Lakers, Parsons has averaged 20 points on 62.5 percent shooting in his last two games. That included Friday night’s 30-point win over the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 5-of-6 from 3-point range.

Not only was it a much-needed offensive performance for Parsons on Friday night, but for the Mavericks in general. The 129 points they scored was the first time Dallas eclipsed 120 points since Dec. 7 when scoring 125 points against Milwaukee.

That was as close to an offensive performance pre-Rondo as it may ever get this season. It’s also something that could springboard the Mavericks back up the Western Conference standings.

Dallas moved back up to sixth with the win over the Clippers, who were without Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford. But it was a win the Mavericks needed. Even with no Blake Griffin or Jamal Crawford, the Mavericks still had to contend with Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan, who have proven capable of single-handedly beating Dallas.

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    • Despite the Clippers shooting 50 percent from the floor, Dallas shot an absurd 60 percent. It got 19 points from Charlie Villanueva and 15 points apiece from Devin Harris and J.J. Barea off the bench.

    Parsons led all scorers with 22 points, and Dallas got 14 apiece from Nowitzki, Ellis and Tyson Chandler. Rondo even had seven assists.

    That is a perfect night offensively for a team that was struggling offensively, and it was all credit to Parsons. He got the Mavs going offensively and opened up the offense for everyone else. So much so, Dallas hit 16-of-28 3-point attempts.

    When Parsons is going, it opens up opportunities for the likes of Ellis and Nowitzki to score. It also gets Chandler more involved in the post, where he’s been quiet the last few weeks.

    He may not be the No. 1 option in Dallas’ offense right now, but he may be asked to carry the Mavericks in the postseason.

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