Dallas Mavericks: Big Men Strengthening Team

By Cole Mentzel | Nov 15, 2015

Nov 13, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell (7) and forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) defend against Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Lakers 90-82. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

The Dallas Mavericks have started the season off hot by beating teams like the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets. They haven’t been just hanging in games either, they have been grinding games out and wearing out the opposing teams.

Going into the season, the critics believed the Mavs just did not have enough firepower or depth to stay afloat in the West. They have all but eliminated those two assumptions just a few weeks into the season and once they are fully healthy, they could become a surprising force out West.

A few things have played into this early success such as the bench stepping up and the Mavs’ risky signings of Deron Williams (multiple injuries in previous seasons) and Wesley Matthews (torn Achilles) bringing all they have and more to the table, but the lift is coming from an unlikely area of the roster.

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The Mavs’ big men have been much better than expected and they are all contributing in different ways that have led to a tight-knit group of gritty players with the will to win.

First off, the Mavs’ starting center, Zaza Pachulia, is proving to be better than most people thought he was. He is averaging a double-double early in the season (10.8 PPG, 10.2 RPG) and his mid-range shooting has been very helpful for the Mavs, since they’ve never really had a center capable of that.

The 31-year-old is showing new life and fresh legs with a group of guards that loves his nifty passing ability. A few of his notable stat lines so far this season include:

LAL: 16 points, 12 rebounds
CHA: 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
LAC: 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
LAL: 18 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists

Keep in mind that in all four of those games, Pachulia has been matched up with big, physical players like Roy Hibbert, Al Jefferson and DeAndre Jordan. That hasn’t stopped him and he is continuing to thrive by putting up numbers similar to the ones Tyson Chandler put up last season in Dallas.

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Dwight Powell has been the biggest surprise for the Mavs this season. He was the other guy that came over in the Rajon Rondo trade and in just a few weeks of gameplay this season, he has been way more productive than Rondo was in half of a season.

Powell, averaging 10.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, has added a key element to his game: mid-range shooting. Just like Pachulia, Powell is a reliable source for points in terms of big men play. He can shoot from the corner or from straight away and looks like a much-improved player from last season.

Though his natural position is power forward, Powell has mainly played center this season out of necessity. That definitely has not impacted his game and he arguably fits in better playing there.

Dirk Nowitzki is having an insanely efficient year considering the fact that he is 37 years of age. This year, he was supposed to have more support when it comes to scoring. That was, in turn, going to cut down on the amount of points he needed to score, however he has not slowed down one bit.

He is getting occasional rest just like last season but has still managed to drop 31 points on a Clippers team that has tons of defenders to guard bigs, like DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. Even in a situation where Nowitzki isn’t exactly required to be “the man,” he is still the star of the team.

A shaky position for the Mavs in past years has been the backup power forward. This season, the Mavs have two players that have filled in well. First, Charlie Villanueva has been just as solid as last season. He is one of the best three-point shooters on the team and worked on his inside game during the summer which has translated to a floater that he shows off every now and then.

Second, Jeremy Evans has flashed shades of Al-Farouq Aminu. His high-flying dunks and explosive blocks have given the Mavs momentum and even though he hasn’t had much playing time, he is making key plays during critical stretches. The former dunk contest champion will earn a lot more minutes by the time the season is over.

The best part about all of this production is the fact that the Mavs are still waiting on JaVale McGee to return to the court. He most likely will not be back until early December, but when he does return, he will add a new dimension of play for the Mavs: the game above the rim.

Next: Mavs' Bench Play Has Been Helpful Early On

So far, the Mavs are rolling and part of that is because of a determined group of big men. If they all continue to play solid games, the Mavs might just be a little higher in the standings than everyone thought.

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