JaVale McGee finally made his season debut with the Dallas Mavericks and looked like a real contributor.
JaVale McGee finalized a two-year agreement with the Dallas Mavericks on Aug. 13. The deal came since the Mavs had missed out on Deandre Jordan and were looking to get some more depth at the center position behind Zaza Pachulia.
The 27-year-old seven-footer had only played 28 games over the last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets. A stress fracture ended his 2013-14 campaign and anther leg injury hung with him during the 2014-15 season before he was waived on Mar. 1, 2015.
The injury stayed with him and kept him sidelined during training camp and the preseason but that wasn’t the entire reason why he wasn’t playing. The Mavs were trying to get him acclimated to playing again and were actively trying to help him improve his game.
By the time they finished that and the doctors cleared him to play, it was mid-November and that’s when he, surprisingly, played his first regular season minutes with the Mavs. Initial reports projected his absence until at least December.
Mans beat writer Earl K. Sneed did mention that McGee would be on limited minutes for a while and that’s what we saw in his first game with 11 minutes of action. He was very efficient, going 4-for-5 from the field and scoring his first six points in just 55 seconds. He added his next two points just a couple of minutes later and grabbed six rebounds to finish his night.
Two nights later, he was rested against the Grizzlies due to their tendency to play small-ball, but he did play the night after against the Spurs. This situation was a little different because he got 16 minutes and had to play late in the game due to Zaza Pachulia getting in foul trouble. He went 4-for-8 with nine points and six rebounds in a loss to the Spurs but, again, looked solid and determined.
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The most likely situation here is that he will be treated just like Chandler Parsons: low minutes early on and no back-to-backs. Once he progresses, his minutes will slowly rise and he will be worked into a steady rhythm of playing time.
Though he has only played in two games and the sample size is small, there are a few things to take away from the matter. First of all, McGee looks like his old self, and that’s a good thing. His long arms are helping him snag boards over other players and his defense has been consistent.
Another thing to note is his determination while he is on the court. In recent years we’ve seen his “Shaqtin’ A Fool” side come out with some pretty dumb plays. That hasn’t been the case early on and that has to do, in part, with the situation he’s in.
Dallas is a much different franchise than Denver and Philadelphia. They are built on winning and success, while the Nuggets have been lacking that lately and the 76ers have just been plain bad in their rebuilding process. A better coaching staff and more structured environment can do a lot to a player’s production.
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It is early, but JaVale McGee is showing encouraging signs on the court. If he is able to fully recover and stay healthy, he will be a very important piece for the Mavs as they transition over into 2016.