This Is Justin Anderson’s Time To Shine

As the Dallas Mavericks search for help in their playoff push, Justin Anderson should be looking to prove that he is reliable.

The Dallas Mavericks are caught up in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With Chandler Parsons out for the season and Deron Williams out temporarily with abdominal and groin injuries, there is playing time available for bench players.

That’s where Justin Anderson comes in. As the 21st pick in the 2015 draft, Anderson has seemed to have potential during his time in games.

From November to February, Anderson’s minutes were spread out. He would get occasional shots at proving himself during garbage time or whenever the team simply needed a boost. However, he never received consistent minutes, meaning his production was spotty as well, even though he showed signs of becoming a dual threat.

The Mavs did not play well for the majority of March. Going 3-10 to start to the month off, they began to look for other options as they had fallen out of the playoff race. Since March 25, Anderson has played at least 21 minutes in every game, even getting the nod to start against the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks.

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Throughout that time period, he has made a positive impact on the team by averaging 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. His offense has looked smooth but his defense has looked even smoother, adding in five blocks and three steals.

On March 30 against the Knicks, Anderson finally got to play in clutch time and ended up making a nice basket around the rim as well as forcing a late steal to help the Mavs pick up a key win. His energy, whether he has been starting or coming off the bench, has been exactly what the Mavs have needed.

Rick Carlisle recently spoke on Anderson and Dwight Powell, another young player with plenty of upside, after a win over the Nuggets (via Mavs.com):

"“Well, if you’re having an energy problem and you’re having a problem defending, then you need to get more energetic and better defenders in the game. These two guys are going to go hard unconditionally, and they delivered tonight. … You know, you’re going to see some of these guys going forward. There’s no question about it.”"

Referencing back to the defense that Carlisle mentioned, Anderson has shown signs of being a tough defender. As a 6’6 shooting guard with plenty of muscle, he is able to hold his own against bigger players and is great at challenging shots at the rim.

This is the perfect time for Anderson to prove that he can be a reliable player off the bench for the Mavs. If he plays well and helps the Mavs earn a spot in the playoffs, he will likely get some minutes when they need him most.

With his play trending upwards, it is also more of an incentive for Rick Carlisle to give him extra minutes in an attempt to replace a couple of the key injuries on the team.

His game is different when compared to athletes the Mavs have had on their team in the past. However, I do see somewhat of a resemblance between him and Jimmy Butler, as Anderson is capable of scoring while also making big plays on the glass and playing some hard-nosed defense.

I’m not saying he will be as good as Butler, but I do believe some aspects of their respective playing styles are similar.

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We’ve seen how easily the Mavs will trade away their young players, but there is something different with Justin Anderson. If there was ever a time to showcase all of his talent, it’s right now, while the Mavs continue to search for consistency and a playoff berth.