Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki Hasn’t Had To Be ‘The Man’ Lately

Throughout their recent win streak, the Dallas Mavericks haven’t had to rely on Dirk Nowitzki as their primary scoring option.

The Dallas Mavericks have been hot lately and are currently on a five-game win streak dating back to Mar. 28. The team has taken advantage of an easy schedule and is now in perfect position to clinch a playoff spot as they try to hold off the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz for the seventh seed out West.

One problem with the team throughout their recent streak has been Dirk Nowitzki‘s shooting slump. He hasn’t scored over 20 points since Mar. 23 against the Portland Trail Blazers and he’s shot 29 percent from the field, including just 30 percent from three-point range.

It’s been obvious that Nowitzki has not been on his game lately but it’s also understandable considering the fact that he is a 37-year-old seven-footer who has been playing heavy minutes in an attempt to help the team lock up a playoff spot.

But even though Nowitzki has been struggling to find his shot recently, it hasn’t impacted the Mavs as a few other players have stood up and taken control of the offense.

The first and most entertaining player to watch has been J.J. Barea. Since the winning streak began, he has been averaging 24.2 points per game as the starting point guard position has proved to be the role that suits him the best.

Next up is Wesley Matthews. At one point in time during the season, it looked like the Mavs were wasting their max money on a player that was making just one or two shots a game, but he has also stepped up during the recent stretch, averaging 16.4 points per game and making at least four threes in four out of the five games.

A few others have also contributed, as rookies Justin Anderson and Salah Mejri have provided energetic play both starting and coming off the bench. Between blocking shots or finishing difficult looks, these two players have made a big difference and left fans wondering why head coach Rick Carlisle didn’t use them earlier on in the season.

Nowitzki commented on Anderson’s athleticism when it comes to making plays around the rim (via SportsDay):

"“He’s got incredible timing, incredible athleticism. Ever since he started playing, my rebounds have gone down. He’s getting them on another level that I can’t get to. He’s been doing a terrific job for us.”"

Even though the Mavs haven’t had Deron Williams or Chandler Parsons, two of their most valuable starters, they’ve gotten help from a few unlikely heroes that have lifted the load off of Nowitzki and given him the role that the front office has been trying to give him for the past few seasons.

It hasn’t just been scoring that has changed for the team either. The defensive intensity has risen in the past couple of weeks as the team has held held their last five opponents below 90 points.

As mentioned above, Anderson and Mejri have had a lot to do with that, but Matthews has been providing the team with that elite defense that he was known for back in Portland, plus a combination of great plays at the end of games — like Nowitzki’s last strip on James Harden — have gone a long way in securing victories.

Carlisle spoke on Matthews’ defense after the team’s 88-86 win over the Rockets (via SportsDay):

"“We have plenty of good defensive players. Wes has been a big part of it. The way he guarded (James) Harden, particularly in the fourth quarter, was one of the big keys to the game (on Wednesday).”"

There’s no way to know how long all of this will last, as a playoff matchup against the San Antonio Spurs and their league-leading defense could bring everything to a sudden stop, but the Mavs can take comfort in knowing that they got help from some of their role players when they needed it the most.

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Though they are destined for a tough opponent in the first round of the playoffs, the Mavs have received a huge boost from players that either struggled throughout parts of the season or failed to get playing time at all. In the process, they’ve hidden Dirk Nowitzki’s scoring troubles and will likely help clinch a playoff berth.