2. Kristaps Porzingis
The on-court pairing of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t looked as sparkling for the Dallas Mavericks as their complementary skill sets would lead you to believe.
Luka has been doing his part with unprecedented and MVP-caliber numbers. It’s clear, however, that while KP might be 100 percent physically almost two years after his ACL injury, the Unicorn’s skills are still in need of fine-tuning.
Porzingis is one of only two eligible players clearing a statistical threshold of 17 points, nine rebounds and two blocks per game along with Anthony Davis. But among the 36 players attempting more than 15 shots a game, his effective field goal percentage ranks second to last and the Mavericks’ offense is actually better in his absence.
Kristaps Porzingis throws down the ❗️ for the @dallasmavs! #MFFL pic.twitter.com/qDOF0BP6Sy
— NBA (@NBA) December 21, 2019
To his credit, Porzingis has played better as of late with five straight double-doubles — four of which came with over 20 points. He’s also kept the Mavs afloat as Doncic rehabs a sprained ankle, including two impressive road victories over the cream of the Eastern Conference.
With a 19-10 record good for fifth out West, the Mavericks finds themselves in the thick of a playoff picture one previously thought they’d have to scratch and claw just to sneak into.
Perhaps the future in Dallas is now. To make that a reality and possibly do more than just qualify for the postseason, the Mavs need Porzingis to hold up his end of the $158 million deal signed last summer and make a permanent return to his All-Star form.