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Dallas Mavericks: Kristaps Porzingis controls Dallas’ level of success

By Jack Simone

May 28, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) and guard Luka Doncic (77) and forward Maxi Kleber (42) in action during game three between the Clippers and the Mavericks in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) and guard Luka Doncic (77) and forward Maxi Kleber (42) in action during game three between the Clippers and the Mavericks in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dallas Mavericks
Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up prior to their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /

The Dallas Mavericks had their season ended last year in a heartbreaking seven-game series vs. the Los Angeles Clippers. Luka Doncic looked amazing, but the rest of the team seemed to fall short.

One of the main storylines from that series what the fact that Kristaps Porzingis did not show up. He looked terrible against the Clippers and it sparked a lot of trade buzz around his name.

Dallas traded for Porzingis just a few years ago, netting Tim Hardaway Jr. in the deal, too. Overall, the Mavericks won that deal by a landslide and got some solid pieces to put next to their franchise superstar.

Now, just a few months after their collapse in the playoffs, Dallas is off to a solid start. They are 4-2 on the year and everyone seems to be playing well.

Porzingis is averaging over 20 points per game, Doncic is putting up MVP numbers, and Hardaway seems like the perfect third option. That begs the question, what is their ceiling?

Well, while some may say it all depends on Doncic, it really all depends on Porzingis. Throughout his career, Doncic has shown what he can give the Mavericks, Porzingis has been inconsistent.

How well the Mavericks do this season will largely depend on the play of Porzingis. If he plays like he is right now, then they could end up going pretty far in the playoffs.

However, if he reverts back to how he was playing in the postseason last year, things could get ugly in Dallas. Those trade rumors might start coming back up again.

As of now, though, things are looking good for the Mavericks. They have their first real test of the season tonight, though, as they take on the red-hot Miami Heat.

Miami has the best defense in the league, so if the Mavericks can handle that, then who knows what their ceiling is. A big game from Porzingis in this one won’t be easy, as he’ll likely be guarded by Bam Adebayo, but it would give Mavericks fans a ton of confidence in the team.

Porzingis is the player who will determine how good the Mavericks can be. It may be Doncis’s team, but Porzingis has full control over the Dallas Mavericks’ fate this season.

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