The Dallas Mavericks hovered around the .500 mark for much of the season before pulling off a six-game winning streak. Despite many key players sidelined, including Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and Dorian Finney-Smith, the Mavs have won six consecutive games and hold a 21-16 record. As a result, they rank fourth in the Western Conference standings.
It has been a better start to the season this year compared to the team’s start to the 2021-22 campaign through New Year’s Eve. When compared to last year at this time, the Mavs still held a losing record of 17-18, and a 112-96 win over the Sacramento Kings sparked a six-game winning streak, ultimately proving to be the turning point of the season.
“Last year, we went to the conference finals, it was a big step for us,” Doncic said. “I think we learned a lot. This year, we got a couple of new players and we’re starting to connect.”
Among the factors that have contributed greatly to the Mavs’ success has been the involvement of Christian Wood in the starting lineup. Dallas has a 6-1 record this season when Wood starts alongside Doncic, with all of their wins occurring during their active six-game winning streak.
During the Mavs’ winning streak, Doncic is averaging 42.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists, with .587/.467/.744 shooting splits. He became the first player in the history of the NBA ever to average at least 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists over a six-game span.
Wood has been highly impressed with Doncic’s recent play. He went as far as to say that he’s “never seen anything like it” during his seven seasons in the NBA. For someone who played with superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden, that’s saying something.
“It’s incredible,” Wood said of Doncic’s recent play. “In my seven years in the league, I’ve never seen anything like it to do what he’s doing. He just has to keep it up. He’s on an incredible run. He’s playing like the MVP. Clearly one of the best players in the league. And I’m happy for him.”
Playing alongside Doncic more after being integrated into the starting lineup has been helpful for Wood. During the Mavs’ six-game winning streak, he averaged 19.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. He’s showcased his impressive potential alongside Doncic.
Doncic has thrived while playing alongside Wood, who has provided a helpful, versatile offensive skill set that can counter any defensive coverage. When teams are in a base pick-and-roll coverage, Wood can make drop coverage pay with his shooting ability in the pick-and-pop. He can also finish against contact in the paint if needed, along with catching the lob.
“We just feed off of each other on the court,” Wood said of his synergy with Doncic in the pick-and-roll. “I’m confident in him, and I think he’s confident in me. When it’s time to pick and roll, I think we do a great job executing it. (And) we’re pretty close.”
Wood is especially valuable as a complement to Doncic when teams aren’t allowing the Mavs to play out a regular pick-and-roll action. When a team switches, Wood can make the smaller defender pay after a deep post catch or by using his size on a drive out of isolation. When teams blitz Doncic, Wood can get to the rim out of a short roll or make the passing read. Regardless of the defensive coverage, they’re always talking with each other to strategize counters.
“Me and him are always talking to each other on the floor to get better,” Wood said of his communication with Doncic to counter defensive coverages. “The way teams defend us, they switch the coverages up every game. One game they might switch, another game they might be on a drop, another game they might be in a show. It’s just about us having that communication in the pick- and-roll and the pick-and-pop…”
The formulation of a great duo goes beyond X’s and O’s, there has to be personal chemistry involved. There appears to be a real connection building between Doncic and Wood. With Doncic being a vocal leader on the court, Wood is understanding of the competitive flares that the three-time All-NBA guard tends to have at times.
“He doesn’t get mad if sometimes I yell at him,” Doncic said of Wood. “That’s what I appreciate. In the game, sometimes, it’s hard to be with me on the court. I just want to win. But he never gets mad. He listens to me. I listen to him. So it’s working great.”
There is a clear off-court chemistry that has been growing between Doncic and Wood, too. After the Mavs’ win over the Spurs, Doncic explained how
“He has no sense of humor,” Doncic joked about Wood. “I have way more. I tell him my jokes. My jokes are great, so he’s learning from me. You should ask him. … It’s more dad jokes. It’s okay. They’re great jokes.”
When the Mavs take on the Houston Rockets on Monday, it will be a chance for them to extend their winning streak to seven. Dallas has not won that many games consecutively since their 2010-11 season, which ended with their first and only NBA championship.
How long Wood remains a member of the Mavs remains unclear, considering he’s playing in the final year of the three-year, $41 million contract he signed to join the Rockets to compete with James Harden before the former NBA MVP’s trade request.
Wood is eligible to sign a four-year, $77 million contract extension and has been since Christmas Eve. It would be challenging to agree on a potential deal if the Mavs seek to maintain Wood’s trade eligibility through the midseason trade deadline. Taking the situation to free agency does pose the risk of an uncompensated departure, but the Mavs do have Wood’s Bird rights, meaning they can exceed the salary cap to re-sign him.
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