Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have made it a tradition to preview the NBA season right before it starts. The duo addressed the Dallas Mavericks’ chances this season after an NBA Finals run last year. They claimed, quite surprisingly, that the league shouldn’t expect Jason Kidd’s boys to perform well in the regular season.
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Instead, they would play their best basketball in the playoffs after taking the regular season as a stepping stone to the postseason. Pierce and Garnett think that the Luka Doncic-led Mavs are more equipped for a seven-game series.
“I’m not sure if I’m too sold on Dallas yet. They not going to be at the top of the standings…They just going to thrive in a seven-game series, they not a team that’s I think built for the marathon,” Pierce said.
The former Celtics star’s opinion is congruent with Dallas’s performance last year. They finished the 2023-24 season fifth in the Western Conference standings, but ended up winning the Western Conference Finals in the postseason. This year things might take a similar turn.
Klay Thompson’s addition to the roster has been the highlight of the Mavericks’ offseason. Numerous pundits have set high expectations for the five-time All-Star. However, not Pierce and Garnett.
The Celtics legends understand that the sharpshooter is way beyond his prime and would largely contribute come playoff time.
“Klay’s value is really not going to show as much in a regular season as it will in the playoffs… As you get older, the regular season you kind of try to get through it and you save those special performances when it really counts,” Pierce claimed.
The Mavs needed a veteran on the squad with championship experience, resulting in the acquisition of Thompson. Hence, KG and Pierce claimed that they would only judge the 34-year-old on the basis of his playoff performance.
Historically, the 6ft 6” guard has played better in the regular season. Thompson averaged fewer points and assists, and has a lower shooting efficiency in the postseason throughout his career. Additionally, the Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving duo will demand more of the rock in the postseason, which could lead to a further dip in Klay’s production.
However, Klay will come handy when the Mavs require a reliable shot maker in catch-and-shoot situations in crunch time.
The Truth wasn’t wrong in comparing Thompson’s current state to when he himself was with the Washington Wizards. Pierce’s usage rate was not high, but the All-NBA player would do his job of knocking down shots consistently.
The Mavericks have not been a regular season team
The Dallas Mavericks haven’t been a team that positions themselves at the top of the standings, in the last few years at least. Till the All-Star break, the Texan side is merely a .500 team. But they gain momentum at the right time – the final stretch of the season.
The Mavericks haven’t finished better than the 4th spot in the West in the Luka era. But they have reached the conference finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024. A similar outcome is expected in this campaign as well – a slow start but a strong finish.
Thompson will help the team finish strong. He’s been known for showing up when it matters the most. Those aware of his “Game 6” persona already know that the Mavericks can count on Thompson to come in handy during clutch situations, especially in the playoffs.
