Could losing weight assist Mavericks forward in getting back on track before the playoffs?
The Mavericks’ most recent loss to the Memphis Grizzlies exposed Dallas’ biggest flaw. That being the inconsistency of Dallas’ role players from an offensive perspective, as Dallas has struggled to generate offense in their lineups from anyone not named Kyrie Irving or Luka Doncic over the last handful of games.
To Dallas’ credit they’ve dealt with a plethora of injuries recently, most notably to Dante Exum and Dereck Lively II. These holes in the lineup have forced certain players to be extended beyond their normal role on the court, and Dallas desperately needs some of their role players to step up offensively, even if it isn’t the most fair request out of them.
One role player that needs to step up for the Mavericks in this stretch is none other than newcomer Grant Williams, as the 25-year-old forward has drastically slipped in the rotation after a great start to the season both shooting-wise and defensively.
Williams is no stranger to interviews, and he recently did one with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks discussing how his effort to get into better shape since the season started will propel him to play much better ahead of the NBA Playoffs for Dallas.
Williams’ commitment to getting into better shape is impressive, but he’s unfortunately still playing some of his worst basketball of the season recently after only clocking seven minutes in Dallas’ recent loss to the Grizzlies. He had a better game against the New York Knicks, as he finished with 11 points and six rebounds, but he must play this well or better consistently.
Hopefully, a continued diligent approach to getting into better shape can help Williams become a more consistent role player for the Mavericks, especially when you consider the contract Dallas handed out to him over the summer.
Williams may not be able to rekindle the insane shooting prowess that he wielded to start the season, but if he can knock in a few three-pointers and play stout defense against bigger-bodied opponents, then he’ll definitely solidify his role in the rotation once again even if he’s not starting.
Dallas is in a precarious position given all their injuries, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Williams is eclipsed in the rotation by one of Dallas’ younger prospects if he continues to play as flat on both sides of the ball as he has recently.
Only time will tell with Williams’ situation though, and we obviously hope Williams can get back to at least 75 percent of what he was to start the season at some point. The player Williams was to start the season is exactly what Dallas needs right now, so stay tuned to us as we will have you covered with the latest on Dallas’ hunt to improve their power forward position.
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