The Dallas Mavericks have fallen to No. 22 in John Schuhmann's latest NBA power rankings on NBA.com, down three spots from the previous week. Injuries in the frontcourt have hampered the team's start to the season, leading to struggles in rebounding and scoring inside. Despite the challenges, smaller lineups have boosted their shooting efficiency.
The Mavericks are facing a tough early season, particularly in the frontcourt, where injuries have decimated their big lineups. NBA.com writer John Schuhmann highlighted this in his power rankings, placing Dallas at No. 22. "Daniel Gafford made his season debut on Saturday, but not before Dereck Lively II and Anthony Davis were lost to injuries. The Mavs’ big lineups haven’t been so big, and their only wins have come against Toronto and Indiana," Schuhmann wrote.
Dallas ranks last in offensive rebounding percentage and has been outscored by 12.3 points per game in the restricted area, the league's biggest discrepancy. The two largest restricted-area differentials this season both involved the Mavericks: Spurs-Mavs (50-12) in Week 1 and Pistons-Mavs (52-14) on Saturday.
Only nine teams rank below Dallas: the Phoenix Suns, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, and New Orleans Pelicans.
On a positive note, injuries have forced smaller lineups that incorporate more shooting. Max Christie has started the last three games, shooting 16-for-32 (50%) from beyond the arc and ranking second with 11 corner 3-pointers. "The injuries to the bigs have allowed the Mavs to add some shooting to their starting lineup... The Mavs have scored 22.4 more points per 100 possessions with Christie on the floor (111.1) than they have with him on the bench (88.7)," Schuhmann noted.
The Mavericks aim to rebound with a game against the Houston Rockets on Monday at 7 p.m. CT.