First half surprises: Early-season standouts for the Mavericks

DALLAS — The journey for the Dallas Mavericks to defend their Western Conference championship has already had its ups and downs with the calendar flipping to 2025.  

Dallas is currently weathering numerous injuries and absences, but maintains a spot in the top half of the conference as 2024 draws to a close. The ability to continue to contend despite missing top players – with Luka Doncic expected to miss all of January and Kyrie Irving expected to receive ample rest from being asked to carry the superstar load – has been possible thanks to one of the deepest rosters in franchise history.

Doncic and Irving are the household names. Dereck Lively II is a rising young star. Jason Kidd is the champion-winning, Hall of Famer who has been tasked with keeping things together. But outside of their stars and coach, there are several names standing out as impact performers for the Mavericks in the first half of the 2024-25 season.

Thompson is the other star, having signed as a big name free agent over the offseason. He entered his Dallas tenure averaging 39.4% from deep in the three seasons since his return from injury with Golden State.

As a Maverick, his first experience away from the Bay Area, the four-time NBA champ is shooting 38% from deep, a tad below his career mark of 41%. 

Dallas wasn’t expecting splash brother Klay, but they were looking to improve on what Tim Hardaway Jr. provided during their playoff run last season. Thompson is also flirting with a 90% average from the free throw line, a place where he, Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Naji Marshall have all immensely improved the Mavs’ fortunes.

“The Knife” arrived from New Orleans with a reputation for being down to scrap to get a win, working his way from being un-drafted to a key part of the Pelicans lineup.

In the first half-season of a three-year deal with Dallas, Marshall has already become a favorite for teammates and fans alike. Marshall adds to the toughness imported over the last year as the front office remade the roster, and has quickly acclimated his offensive game, taking advantage of the floor space provided by the Doncic/Kyrie/Klay triumvirate. 

Marshall is taking 8.2 shot attempts per game, ranking fifth behind the aforementioned trio and P.J. Washington. On those shots, Marshall is shooting a career high 61% within the arc, and is one of six Mavs averaging double digits (10.9), eclipsing his previous career high set in 2022-23.

Quentin Grimes arrived in Dallas as penance for shedding Hardaway Jr.’s contract, but the 24 year-old has risen the ranks quickly as a trusted member of the rotation. His game-high of 28 in early December against the Portland Trail Blazers shined as part of a streak of multiple 20-point efforts within a week. 

The Houston, Texas, native has had 13 double-digit scoring games to date this season and is averaging a career-high 42% from deep.

Grimes’ minutes will grow with the extended absence of Doncic, and with that extra playing time, he should quickly become the seventh member of the team to average 10 or more points per game. 

Washington was counted on to be an integral part of the rotation upon his arrival from Charlotte at last season’s trade deadline, and his ability to defend multiple positions has been a boon for Dallas. 

Streaky shooting aside, the added bonus has seen a surge from deep. Washington is posting the best three-point percentages of his career to date, nearly hitting the elusive 40% mark as part of the starting lineup. 

Combining a good spot up three with his defensive prowess and the toughness displayed in multiple skirmishes, Dallas has been the runaway winner in bringing Washington home as more often than not, when Washington is in the lineup, good things follow for Dallas.

The 26-year-old big man continues to make the most of it as part of the center tandem with Lively. Gafford is churning out the best scoring average of his career, and currently leads the NBA in shooting percentage (72%). 

Being able to work in pairs with Lively has added to the depth that Dallas has created where once they yearned for help inside for Doncic. Now with Gafford as part of a two-headed monster down low, the team is benefitting from the Doncic/Irving lob show with Gafford one of the starring throw-down members.

With 2024 in the books, the 2025 half has 50 games waiting for the Mavericks to shape their season, but they will pass quickly.

The All-Star game is six weeks away. Between now and then, there is hope for positive news on the availability of their All-NBA superstar, but the Mavs have shown that they are more than just Doncic, and may have more in reserve to continue to surprise thanks to their deep rotation.

Which first half standout do you think will carry their success over to 2025 for the Mavericks? Share your thoughts with Irvin on Bluesky @irvin.bsky.social.

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