In a 30-part series leading up to the start of the 2021-22 National Basketball Association season, we will take a look at each NBA franchise from a fantasy perspective. The seventh team we will review is the Dallas Mavericks.
The star of the Dallas Mavericks is without a doubt Luka Doncic. The native of Ljubljana, Slovenia was sensational for his home country at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021.
You may not see the same type of incredible numbers during the NBA season as you did during the Olympics, but Doncic should be relied upon as an elite player in fantasy. Second at both guard positions (only behind Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors), Doncic is the third best player to take in fantasy basketball. He only trails Curry and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
Why is Doncic so valuable? Because he is a star in the making, who can be relied upon for many statistics across the board. We all know that Doncic is a clutch shooter, however he is also a great rebounder and playmaker. He led all shooting guards last season in rebounds (527), and assists (567), and was fourth among guards in points (1830). The only three players ahead of Doncic on the list were Curry (2015), Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers (1928), and Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards (1878).
Other Mavericks to consider in the middle rounds are shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and power forward Krystops Porzingis. Hardaway Jr. had 1672 fantasy points* last year at shooting guard, and averaged a respectable 16.6 points per game. Porzingis, a native of Liepaja, Latvia, has been very consistent with the Mavericks at the power forward position since joining Dallas in 2019. He has averaged over 20 points per game in each of the last two years, and puts up decent numbers in rebounding as well. The reason why he is only 31st in fantasy among power forwards is due to his history with lower body injuries.
*Please note: To calculate NBA fantasy points for point guards, shooting guards and small forwards, I use the formula (3PTM+Points+Rebounds+Assists+Steals-Turnovers). For power forwards and centers, I use the formula (Points+Rebounds+Assists+Steals+Blocks-Turnovers).
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