Dallas Mavericks: 3 lineups the team should try this season

The Dallas Mavericks are going to be trying out some new lineups now that they have a very different roster this year. Here are a few lineups I would like to see the team try out at some point.

As a big fan of Rick Carlisle‘s numerous schemes and lineups every season, it is always fun to look back on some of the attempted squads that the Dallas Mavericks throw on the court, often times making little sense to those watching. More often than not, that lineup works, too. That is the genius of Carlisle.

With two budding stars in Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavs flexibility has really opened up this year. There are going to be opportunities for Dallas to do unique things and have them still workout well because either Luka or KP are on the court.

Here are three lineups that I would really like to see the Mavericks try out this year at some point. I am not sure that any of them would work, but I do think that each one would be entertaining in some way.

The Shooters

One of the things the Dallas Mavericks should be able to do this year is shoot the ball. There are a number of really good shooters on the roster and if the team uses them correctly, it is going to be very hard for other team’s to guard. One lineup in particular I think could really test the opponent.

This lineup would consist of Luka Doncic handling the ball, Seth Curry at the other guard spot, Ryan Broekhoff on the wing, Kristaps Porzingis at power forward and Maxi Kleber running center. This would leave Maxi as the Mavs worst shooting option on the court, despite shooting over 35% from three last year.

Dallas would have Luka with options of creating his own shot, attacking the basket, or dishing to any of the other four guys on the perimeter. It also allows Maxi to run the lane for a lob option, plus Kristaps can work as a safety valve because he’s so tall. This lineup would offer the Mavs a chance to work the ball around the horn regularly in order to find the open three. Since Dallas is already one of the highest volume three-point shooting teams in the NBA, this works perfectly.

The nice thing about this lineup is that Luka can still have Seth as a secondary ball-handler, a role that he is more comfortable with after his year with the Portland Trail Blazers. Curry and Broekhoff both have quick releases as well, giving that shooting mindset yet another dynamic.

The major downside to this lineup would be defense, with Seth, Luka and Broekhoff all pretty average defenders overall. KP and Maxi would carry the load, but they could not do it all. This lineup would have to be more about a quick burst of offense vs. a constant lineup that they could go back to all the time.