Dallas Mavericks: Kristaps Porzingis is wreaking havoc at the five

Dallas Mavericks star Kristaps Porzingis is proving to be an impossible cover when playing at the center spot early this season.

Dallas Mavericks fans are quickly falling in love with Kristaps Porzingis. The 7’3 aptly nicknamed Unicorn is displaying his massive skill set on a nightly basis.

The 24-year-old looks improved from his All-Star season in a few key areas. Everyone knows Porzingis is an elite shooter and rim protector. He made gains in playing out of the post and with his passing ability. Those strides have unlocked an impossible to cover KP.

Dominating at the five

Coach Carlisle and the Mavs have been having a ton of success early this season playing Porzingis at the five. Here is a tweet from Tim MacMahon during Sunday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Whiteside is the perfect example. He can hold his own defending KP on the block or in the paint. The Blazers center is in trouble when Porzingis takes his game on the perimeter, though. Whiteside just cannot guard him out there. It was a massive reason the Unicorn dropped 32 points on Portland.

Porzingis makes it work the other way too. If you stick a stretch four or five on him, he can take the game into the post and feast. KP did it to Brandon Ingram in Friday’s game against the Pelicans.

Kristaps Porzingis is a matchup nightmare for almost any defender. Now that he is paired with Luka Doncic, the rest of the NBA is notice. KP is getting a ton of open looks, and that will be a problem for the opposition.

Through three games, Porzingis is producing an absurd stat line. He is averaging 26.3 points, 3.0 3-pointers made, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks in 31.0 minutes per game. It is crazy to think the KP may not have shaken all the rust off after missing 20 months of action too. He could be better as the season wears on.

Mavericks fans should be ecstatic about having Kristaps Porzingis back healthy and playing in Dallas. It is going to be a fun season watching him and Luka ball.