Dallas Mavericks: Tim Hardaway Jr. thrives when playing next to Luka Doncic

On/off look

It is a stark contrast when examining Tim Hardaway Jr’s stats with Luka Doncic on and off the floor. He shoots 46.0 percent when number 77 is out there and 38.7 percent without him. The 3-point percentage raises from 35.6 percent to 43.1 percent.

Why THJ improves with Luka

The answer is simple. Luka Doncic is one of the NBA’s best creators. He gets open shots for every player on the court. Hardaway Jr. has never played with a playmaker like Doncic. THJ performs better on catch and shoot threes. Now, Luka is finding him with the perfect pass that allows Hardaway Jr. to immediately fire away.

The 20-year-old also draws the defense away. It takes multiple players to stop Doncic. That opens the floor for others to thrive.

Hardaway Jr. takes on a larger playmaking and shot-creating role with Luka sidelined. He has increased his assists per game to 3.8 over the last six games. That leads to a lot of contested shots flying off THJ’s fingers. He is shooting 45.5 percent on wide open threes per NBA Stats this season. It drops to 37.7 percent on tightly guarded triples.

The Dallas Mavericks are hoping Luka Doncic returns in the final game before the All-Star break. Tim Hardaway Jr. will be one of many glad to see the 20-year-old back on the court. Expect both men to continue producing stellar numbers down the stretch.e