Dallas Mavericks: Will these 5 surprising stats continue down the stretch?

2. KP’s rebounding

The knock on Kristaps Porzingis in New York was always his rebounding. He set a career-high as a rookie by averaging 7.3 per game. That does not stand out. A lot of it was scheme fit. The Knicks used KP primarily as a four. That means guarding and playing more on the perimeter away from the basket.

After the trade to Dallas, Coach Rick Carlisle insert Porzingis as his rim protector and defensive anchor. The 24-year-old has responded by averaging 9.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He alters a ton of shot inside and makes life difficult on the opposition.

The rebounding does not seem like it is not going away. KP has pulled down double-digit boards in five of his last eight games played. The numbers are a little inconsistent on a nightly basis but expect them to be strong in the end.

The injuries are more the worry down the stretch. He has missed 12 of the last 23 games because of a knee injury or load management. Hopefully, the All-Star break allowed him to get completely healthy. The Mavs still have three back-to-back sets remaining on the schedule including one in their first two games after their time off. Keep an eye on Porzingis’ status in those games.

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