Mavericks: Evaluating changes Tim Hardaway Jr. has made to his game this year

Third scorer

Tim Hardaway Jr. has also undergone a role change. When he returned to New York in 2017, THJ was the second scoring option behind Kristaps Porzingis. KP suffered a torn ACL in Feb. 2018 which pushed Hardaway Jr. into the go-to position. That is not his ideal role.

After being dealt to Dallas, the pressure was off. THJ was at best the second option behind Luka Doncic in his brief stint before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Hardaway Jr. comes back healthy this season, but so does Porzingis. Now, he is the third option. The defense is far more committed to stopping Doncic and KP. Hardaway Jr. gets additional space because he is not the top threat.

This is an important piece of the puzzle. THJ is not a go-to guy. He shoots well when he is open. Hardaway Jr. averages 15.8 points per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 40.7 percent on his 3-pointers this season. He is the important third scorer for the Mavericks. His defense is underrated as well.

Hardaway Jr. is a key piece of why the Mavs are sitting in playoff position right now. Nobody knows if the season will finish out, but he is a massive reason why Dallas improved significantly. It would not have happened without the massive changes THJ has made to his game. They have worked out swimmingly for both parties.

Dallas Mavericks supporter should expect it all to continue moving forward too. Tim Hardaway Jr. has improved. It is a beautiful sight to see.