Dallas Mavericks will struggle defensively without Kristaps Porzingis

Dallas Mavericks struggle without Kristaps Porzingis on the floor: 2. Fast break points

The Mavericks have struggled in this area all season. They were the worst team in the NBA by allowing 16.8 fast break points per game before the shutdown. It was no better on Sunday as the Pacers scored 21 against the Mavs.

There were issues no matter who was on the floor for Dallas. Boban Marjanovic struggles to get back in transition. It is unfair to blame the big men here. They are under the basket, so going to the other end quickly is nearly impossible. The Mavericks need to improve in transition to make a deep playoff run, though.

Some of it stems from a failure to get back. They gave up easy dunks or layups because there was nobody to stop the ball. Other times, Dallas struggled to match up in transition leaving a Pacer wide open. The Mavs going for offensive rebounds sometimes hurts them in this area.

Fast break and transition defense will be a point of emphasis for the Mavericks moving forward. Some it stems from playing new lineups during these scrimmage games. The Mavs need to communicate more and get it figured out before the playoffs.

Next: No. 1