Dallas Mavericks: Kristaps Porzingis brings the defense as Mavs top Nets

The Dallas Mavericks had won six of their last eight games entering Saturday’s showdown with the Brooklyn Nets. Their elite offseason has returned, but the defense had been questionable, especially without Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup. The Unicorn missed three straight games with a back injury.

The Mavs need KP. No player in the league can space the floor and protect the rim better than the Unicorn. Porzingis has struggled to defend inside this season, and it is a massive reason why Dallas sits 25th in defensive rating.

KP returned to action on Feb. 27 and showed how dominant the Mavericks can be when he is firing on all cylinders. Dallas topped the Nets 115-98 in Brooklyn as Porzingis played well on both ends of the floor. Here is a closer look at his performance.

Kristaps Porzingis brings the defense as Dallas Mavericks defeat the Nets

Porzingis looked healthy on Saturday night. He started the game off with an impressive dunk in the first quarter.

KP made a massive impact at the defensive end of the floor. Yes, the Nets were shorthanded with Kevin Durant (hamstring) and Kyrie Irving (shoulder) both out, but they forced James Harden into six turnovers and made the rest of the squad beat them. Porzingis had one steal and three blocks in 26 minutes of action. Coach Rick Carlisle had this to say on KP after the win.

Porzingis had a massive third quarter which sparked the dominating win. The Unicorn finished with 18 points as Dallas outscored the Nets by seven during his time on the floor.

The Dallas Mavericks need this version of Kristaps Porzingis to be serious contenders in the Western Conference. The 7’3 big man was attacking the basket, spacing the floor, protecting the rim, and making life difficult for the opposition. The Mavs are back to .500 and proving to be a team nobody is looking forward to facing in the second half. Stay tuned.