Dallas Mavericks: Tim Hardaway Jr. thriving off the bench

The Dallas Mavericks have played Tim Hardaway Jr. in just about every role imaginable since coming to Texas in a trade back in 2019. He’s been a starter, a second or third scoring option depending on the availability of Kristaps Porzingis, and now he is adjusting to his role coming off the bench.

Hardaway Jr. is without a doubt good enough to be a starter in this league, but his skill set may be best utilized as a sixth man.

While he can be a liability on the defensive end, Hardaway has the offensive skill set to turn the tide of a game. He is averaging 16.4 points per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field, and 38.5 percent from three this season.

Dallas Mavericks wing Tim Hardaway Jr. is thriving coming off the bench

Not only has Hardaway been thriving in his role off the bench this season, but his skill set is also an excellent fit next to Luka Doncic because of his catch and shoot abilities.

With Seth Curry no longer on the roster, the importance of Hardaway’s 3-point shooting has been critical for the Mavericks this season. As a team that relies heavily on Luka, the importance of Hardaway’s offensive play cannot be ignored.

For better or worse, Hardaway has a unique skill most streaky offensive players in the NBA do. He keeps shooting regardless of the results that night.

As a player who was once viewed as a salary dump on a bloated contract, Hardaway Jr. has changed that perception in Dallas and proved he can be an impact player on a winning team.

The Dallas Mavericks are 12-4 this season when Tim Hardaway Jr. comes off the bench and 6-11 when he starts. Those records may be a bit skewed because of the COVID issue the team earlier in the season, but there is no denying that when this team is at full strength Hardaway has excelled in his role off the bench.