Dallas Mavericks: Should the defense of Kristaps Porzingis be a worry?

What can the Dallas Mavericks do to improve the defense of Kristaps Porzingis?

The defense of Kristaps Porzingis should be a worry. He struggled in each of the first two games against the LA Clippers. Coach Rick Carlisle took him off the floor for the final minute in Game 2 because LA went small and was looking to exploit a KP mismatch to get back in the contest.

To improve on the defensive end, Porzingis needs to bring the energy and effort he displayed in the second half of Game 2. He was nearly played off the floor in the first 24 minutes. The Unicorn must protect the rim for the Mavericks to make a deep playoff run.

The Clippers two superstars exploited Porzingis in Game 2, but LA finished with just three players in double figures. There is no shame in giving up buckets to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. KP must be more active around the rim and contest shots, though.

KP needs to do a better job on the glass too. He has just eight rebounds in 67.8 minutes so far in the series. Porzingis must crash the boards when the Clippers go small.

Expect the defense from Kristaps Porzingis to improve going forward. The 25-year-old needs to lock in and protect the rim. Teams will target him in the playoffs, but the Dallas Mavericks must stick to their game plan. They are already up 2-0 over the Clippers. Stay tuned to see if they can close the series out.