Mavericks: How Jason Kidd will unlock All-Star form of Kristaps Porzingis

How Dallas Maverick coach Jason Kidd will unlock Kristaps Porzingis: 5. Play him at the five

The first important decision lies in where Porzingis plays his minutes. During his three healthy seasons with the Knicks, KP played the majority of his minutes at the four next to another big man. Since joining the Mavericks, he has seen 99 percent of his minutes at the five, per Basketball-Reference.

Those numbers may not tell the entire story because Porzingis has played the four with Dwight Powell as the five for stretches in Dallas. Differentiating the positions can be tough, especially since the Unicorn is often the tallest player on the court.

The Mavs offseason additions should tip their hand on where they plan on using KP. Dallas added Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown. Two wings with length and athleticism. They are likely going to play small with Dorian Finney-Smith starting at the four and Porzingis as their center.

The five is the Unicorn’s best position. He struggles to defend on the perimeter, can maximize his floor spacing, and will be more involved in the offense as the center. KP also gets to protect the rim when playing down low. Expect Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd to play Kristaps Porzingis the majority of his minutes at the five and continually put him in positions to succeed.

Next: No. 4