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

How Dallas Maverick coach Jason Kidd will unlock Kristaps Porzingis: 4. Focus on defense

Kidd has already discussed on several occasions how the Mavs will be focused on improving on the defensive end. They had the best offense in the league in 2020 but finished 18th in defensive rating. Dallas traded Seth Curry for Josh Richardson because they thought it would improve their defense. Instead, they slipped to 21st as the swap did not work out as planned.

Porzingis struggled on the defensive end of the floor after missing the first nine games recovering from meniscus surgery last season. His rebounds and blocks declined as Dallas finished with a 115.3 defensive rating when KP was on the floor. Only the Sacramento Kings had a worse defensive rating for the season.

Coach Jason Kidd is going to emphasize defense, but also put Kristaps Porzingis in a place where he can shine. The Hall of Famer will give KP the freedom to protect the rim and dominate the paint. He is going to empower the 7’3 big man to stand out on the defensive end and be the Mavericks anchor.

If Kristaps Porzingis is fully healthy, his defensive numbers should improve significantly under new head coach Jason Kidd and his staff. Playing the five and putting him in positions to succeed will give KP a massive boost on this end of the floor.

Next: No. 3