Mavericks' bold starting lineup gamble is already paying off

Jason Kidd made a bold decision at the end of last month by inserting 5-foot-11 point guard Ryan Nembhard into the starting lineup during their second game of a four-game road trip. He became a fan-favorite among Dallas Mavericks fans after a successful Summer League next to Cooper Flagg, but his NBA career had been fairly quiet before he started in his first game against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 28.

Now, over two weeks and six more starts later, Nembhard is looking like the clear-cut best point guard on the team. Kidd has been fully vindicated by his decision to start Nembhard, and Flagg isn't the only rookie that they have to worry about building around anymore.

Nembhard is looking like a future building block of the Mavericks and one of the better rookies in the NBA, and everyone else is starting to catch on. Dallas is already planning to convert his two-way deal to a standard contract as soon as they can, and his elite for the game keeps growing every time that he takes the floor.

Jason Kidd's bold lineup gamble changed everything for Dallas

In his first start against the Lakers, he finished with 17 points and four assists while shooting 7-11 from the field. Nembhard quickly proved that he is the most consistent floor general on the team, and his ability to lead the offense looks significantly different than the other backcourt players around him.

D'Angelo Russell has had some good moments, and Brandon Williams' speed is game-changing, but neither player has as steady a hand to run the show like Nembhard. Even when the waters get rough around him, Nembhard remains calm and makes the right play over and over again.

He is the only true pass-first point guard on the team, but his game stretches much further than just being a precise passer and elite playmaker. His scoring is growing in front of everyone's eyes, and his numbers as a starter show just that.

In seven starts, Nembhard is averaging 12.7 points and 6.6 assists per game while shooting 59.7 percent from the field and 60 percent from downtown. He has shown a clear ability to score at all three levels despite natural size limitations, and Kidd's decision to start him is looking like one of the best decisions of the season.

His increase in minutes has allowed him to grow on the fly, and his offensive bag is much deeper than fans realized. Nembhard isn't just a shot creator for everyone around him. He can create his own shot at all three levels, and his scoring game is much more than knockdown 3-point shooting.

His ability to get to his mid-range jumper whenever he wants is evident, and his craftiness around the bucket can't be undermined either. His quickness allows him to blow by slower guards, and he has the same-hand-same-leg off-balanced layup down as well as the giant-killer high off the glass.

He isn't the type of player who is always looking to hunt his own shot, but if Dallas needs a bucket, he can step up and make a play for himself.

Mavericks fans were excited to see Jason Kidd insert Ryan Nembhard into the starting lineup a few weeks ago, and that decision is aging like fine wine. Nembhard is thriving, the Mavericks are winning games, and Kidd is coaching an injury-battered squad to a play-in spot.

Dallas is in a great spot to turn the season around, and Kidd's decision to elevate Nembhard into the starting lineup has played a key role in that. They've now won five of their last six games, and this number should continue to increase as long as Nembhard is running the show.