Mavericks' hidden weapon just led a crucial NBA stat — and no one saw it coming

As the Dallas Mavericks inch closer to the start of training camp, the influx of news throughout the league has begun to die down, leaving fans with little to talk about. While the dog days of the NBA are never fun for basketball lovers, it does give fans an opportunity to check out some of the NBA's stats leaders and see who surprisingly led the league or who was amongst some of the top names in specific statistics.

In the Mavericks' case, Naji Marshall is a player who could be the difference in next season, starting off really well or a slow start eating away at a team that needs to get out of the gates hot. While Marshall will play a critical role next season, it's also important that he continues to score the ball and handle the rock the way he did last year, as an underrated stat shows truly just how good Marshall was at driving the ball into the paint.

Last season, Marshall got an increased role at the guard spot after Kyrie Irving and many other names lost their season to injuries. The Mavericks and Marshall could have easily just rolled over and gone into the summer with a disappointing end to the year; however, Marshall being top five in the league in layup field goal percentage proves just how costly he was for the Mavs last year.

Marshall's finishing proves just how critical he was for Dallas

Amongst some of the league's top names from superstars to some of the NBA's best role players, being in the top half of the league in made layup field goal percentage isn't just a nod to how efficient you are at the cup, but it many cases it's a ride of passage to how many times you can drive and get open looks in the most crowded spot on the basketball court.

In Marshall's case, he was not only in the top five of layup field goal percentage at 66.7 percent, but it's also a nod to just how important he became for the Mavericks last season, with the offense desperately searching for a jolt of life.

In Marshall's case, it's never been about how flashy he can be to shake off his defender in the path to the basket, but rather how he can contort his body with the defender in his face to create an easier look at the hoop. Marshall not only aced the art of his floater game very early on in the season, but it became increasingly clear that he was comfortable with the ball in his hands early on.

While Marshall has had other areas of focus, like his three-point shooting to help spread the floor, he has always had a reliable weapon with his ability to put the ball on the floor and score in bunches. Marshall's touch around the basket isn't just shown by being top 5 in the league in layup field goal percentage, but could also be a sign of what is to come next season for the Mavs.

The Mavericks are already a team that struggles to spread the floor and get looks from behind the arc, but with Marshall's ability to score down low, it only proves just how deadly the Mavs will be from inside the paint. With Dereck Lively II, Anthony Davis, and Daniel Gafford being paint-touch machines, the Mavericks will truly have a full rotation of players who can attack the basket.

Marshall has, without a doubt, earned the respect of fans from all across the league with how he carried himself during a season that saw little brightness, but he has once again primed himself for a career season with the Mavericks.

Suppose Marshall can once again become a cog in the offense with his elite ability to drive the ball. In that case, he will automatically be given a role off the bench or even in the starting lineups if the Mavs begin experimenting with jumbo lineups and having a primary point-of-attack defender.