Naji Marshall doubles down on defiant Luka Doncic take at perfect time

Noah Weber

Dallas Mavericks, Naji Marshall, Luka Doncic / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are playing their best basketball of the season at the perfect time, as they are finding a way to win without Luka Doncic while simultaneously snapping out of a horrid four-game losing streak that included a loss to the worst team in the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz.

Dallas' most recent win was on the road against the Denver Nuggets, as they escaped Ball Arena with a three-point win behind a huge game from Naji Marshall. Marshall's defense continues to shine, and his unorthodox floater is quietly turning into the most deadly shot in his arsenal.

Marshall finished with a team-high 26 points off the bench while shooting 11-15 from the field and knocking down three threes. He is turning into one of the biggest X-factors on the team due to his outstanding defense, ability to handle the ball and push in transition, and his go-to floater, and he has been one to stand up for Doncic any chance that he gets.

Marshall stands firm on Doncic's defense despite growing criticism

Fans were excited about Marshall joining the Mavericks because of his enforcer tendencies, and although he hasn't had many chances to be an enforcer on the floor, he has been off the floor.

Marshall defended Doncic's defense after the Mavs' win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, and he doubled down when defending his new superstar teammate on X.

In response to a fan's tweet in which he was talking about how great Doncic's defense has been this season, he quote tweeted it and said "see." This tweet discussed how Doncic has been an excellent isolation defender, post defender, and has one of the highest defensive ratings on the team, and Marshall never shies away from sticking up for Doncic's defense.

Doncic's defense has been under fire ever since his defensive lapse that led to Dallas losing to Utah, and although he owned up for this "miscommunication," the nonstop slander has been coming his way. While his defense hasn't been great this season, he can be a good defender whenever fully engaged.

Doncic's defense has been a controversial topic over the last few years, as he was obliterated on social media for his defense during the playoffs last season, ignoring the fact that he made significant improvements as a defender during the regular season.

He has shown an ability to play lockdown defense on the perimeter in isolation situations during big moments, but he has to be a bit more consistent throughout entire games to avoid teams continuously targeting him. Doncic can't be a traffic cone on that end, and while some of his defensive struggles this season likely directly correlate with the injuries that he has battled this season, the next week should give him a good opportunity to recover.

Dallas' next game is tonight against the Miami Heat, and while Doncic will be out, Marshall will have the perfect chance to continue to shine off the bench.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.