Mavericks' new X-factor proves Jason Kidd wrong for unjustly sidelining him

On Thursday night, the Dallas Mavericks suffered what could arguably be the worst loss of the season to the 2-8 Utah Jazz. After battling back from being down by double-digits, the team once again choked a late fourth-quarter lead to lose 115-113 which extended the Mavericks' clutch time losses to four in a row.

Defense and rebounding have become huge problems for the Mavericks in the fourth quarter, and last night's loss was the perfect example of that. Superstar Luka Doncic fell asleep on the final defensive possession of the game, which led to a wide-open dunk and a Jazz win.

In addition to Doncic's defensive woes, he has continued to hurt the team with his poor 3-point shot attempts. Against Utah, Doncic shot 4-13 from behind the arc, which resulted in multiple missed opportunities for Dallas.

Quentin Grimes proves he must be in Jason Kidd's nightly rotation

Despite the loss, there are a few positive takeaways including Quentin Grimes' impressive starting lineup debut.

After losing his role in the rotation entirely early in the season, Quentin Grimes has strung together multiple impressive performances in a row. Jason Kidd benching him came out of nowhere and was seemingly for no reason, but now Grimes is cooking with gas.

Against the Golden State Warriors, Grimes had his best defensive game as he was tasked with guarding Steph Curry for the majority of the game.

Grimes not only clamped Curry up at times, but he played amazing on-ball defense on other Warrior ball handlers. Grimes made it difficult for the Warriors to establish stable offense during his 29 minutes on the floor.

While Grimes didn't have the best offensive output against the Warriors, he showcased to Kidd why he deserves to be in the Mavericks rotation on a nightly basis.

Against Utah, Grimes had his best game to date as he poured in 15 points in his first start since joining Dallas. While Grimes may not be a consistent starter when the team is fully healthy, he displayed his ability to score the ball in bunches with his 5-9 shooting from the field.

Traditionally, Grimes has always been a prototypical 3-and-D wing, as he is often stuck in the corners waiting for a pass to come his way. In Dallas, Grimes has been asked to do much more than just stand in a corner and wait for the ball.

With the Mavericks, Grimes is able to showcase his off-the-dribble-scoring capabilities and that was on full display on Thursday night. Grimes recorded his Maverick high in points and also played excellent defense down the stretch.

While the Mavs' loss to the Jazz can be summarized by bad defense, Grimes was not the problem. Grimes became one of the few positive defenders and he was able to defend without fouling which has become a problem for Dallas late in games.

While Grimes' spot in the rotation isn't secure for the time being, his last two games have proven to Kidd he has what it takes to be one of the first players off the bench.

Grimes will need to continue his ascension on both ends of the floor if he wants to keep his role off the bench, but things are looking bright for the fourth-year guard.