Luka Doncic is quietly hurting the Mavericks with unexpected weakness

The Dallas Mavericks have struggled in clutch games this season. The team is currently 1-6 in clutch games and has lost four straight games by a total of eight points. Their late-game execution continues to be an issue, as Dallas has yet to find their consistent clutch player.

Injuries have plagued the Mavs. The biggest hit was the Mavs' frontcourt. Players like Dereck Lively II and P.J. Washington have missed significant time. Lively II missed nine days with a right shoulder sprain; his injury doomed the team inside. Washington on the other hand has been out with a knee sprain. His defensive presence is greatly missed, as Dallas has shuffled their starting lineups over the past couple of games.

The Mavs have an identity crisis. Their most recent loss came against the Utah Jazz, a team ranked last in the Western Conference. Dallas lost 115-113, and dropped to 5-7.

While Kyrie Irving was out with a sprained shoulder, it's not an excuse. Dallas needs to start getting off to a hot start and playing well on both sides if they hope to turn things around.

Doncic's poor 3-point shooting continues to doom Mavs' offense

One glaring issue is the team's 3-point shooting. Dallas ranks in the bottom 10 when it comes to long-range shots. The team is currently shooting 34.6 percent from the 3-point line. This is a dip from last postseason when the Mavs converted 36 percent of their downtown shots. Against the Jazz, Dallas shot 30.8 percent from 3-point range, in contrast to Utah who made 38.2 percent of their threes.

Luka Doncic has been a key part of the team's shooting struggles. Doncic is shooting 32.1 percent from 3-point range. This is a major dip from last season. During the 2023-24 year, he converted 38.2 of his long-range shots. In the Western Conference Finals last postseason, he made 43.4 percent of his 3-point shots. Doncic's improvement as a shooter was huge to him taking the next step as a player last season, but this season has been a different story.

As of late, Doncic has struggled to replicate his 3-point success from last season. He has shot below 30 percent from long range over the past three games. Against the Denver Nuggets, he went 2-8 from the 3-point line, as he struggled to find rhythm early in the game. The same trend continued against the Golden State Warriors Tuesday when he went 2-10 from downtown.

Last month, Doncic's shooting numbers were inconsistent. He shot above 36 percent during the team's first two games of the season but soon saw his number dip below 12 percent. Against the Jazz in October, Luka went 1-9 from the 3-point line.

Doncic is much more efficient when attacking the rim, but he continues to settle for three after three. He isn't taking the best shots, and his clutch performances have been forgetful as of late. He has to refocus his attention on getting to the rim a bit more, especially in the clutch, as his insistence on shooting tough threes has been hurting the Mavs' offense as of late.

His 3-point struggles date back all the way to last season's NBA Finals. Against the Boston Celtics. Doncic shot 24.4 percent from downtown. He had his worst game in Game 4 when he missed all eight of his attempts.

Doncic and the Mavs are not an effective 3-point shooting team right now. On the plus side, the team is shooting 47.7 percent from the field. They rank in the top eight in field goal percentage. Many players like Naji Marshall and Irving have been effective in knocking down mid-range shots. Maybe Dallas's solution could be staring right in front of them.

Either way, it's clear Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks have plenty of work to do this season. Stayed tuned, as the Mavs look to snap their four-game losing streak against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.