Should the Dallas Mavericks start Christian Wood after 2 stellar games?

The Dallas Mavericks are bringing Christian Wood off the bench to start the regular season. They signed JaVale McGee to be their starting center, and head coach Jason Kidd wants his two best perimeter defenders on the floor to open the game in Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock. Wood has produced monster numbers in each of the first two games that has analysts and fans already clamoring for him to join the starting five.

The Mavs traded a late first-round pick for the 6’10 big man in the offseason. He produced monster numbers in Houston, but the Rockets were one of the worst teams in the league. The 27-year-old looks ecstatic to play for the first winning team of his career, and he is buying into his sixth man role.

Should C-Wood start? He has clearly been the team’s best big man thus far, but starting him does not matter. Here is a look at why, how Wood is taking advantage of his current role, and if he will play more as the season progresses.

Why starting for the Dallas Mavericks should not matter to Christian Wood

Being in the starting five is a bit overrated. Wood is playing significantly more minutes than starting center JaVale McGee already, and he has played the sixth most of anyone on the team. Minutes and closing games are the things that matter most.

Fans could argue that head coach Jason Kidd’s substitution pattern is what forced Wood off the floor after he scored 16 straight points late in the season opener, and that is partially true. The 27-year-old had played 12 straight minutes, and he needed a rest, but Kidd should have let him play or gone back to C-Wood sooner.

Starting does not matter, but how can Christian Wood get more minutes? He has been the team’s second-best player so far, so why is he not playing the second-most minutes? Here is a look at how he is dominating in his role and his path to additional playing time.