Mavericks guard goes from forgotten to X-factor ahead of 2024 Playoffs

Dallas Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. went into a shooting slump following the February 8 trade deadline and has recorded just two 20-point games since then. He was a Sixth Man of the Year candidate early in the year, but his play has declined since then.

But, heading into the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Clippers, he might be an important X-factor that the Mavericks need.

Most of the talk about the Mavs will always start with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving due to their offensive dominance. Something that fans may not realize is Hardaway Jr. averaged the third most points on the Mavs with 14.4 despite starting 12 games compared to Derrick Jones Jr.'s 66 starts.

Tim Hardaway Jr. goes from forgotten to X-factor ahead of playoffs

No other Mav this season has averaged over 12 points per game. Hardaway Jr. also played in the most games among any other player on the roster with 79. He was reliable with no injuries all season long, but something has just looked off within his offensive game for the past few months.

2022 was the last time the Mavericks made the playoffs as they fell in five games to the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Hardaway Jr. didn't play in the 2022 NBA Playoffs as he had left foot surgery and was out of the lineup since January 25 of that season. Prior to his surgery, Hardaway Jr. was averaging 14.2 points per game.

Hardaway Jr. will be eager to get back in the lineup and make an impact since he missed Dallas' last playoff appearance. He was one of the veterans who spoke up after practice on Tuesday, and the Mavs need his hot shooting to return.

When the Mavs were eliminated by the Clippers in 2020 and 2021, Hardaway Jr. put up good scoring numbers and shooting numbers while being a key piece within the offense.

When the Mavs were eliminated in six games by the Clippers in the 2020 Playoffs, Hardaway Jr. averaged 17.8 points per game which was the third most points among the Mavs. When the Mavs were eliminated in seven games by the Clippers in the 2021 Playoffs, Hardaway Jr. averaged 17 points per game which was the second most among the Mavs.

Despite scoring just three points in the final game of the regular season on Sunday against the Thunder, Hardaway Jr. has averaged 16.6 points per game in the three games he's played against the Clippers this season.

The Mavs are a completely different squad from when they played LA during the season and Hardaway Jr. returning to how he was playing at the beginning of the season could be exactly what the team needs to make a deep playoff run.

Hardaway Jr. has struggled in all aspects of his game heading into the playoffs, but a solid start at the beginning of the Clippers series could lead to confidence and consistency in this first round.