Predicting Dallas Mavericks stat leaders for 2023-24 season

Field goal percentage leader - Dereck Lively II

Back-to-back predictions for the Mavericks' new starting center. Dereck Lively II may be raw on offense, but that doesn't mean he won't lead the team in field goal percentage.

A season ago at Duke, Lively II made 77 field goals, with 58 being dunks. The former Blue Devil will feast on second-chance opportunities and alley-oops.

His role will be the same in the NBA as it was in college. Lively II won't be tasked with creating his own shot or posting up. In college, he only attempted 3.4 shots per game and that average will likely be the same, if not a bit more in Dallas.

Lively II did shoot a few threes at Duke, but that's unlikely to carry over in Dallas. Throughout the Mavs' four preseason games, he's yet to attempt a three.

During the exhibition contests, Lively II went 11-of-16 from the floor. In his best game, against the Pistons, Lively II made six shots, four of which were dunks.

Unlike many of the other predictions, Lively II has a very worthy challenger. Former starting center, Dwight Powell, who also feasts on dunks and layups will challenge Lively II for the highest field goal percentage. Powell shot an unreal 73.2 percent from the field last year.

Lively II's projected field goal percentage: 67.5%

3-point percentage leader - Seth Curry

The first obvious bench player on the list is Seth Curry.

This is Curry's third different stint with the Mavericks. And even at 33 years old, he's still the same sniper he was in his mid-20s.

In his previous two stints, Curry shot 42.5 and 45.2 percent from three with the Mavs. Over the course of his career, his 3-point percentage falls between those two seasons in Big D. He's a career 43.5 percent shooter from distance.

Curry will light it up from downtown, like he always does. The 3-time Maverick has never shot below 40 percent from beyond the arc. Curry is one of 50 players, all-time, to shoot above 40 percent on 3-pointers for his career.

Rather than attempting difficult threes, Curry does a fantastic job of spotting up and coming off screens to get open looks. Curry also rarely creates his own shot. He's never had less than 74 percent of his three-point attempts assisted.

Curry is truly the Mavs' only sharpshooter. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kyrie Irving may challenge Curry, but both are volume shooters compared to the former Net. And while Josh Green may be a worthy adversary, his 40 percent for distance last year was likely boosted due to his low volume.

Curry's projected three-point percentage: 42.8%