Spencer Dinwiddie is the key to the Mavericks playoff success

Spencer Dinwiddie allows Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic to rest and peak in the fourth

Luka is one of the best clutch shot-makers in the league. He is never afraid of the moment and has a history of sinking the most difficult attempts. The Mavericks have struggled in clutch situations this season winning just 12 of 26 contests before the trade as classified by NBA Stats. They were 20th in field goal percentage and 29th in offensive rating at just 96.5.

Since acquiring Dinwiddie, Dallas has won four of their six clutch games and rank eighth in offensive rating at 122.2. The 6’5 guard has kept the second unit offense rolling and allows Luka to get a break. The Mavs have made runs without Doncic on the floor in each of their last two games, which is a luxury Dallas did not have last postseason.

The Mavericks superstar played 40.1 minutes per game in last year's playoff series against the LA Clippers. His team outscored the opposition by seven in his 281 minutes in the series, but Dallas was outscored by 43 points in Luka’s 55 minutes on the bench. Former head coach Rick Carlisle could not take him out of the game.

Spencer Dinwiddie needs to keep things rolling in the playoffs so Luka can rest. Doncic's numbers slipped in the fourth as the 23-year-old ran out of gas. Getting him down to 35-38 minutes will allow Doncic to peak in the fourth and lift the Dallas Mavericks to playoff victories.