Spencer Dinwiddie is the key to Dallas Mavericks defeating Utah Jazz in playoffs

Why Spencer Dinwiddie is key to Dallas Mavericks defeating Jazz: 1. Secondary ball-handler

Dinwiddie gives the Mavs options and should help keep their offense rolling, but the team scored just 44 points in the 24 minutes he played in Game 4. That is an 88-point per game pace, and Dallas had an offensive rating of just 97.6 when the 29-year-old was on the floor.

Dinwiddie must be more aggressive moving forward. He needs to get into the paint and start creating offense. If Luka Doncic or Jalen Brunson kicks him the ball off a drive, Dinwiddie needs to fire away. Most of his shots in Game 4 came off late clock desperation attempts. They need Dinwiddie making plays if they want to defeat the Jazz.

Spencer Dinwiddie must play better defense too. The Mavs had a defensive rating of 131.0 when he was on the floor in Game 4. Yes, Utah just got hot when Dinwiddie came into the game, but the 6’5 guard needs to increase his effort and intensity on that end.

The Dallas Mavericks are not going to win this series without getting a larger contribution from Spencer Dinwiddie. Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson are going to shine, but they need a third-scorer and playmaker to defeat the Utah Jazz. Dinwiddie fits the description, and he needs to fill that role moving forward.