Spencer Dinwiddie flips Lakers nightmare into Mavericks masterclass

Last season at the trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks made two moves that tremendously changed the trajectory of their season and allowed them to make a run to the NBA Finals.

In two separate moves, Dallas traded away Richaun Holmes, Seth Curry, Grant Williams, and draft capital in exchange for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. This meant that Dallas opened up a roster spot in the process considering that they traded three players while only bringing back two, and that led them to pursue Spencer Dinwiddie on the buyout market.

Dinwiddie had been traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the Toronto Raptors and then waived, and the Mavs had an eye on him to give them needed depth off the bench. His decision ultimately came down to signing with the Los Angeles Lakers or Dallas, and he chose to sign with the Lakers.

While his reasoning for this decision didn't make sense at the time, he decided to return to Dallas this summer as he signed a one-year deal. Dinwiddie has been outstanding off the bench for Dallas so far this season in 21 games played, and he has transformed one part of his game that fell flat at the end of his time in Los Angeles.

Dinwiddie's shooting has skyrocketed as a Maverick

Over Dinwiddie's last eight games with the Lakers (including the playoffs), he averaged 3.1 points per game while shooting 31.8 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from downtown. His efficient shooting from downtown slowed down significantly, and he quietly became unplayable in the playoffs.

Dinwiddie's five minutes and 10 seconds of action in the Lakers' play-in game against the New Orleans Pelicans and 10 minutes and seven seconds of action in Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets was the least he had played in a game since 2016, and his role with the Lakers was much smaller than it was compared to what he did for the Mavs (in his first stint) and the Nets. He was playing much more off the ball and being used as a 3-and-D player rather than a secondary or primary creator as he had in other spots in his career.

His poor 3-point shooting from the end of his time with the Lakers was a major shock considering how well he had shot the ball from three prior to the final stretch of the season, and his shooting from beyond the arc has been outstanding so far as a Maverick.

Dinwiddie is averaging 8.0 points per game this season while shooting 39.5 percent from downtown, and this would be his career-high 3-point percentage in a season if it were to end today. He just always seems to play better and shoot better as a Maverick, and this remains true after 23 games this season.

Dinwiddie never shies away from big moments, and his ability to hit tough shots in the clutch remains crucial for the Mavs.

It doesn't matter if Dinwiddie has missed five shots in a row or made five shots in a row, his confidence is going to remain sky-high and he is going to let it fly from downtown. He can knock down threes off the dribble, often utilizing his signature side-step, or he can play off the ball and hit shots off the catch. His unique skillset has made him an outstanding fit in Jason Kidd's system, and his past of playing with both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving has made his transition back to the Mavs a dream come true for both sides.

Over the last six games, Dinwiddie is averaging 16.6 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 56.7 percent from downtown on 5.0 attempts per game, and he is catching fire at the right time.

The Mavs have been able to rely upon him down the stretch of games to make big plays, and while he hasn't come through every time, he has made the right play more often than not. No moment is too big for him, and this will be important as the season goes on and into the playoffs.

"All you’re trying to do in those tight moments is make the right decision," Dinwiddie said after Dallas' victory over the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this week. "And if you trust your work, and you're genuinely trying to do the right thing, that's a make or miss. I think some guys get flustered, at the end of the day, I know how hard I've worked, and I'm trying to make the right decision."

Dinwiddie's fearlessness in the clutch on Tuesday night allowed the Mavs to come back and win after being down by 15 points in the fourth quarter, and he hit back-to-back threes off the catch with under two minutes remaining to ultimately put the game away.

His shooting revival as a Maverick has turned him into an important piece off the bench for Kidd, and he is willing to accept whatever role he is given. He emphasized that he'd love to be in the rotation, but if his role needs to be giving advice to the young guys and breaking the game down with Markieff Morris from the bench, he's down for that too.