Mavs Spotlight: Mayo assumes Mavs' No. 1 scoring role without Dirk
Earl K. Sneed shines the Mavs Spotlight on sharpshooter O.J. Mayo, who has assumed the lead offensive duties for the Dallas Mavericks with 11-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki sidelined.
Mavs Spotlight: Mayo assumes Mavs' No. 1 scoring role without Dirk
DALLAS — It was clear what the Dallas Mavericks were losing when the team announced that 11-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki would be sidelined approximately six weeks following arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 19.
Without their undisputed go-to scorer, the 2007 NBA MVP and 2011 Finals MVP, the Mavericks would have to find a way to replace the 7-footer’s offensive production. It was first believed that replacing Nowitzki’s career average of 22.9 points on 47.5 percent shooting would be a shared responsibility. But, with the recent emergence of newcomer O.J. Mayo, the Mavs may have found their go-to scorer until Nowitzki returns to action.
Since posting 12 points in consecutive games in Los Angeles and Utah to start the season, Mayo has displayed an offensive explosion back home, following up a 30-point game against Charlotte in a 126-99 victory on Saturday with 32 points to celebrate his 25th birthday in the Mavs’ 114-91 win over Portland on Monday night to improve to 2-0 on their current three-game homestand.
The sharpshooter has also found his rhythm from 3-point range, following up a career-best 7-for-10 night from behind the arc against Charlotte with 6-of-8 shooting from deep two nights later.
Finding a connection with point guard Darren Collison in the backcourt, Mayo has excelled within Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle’s freelance “flow” offense, searching for open spots on the court before shooting with confidence. And after showcasing what he can do in front of the hometown Dallas fans, Mayo will try to continue his assault on opposing defenses as the new-look Mavs search for a No. 1 option without No. 41 on the court.
“It’s just being prepared to shoot,” Mayo modestly said after his latest scoring outburst. “We’re getting better with finding one another, so obviously with Darren getting in the paint or [Brandan] Wright, Chris [Kaman] and Vince [Carter], I’m just trying to be locked and loaded. … The good thing is that we won both games. That’s the most important thing.
“It’s like organized street ball,” he added after the Dallas offense connected on 60 percent or better in back-to-back games for the first time in franchise history. “We have spots we need to fill and just continue moving, and when you’ve got a guy like Darren Collison, a post presence like Chris, B-Wright, Elton [Brand], Vince, and [Dominique Jones] getting in the lane, it just opens it up for shooters. So, it’s been good. It’s kind of unguardable, because we don’t do anything constant or something you can scout. It’s pretty much read the defense and work off that.”
Studying film alongside Carlisle of what he’s done well and what he still needs to improve to help the team be successful without Nowitzki, Mayo — typically the last player off the practice court before returning on his own for nightly shooting sessions — has also spent extra time in the gym. And it’s that hard work and dedication that seems to be paying off now, after Mayo reached the 30-point plateau in consecutive games for the first time since doing so three times during his first-year campaign, when he averaged a career-high 18.5 points per game during the '08-09 season and finished as the runner-up to Derrick Rose for Rookie of the Year.
“I’ve been putting in a lot of work, so I kind of just trust what I do and do what I trust,” a confident Mayo said of his recent offensive surge. “And when you work hard, it will pay off sometime; it’ll finally pay off. So, I’ve just been getting in the gym at night by myself and getting a little work, and then trying to come before practice, just trying to find a rhythm and stay locked and loaded.”
Note: The Mavs will now conclude their three-game homestand Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors. The game will air locally at 7:30 p.m. CT on Fox Sports Southwest. Tickets for the game remain available and can be purchased by calling (214) 747-MAVS or by visiting Mavs.com.
