Dallas’ Hot Start, ATS Dominance Sparked by Best Bench in the NBA

Betting odds: Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

• Spread: Mavericks -6.5
• Over/under: 211.5
• Tip: 10:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: TNT

Luka Doncic is all the rage right now, and for good reason.

The former EuroLeague MVP and current NBA rookie has splashed onto the scene with his combination of shooting, passing and overall feel for the game that makes him pop like few others.

He has a chance to be one of the most impactful players in the league for years to come.

In the future, that is.

What gets lost in all the Halle-Luka hype with the Mavericks 15-11 going into their Thursday night matchup on TNT vs. the… ahem, Suns… is that they are outscoring their opponents per 100 possessions by only 0.8 points with Doncic on the floor.

In their last 10 games, that number is still just +1.6 with Doncic on the floor and +6.2 with him on the bench.

That's not a sign that Doncic isn't that good; he is.

But what it really tells us is how great the bench has been for Dallas.

From J.J. Barea, who is dictating pace, to Dorian Finney-Smith, who continues to earn his spot, the Mavs have put themselves on the map with their depth.

Barea (who is questionable tonight) is shooting less than 29% from 3-point range this season but is fourth among all point guards playing at least 20 minutes per game in assists per 100 possessions; Dallas scores 6.6 more points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

Barea continues to be a firebug for the Mavericks, flitting through coverages and always keeping pressure on. He'll go down as one of the most underrated Mavericks in history given his contributions to the 2011 title team and his longevity with the franchise.

Meanwhile, the Mavs are No. 1 in points per possession on shots that are generated off screen action. They use Deandre Jordan to absolutely level opponents and create space for Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes. Also, very quietly, after a rough start to the season, Dennis Smith Jr. (who has been out the last four games) is in the 79th percentile on catch-and-shoot jumpers.

Dallas' offense is smart, but it's also consistent. There's no drop-off to the bench unit, and many nights it's an improvement. Dallas is 10th in Net Rating in the second quarter — no surprise given how well the reserves have played.

Doncic is holding his own against the best in the world.

But the reason why Dallas should be able to take care of business vs. the Suns is because of how all the other guys have stepped up.

The Mavs are 17-9 against-the-spread this season, including 7-3 in their last 10.

They don't let teams make runs or hang around. That's a testament to what Rick Carlisle, now the most underrated coach in the league, has done with a haphazard bench that suddenly is on pace to wreak mayhem in the Western Conference playoff race that many said would exclude them entirely.