Dwight Powell's 2022-23 sound track

It’s time to continue our series breaking down the Mavericks’ roster.

Rather than just running down the assets and debits of each player, we’re going to approach this year’s roster evaluation a little differently.

With a sound track.

Since the Mavericks reached the Western Conference finals last season and have made it clear that championships are the only measuring stick they will use moving forward in the Luka Dončić era, it’s time to analyze what they need from each player to someday make that a reality, preferably sooner than later.

And there’s a theme song, or two or three – basketball’s version of walk-up music, if you will – for each player.

So here we look at each player and what they must accomplish for the Mavericks to be title worthy. We’ll assume good health for everybody, which is always the No. 1 issue.

Next up is Dwight Powell.

THEME SONGS: Working Man by Rush, A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles and Money by Pink Floyd.

STAT FROM 2021-22 THAT MUST IMPROVE: He started all 18 playoff games, but averaged a paltry 6.8 rebounds per 36 minutes played. For a center, that’s not cutting it and it’s a reason why Christian Wood and JaVale McGee now are Mavericks.

BREAKDOWN: About those theme songs, you knew we couldn’t let it go without a nod to the great Canadian rock trio: Rush. Powell is nothing if not a hard-working, blue-collar big man. He’s not afraid to go to work and nobody takes more hard knocks, often to the face, than he does because of his willingness to stick his nose into the grinder defensively and roll hard to the basket on offense. He has everybody’s respect when it comes to putting in the work and being able to get the most out of his abilities. The hope is that he can transfer those skills into being an energizer off the bench. Wood is penciled in as the starting center and with Dorian Finney-Smith on the front line, there probably isn’t room for Powell to have the starting spot he had for 71 of 82 games last regular season. And don’t discount the impressiveness of playing all 82. Powell, who was coming off an Achilles injury, didn’t miss a call to duty, the only Maverick who could claim such. He’s been effective coming off the bench in the past, too. In 2018-19, when he averaged 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 21 minutes per game, he came off the bench in 55 of the 77 games in which he appeared. The Mavericks will need Powell to be a difference-maker off the bench. Or the alternative is that he continues starting and playing modest minutes before being removed for Wood and/or McGee. It’s a big season for Powell, given that it’s the last on his three-year, $33-million deal signed before COVID-19 hit. He’s been a great fit in Dallas and probably will continue to be so.

NEXT (and last): Christian Wood.

PREVIOUSLY:

Theo Pinson: https://www.mavs.com/pinson-profile/

Frank Ntilikina: https://www.mavs.com/ntilikina-profile/

JaVale McGee: https://www.mavs.com/mcgee-profile/

Maxi Kleber: https://www.mavs.com/kleber-profile/

Jaden Hardy: https://www.mavs.com/hardy-profile/

Tim Hardaway Jr.: https://www.mavs.com/hardaway-profile/

Josh Green: https://www.mavs.com/green-profile/

Dorian Finney-Smith: https://www.mavs.com/finney-smith-profile/

Tyler Dorsey: https://www.mavs.com/dorsey-profile/

Luka Dončić: https://www.mavs.com/luka-profile/