Ahead of this season's trade deadline, the Mavericks traded Porzingis and a second-round pick for Dinwiddie and Bertans from the Washington Wizards. When the deal first happened, most people thought the Lone Ranger was crazy, but now it seems that the Deal Lone Ranger is bloody. Dinwiddie has been very good at the Lone Ranger, especially in yesterday's game, when Dinwiddie exploded and scored 36 points to lead the team to four consecutive wins.
In the first half of the season, Dinwiddie played 44 games for the Washington Wizards, averaging 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 30.2 minutes per game, which is still a decline compared to the Nets. However, after trading to the Dallas Mavericks, Dinwiddie seemed to explode, averaging 17.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 28.6 minutes per game, and was able to contribute more points to the team in less time.
Looking closely at Dinwiddie's recent games, you will find that his post-All-Star stats are 5 consecutive games to score double-figures, and in yesterday's game, he single-handedly cut 36 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists, helping the team to get four consecutive wins. In the seven games he played with the Lone Ranger, the Lone Ranger won 6 wins and 1 loss.
In a post-game interview, Dinwiddie talked about some of his conflicts with the Wizards, admitting that he was not popular with his teammates and that being "swept out" really hurt his feelings. "I think that's where it hurts the most. I've never slammed the Washington Wizards. I've never said anything bad about the team. In fact, I want to thank team owner Ted Lyonsis, I want to thank general manager Tommy Shepard, and I want to thank Bradley Beal, who together decided to give me the contract.
After joining the Lone Ranger, Dinwiddie has undergone a huge transformation, averaging 22.2 points and 6 assists per game in the last five games, shooting 57% from the field and 46% from three-point range. Joining the Lone Ranger did allow Dinwiddie to get back in form, and he played more comfortably. Now at the Lone Ranger, he has a deeper understanding of his role and the whole team is very supportive of him. As he believes, the entire Lone Rangers are working together for victory, which is why they are so effective together.
Compared to before at the Wizards, Dinwiddie was clearly able to play more freely. In the Wizards' time, Dinwiddie couldn't get the real ball, Bradley Beale spent most of his time playing the ball, Dinwiddie could only walk on the court, in addition to the team needed to allocate the ball to players such as Kuzma, which greatly sacrificed Dinwiddie's role. Conversely, the Lone Ranger needs Dinwiddie more.
Doncic has been under a lot of pressure in the past two seasons, he has been in a state of big package, the offensive organization is grasping, and the pressure is very high. After Dinwiddie joined the Mavericks, Doncic gained time and space for rest on the one hand, and on the other hand, the team's outside firepower increased significantly. The team not only has one more endpoint, but also one more organizational point. This is very important for the Lone Ranger.