The Mavericks are invincible on paper, but there are actually many problems?

At the Dallas Mavericks' media day, the protective goggles on Davis's face were particularly eye-catching. This is not only a necessary protection after retinal surgery, but also a metaphor for this regrouping team that seems powerful but needs careful protection.

"I will follow the doctor's mandate and wear protective goggles for the rest of my career." Davis announced calmly at the Mavericks Media Day. After retinal shedding repair surgery, abnormalities could still be seen in his eyes. Also striking are his teammates, the new No. 1 pick Flag, and Irving, who is still recovering from a knee injury.

The Mavericks upgraded their lineup this summer, selected Flag, and formed the three No. 1 picks, plus powerful players such as Klay Thompson, Washington, and Russell. Their strength is enviable on paper, but at the same time, they hide the double test of core positioning and health management.

1. Core question: Who is the top three winners?

The Mavericks' lineup is full of stars, but they are facing a sweet trouble: who is the real core of the court?

Davis hinted at the team's multi-core characteristics when talking about Flag on the Media Day: "He joined a team with a mature lineup and many talented veterans, so he does not need to bear all the heavy responsibilities like the average No. 1 pick."

From the perspective of lineup structure, the Mavericks have the luxurious configuration of the three No. 1 picks, but each has its own challenges.

Davis, as the core of the inside, has played in 9 games since joining the Mavericks last season, and has averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 blocks per game. But he has only been absent in one year since 2017 but has not reached 20 games.

Irving performed best in his career last season, not only the team's scoring king assisting king stealing king and playing time king, but also the team's spiritual pillar. Kidd once said that Irving was the team's core quarterback. However, Irving suffered a serious injury and not only had to miss the game for several months, but also had no idea of ​​integration and condition after returning.

And Flag, the No. 1 pick who is known as the "strongest white forward in the 21st century", showed the ability to catch the ball three times, which threatened the opponent's ability to break through the bottom line, as well as the skills of low-center-of-gravity confrontation and getting rid of the straight line, but he is just a rookie after all.

Therefore, the starting point of the Mavericks' offensive is not yet clear. During Irving's recovery, who controls the offense? Last season, Thunder Brows made his first appearance, and Kidd asked him to dribble and start the offense. Earlier in the Bucks, Kidd also trained Giannis like this. Maybe Thunder Brows will play the role of initiator for some time.

2. The Mavericks face injuries and glass attribute problems

Behind the Mavericks' luxurious lineup, there is a shadow of health lurking. Irving's left knee anterior cruciate ligament to repair surgery requires a lot of recovery time. He himself said: "I don't have a specific return schedule yet. I will come back when I am ready."

Looking back on last season, the Mavericks' injury situation was a disaster. In March, the team was once faced with the embarrassment of not being able to collect the minimum eight players and might even be forced to give up the game.

Davis' "glass attributes" are also worrying. He played for the Mavericks only nine games and was quit due to a left adductor muscle strain.

Klay Thompson's defense has dropped sharply due to age and injuries. The media predicts that his average time may only be about 25 minutes per game.

If the core players take turns to be injured, the Mavericks' tactical system will continue to be reorganized, making it difficult to form a stable chemical reaction.

3. Lineup thickness ensures the expected goals of the top four in the West

Despite the hidden health concerns, the Mavericks' lineup thickness is enough to make Western opponents envious.

The team's depth is the top in the league. In addition to the main players, there are many powerful players such as Russell, Christie, and Hardy in the backcourt; in the frontcourt, there are strong players such as Washington, Gafford, and Marshall.

When the US media posted the Mavericks lineup, commented: "Dallas completed the lineup upgrade in a low-key manner." The thickness of this team's lineup is their biggest capital to reach the top four in the West.

The height of the inside line becomes the basis of defense. The Mavericks may have always focused on the three-tower combination of Flag, Davis and Levley, with Washington and Gafford on the bench. This frontcourt lineup is both high and flexible, making the Mavericks' defense in the new season worth looking forward to.

Kidd's rotation strategy will be crucial. If playing time can be allocated reasonably to ensure that the main players do not spend too much, the Mavericks are expected to achieve the ideal ranking of the top four in the Western Conference in the regular season. The team's lineup is also deep enough to deal with the regular season, allowing core players to rest in back-to-back games, and reserve energy for the playoffs.

Kidd said on Media Day: "All this is about competition, and we will consider many different lineup combinations." This seemingly official statement actually reveals the strategic direction of the Mavericks' new season.

While Irving recovers from injury, Russell will assume the responsibility of point guard; if Clay feels bad, Christie or Marshall may play at critical moments; the frontcourt combination of Davis and Flagg will put double pressure on the opponent.

Therefore, the Mavericks do not have to stick to a single core, but flexibly adjust the center of attack according to different opponents and stages. As long as they can stay healthy and arrange rotations reasonably, they will not only hope to hit the top four in the Western Conference, but may even create greater noise in the playoffs and become the West disruptor.

Of course, to win the championship, they lack a big-name character, at least before Flag grew up.