Mavs Film Study: Inside Naji Marshall's Career-Best Scoring Stretch Amid Dallas Adjustment

A deep dive into Naji Marshall's breakout performances for the Mavs, showcasing his scoring, playmaking, and impact during Luka Dončić's absence.

Photo via Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks have received incredible production from Naji Marshall, who joined the team on a three-year, $27 million contract in free agency. He’s averaging a career-best 12.0 points, chipping in 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He’s quickly solidified himself as a massive spark off the bench while being more than capable of being a dynamic scorer when stepping into a more significant role when needed. With Luka Dončić sidelined due to a wrist injury and other players like Klay Thompson being day-to-day, Marshall’s been needed now more than ever to score at a high volume.

Marshall averaged 22.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists during the Mavericks’ three-game road trip. He found his three-point shot in the process, going 8-of-12 (66.7%) from beyond the arc compared to 4-of-30 (13.3%) on the season before. He produced all so effectively within the flow, scoring 34 of his total points in transition, with another 11 in transition—no other play type surpassed two in any game.

“Yeah, I think he's taking full advantage of being able to get to the paint and use his floater, and he’s now shooting the three,” Kidd explained about Marshall’s scoring. “And so just, you know, understanding who's on the floor with him and creating where he doesn't have to create a lot of space in the sense of his shot because of who's on the floor. But his aggressiveness and ability to finish—he had some great finishes for us tonight—were at a high level.”

Marshall didn’t slow down after the Mavericks returned home. He was one of four 20-point scorers in Wednesday’s victory over the New York Knicks at the American Airlines Center—finishing with 24 points while shooting 10-of-17 overall and 2-of-6 from deep. He’s averaged 23.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in his last four games—the extent of Dončić’s injury absence so far.

Incredible Off-Catch Attacker

As a complementary player with a talent for attacking the rim, Marshall has developed into a savvy attacker off the catch. He’s quick and gets to the rim using a go-and-catch, or he can use his handle to break down a defender in a tight window if it’s a stagnant catch with a need to make a play. No matter the situation, if the layup isn’t there, he has a floater that’s become surprising to see miss when it rarely does.

Read my recent exclusive interview with Naji for Sportskeeda here

There was no off-catch attack more critical during this stretch than in Denver, when he turned a stagnant possession with a two-point lead under 30 seconds left in regulation into a go-and-catch for a floater he banked in to seal a victory. After Kyrie Irving drew two defenders in pick-and-roll, the Mavericks stayed active. As Dereck Lively II received the ball on the short roll, Marshall walked his defender down, giving himself up to screen for Quentin Grimes in the corner, with the key detail being Dallas commanding a pre-switch from Denver. With Denver trying to hedge and recover after Grimes received a handoff from Lively, Marshall lifted toward the ball with Jamal Murray guarding him, creating a prime opportunity to attack without resistance, leading to the clean look.