‘Being Able To Flip That Switch’: Max Christie Making Strides As Aggression Fuels Dallas Mavericks’ Offense
The Dallas Mavericks have spent much of the season searching for perimeter consistency — not just in shot-making, but in shot-taking. Over the past week, that search has taken a tangible turn, with Max Christie emerging as both a stabilizer and a catalyst amid a broader push to increase three-point volume.
Christie capped his latest surge Saturday night with one of the most efficient performances of his career, scoring 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting in Dallas’ 110-104 win over the Houston Rockets. He knocked down four of six three-point attempts, added seven rebounds, and finished with three dunks — a stat line that reflected both confidence and a clear shift in mindset.
Afterward, Christie framed the night less as a shooting breakthrough and more as a reflection of how his confidence and athleticism have begun to blend.
“Three might be the most of my career,” Christie said. “It felt good to be athletic out there. Everybody was telling me that. But it felt good just to be athletic, be able to attack the rim with force, and get a couple dunks.”
A Hot Stretch That Didn’t Come Out of Nowhere
The Houston performance extended a three-game stretch that has reshaped Christie’s recent trajectory. He followed a 25-point outing at Portland on Dec. 29 and an 18-point game against Philadelphia on Jan. 1, giving him 67 total points across those three contests.
Over that span, Christie shot 25-of-38 from the field (65.8%), 11-of-20 from three-point range (55.0%), and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. More telling than the percentages, however, has been the increase in three-point volume and decisiveness.
That emphasis had already been a topic internally before the Rockets game. Following Dallas’ Jan. 1 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, head coach Jason Kidd pointed to both volume and conversion as areas that needed to improve — while acknowledging that the two are often intertwined.
“We would love to get it up,” Kidd said. “But we’ve got to be able to shoot the ball straight. We missed a layup or two, and on the other end they capitalized and made threes. For us, we’ve got to finish the plays, but also defend the three. Being able to shoot the three is something we have to continue to look at.”
From Christie’s perspective, the conversation around volume has been about understanding what to generate when shots don’t fall — and how paint pressure can still feed perimeter opportunities.
“Getting in the paint and getting to the free-throw line,” Christie said. “A goal for us is to take more threes — we took 28, they took 36. We’ve got to find a way to get more up. When they’re not falling, getting into the paint, getting to the line, and still finding ways to generate good offense is key for us.”
Why Max Christie’s Volume Matters for Dallas
The context makes Christie’s emergence especially significant. As a team, Dallas is averaging 31.8 three-point attempts per game, ranking 26th in the NBA. Despite that modest volume, the Mavericks are also last in the league in three-point efficiency at 33.5%, a combination that has consistently compressed spacing and limited offensive margin.
Within that framework, Christie’s recent willingness to let shots fly — and to do so confidently — has addressed a structural need. Over his last three games, he averaged 6.7 three-point attempts per night, well above his season average.
Christie has been open about where that growth can still come from, particularly when it comes to recognizing moments when a “good” look should become a taken one.
“Personally, sometimes I pass a few up — those in-betweeners where the defender is kind of there but not really close enough,” he said after the loss to Philadelphia. “That’s something I need to continue improving on. As a team, when we get in the paint, we need the defense to collapse and then spray it out to the corners and wings to shoot threes. We’ve got to make a conscious effort, maybe run a couple more actions, to get more three-point volume.”
Three-Point Gravity Is Opening the Floor
That shift has altered how opponents guard Dallas’ lineups. Christie’s confidence pulling from deep — whether in rhythm or off movement — has stretched coverage and opened driving lanes that were not consistently available earlier in the season.
That evolution has been noticeable to teammates. Speaking at shootaround in Sacramento on Jan. 6, Naji Marshall described how Christie’s shooting gravity has begun to dictate defensive reactions — and how Christie has shown the awareness to counter those adjustments.
“It’s great to see him developing,” Marshall said. “Like you said, he’s been making threes all year, so teams are trying to run him off the line. For him to be able to get downhill, still finish, and show his understanding of the game and his growth since he first got here and entered the NBA, it’s just a blessing to see.”
Kidd has reinforced that the goal is not simply volume for volume’s sake, but balance — shooting with confidence while maintaining the ability to punish aggressive closeouts.
“We talked about him being more aggressive,” Kidd said. “You saw that tonight — not just from three, but being able to get to the rim. I thought he was great offensively and defensively for us.”
Influence of Veteran Shooting
One factor Christie has consistently pointed to in his development is daily exposure to elite shooting habits and mindset. Working alongside Klay Thompson has provided a living example of how confidence and repetition shape perimeter production.
“He’s been great,” Christie said of Klay Thompson. “Beyond basketball, he’s a great person and a great veteran — someone I lean on for a lot of things outside of basketball. Obviously his superpower is three-point shooting. Being around him, seeing how he shoots, sets his feet, and his mindset has helped me a lot this year. I give him a lot of credit for how well I’m shooting.”
When asked what lesson has translated most directly, Christie pointed not to mechanics but mentality — particularly the ability to move on quickly from misses.
“His mindset,” he said. “Regardless of whether he’s shooting well or not, he has a short-term memory and keeps firing when he’s open. That mindset is a big reason he’s going to be a Hall of Famer. For me, continuing to be aggressive helps not just me, but the team as well.”
That approach was evident late against Houston, when Christie sealed the game with an uncontested dunk after a hard closeout — a play created by the respect his perimeter shooting had already earned.
Trust Reflected in Role and Minutes
Christie’s expanding offensive responsibility has been matched by increased trust from the coaching staff. He has started 25 of Dallas’ 34 games this season, averaging 28.6 minutes per night and producing 12.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.
“He just has the utmost confidence,” Anthony Davis said after the Rockets win. “We instill so much confidence in him to shoot the basketball, to attack the basket and finish, to make the right play. He’s shooting the ball extremely well at a very hot clip. We actually get mad at him when he doesn’t shoot the ball.”
Kidd has emphasized that balance between volume and decisiveness.
“We talked about him being more aggressive,” Kidd said. “You saw that tonight — not just from three, but being able to get to the rim. I thought he was great offensively and defensively for us.”
A Needed Shift, Not Just a Hot Streak
Whether Christie maintains elite shooting percentages over a longer sample remains to be seen. What matters more for Dallas is what the volume represents.
The Mavericks have been clear about their need to generate more three-point attempts without forcing them. Christie’s evolution — from a hesitant spacer to a confident, willing shooter — has helped bridge that gap.
“Absolutely,” Christie said when asked if he wants to increase his own three-point volume. “Coach gives me the green light. If I’m shooting a good percentage, I need to shoot more. That helps the team.”
For a team ranking near the bottom of the league in both three-point attempts and efficiency, that mindset shift may prove just as important as the makes themselves as the season moves forward.
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