3 Areas where the Dallas Mavericks need to improve in the 2nd half of the season

#2 Offensive Rebounds Allowed

Luka Doncic is the only Mavs player averaging more than 8 defensive rebounds per game

Averaging 11.2 offensive rebounds per game, Dallas is among the top five teams in the NBA for offensive rebounding. However, they haven't exactly crashed the boards on the defensive end, and Carlisle's team is currently giving up 11.0 defensive rebounds per contest. In the West, only Portland and the Clippers have allowed more - and with the NBA's two tallest players in Boban Marjanovic and Kristaps Porzingis - the Mavs have no excuse to be allowing so many second-chance points.

While Doncic and Porzingis have combined for 15.3 defensive rebounds per game, no other player has averaged more than four, and the Mavs need to replicate the effort that they are giving on the offensive end. The addition of Willie Cauley-Stein should also help after the center averaged 4.5 defensive rebounds in limited minutes with the Warriors earlier this season - and if the Mavs can successfully limit the number of offensive boards - their prospects of securing homecourt will drastically improve.