Mavericks’ Dinwiddie Surprises as Team’s Minutes Leader Amid Injuries

LOS ANGELES — Spencer Dinwiddie, the last player signed to a standard contract before the 2024-25 NBA season, has unexpectedly emerged as the Dallas Mavericks‘ leader in total minutes played. As of Saturday, Dinwiddie has logged 2,038 minutes over 76 games, surpassing teammates Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, who have played 1,893 minutes and 69 games, respectively.

This unforeseen turn of events has left Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd in disbelief. ‘That is not going to be possible,’ Kidd remarked prior to a recent game, reflecting on his initial doubts about Dinwiddie’s expected role. The coach had held Dinwiddie out of a previous game to manage his workload, anticipating that his tenure as a primary minutes leader would not occur.

Dinwiddie’s reliability this season has been particularly impressive given his role as an emergency signing at point guard. Due to injuries affecting key players like Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, and Jaden Hardy—who recently suffered his fourth right ankle sprain—the Mavericks have had to depend heavily on Dinwiddie’s experience and versatility on the court.

Currently, Dinwiddie averages 11.2 points and 4.3 assists per game. He has stepped up in critical moments, having led the Mavericks in scoring on four occasions and topped the assists chart 22 times this season. His ability to adapt to the team’s shifting needs has been crucial given the injury crisis plaguing the roster.

Reflecting on the past year, Dinwiddie described his experience with the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers as the ‘hardest year’ of his career. However, the Mavericks’ challenging injury situation has afforded him more playing time and the chance to showcase his offensive skills.

‘It’s adjustment on the fly,’ Dinwiddie explained. ‘My task changes game to game, and sometimes, within the game.’ This flexibility has become necessary as the Mavericks navigate injuries to their frontcourt, with notable players like Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II just recently returning to action. Currently, Dinwiddie is the only true point guard available as the team cannot rely on third-year guard Brandon Williams due to his two-way contract status.

‘We’ve run with bigs being hurt. Now we’re going with the guards being hurt,’ Kidd noted. ‘Spencer’s very important to the situation right now. He does everything. He preps well.’

Dinwiddie has consistently maintained good health throughout his 11-year career, appearing in at least 76 games over the last three seasons. His familiarity with the Mavericks from his previous stint facilitated a smoother transition this season, despite the ever-changing dynamics of the roster.

‘It’s been rewarding to be around great people,’ Dinwiddie said. ‘Usually, no two years have been the same, but no two days have been the same this year.’