Dallas, TX – The Dallas Mavericks had an unusual loss last night against the Orlando Magic, who have been one of the worst teams in the East.

This may have been due to not having Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup, whose 7-foot frame could have been useful against the Magic's centers.

This game showed if you do not have enough size on the floor, it can put your offense and defense in bad situations.

Since the Mavs have their next game on Wednesday, let's see what they can do to get back on track.

Less small ball against tall, lengthy opponents

Dallas will not be facing many sizes against the Oklahoma City Thunder but they will still need to have enough size around the basket.

Porzingis's status is still unknown for Wednesday night's matchup as his wingspan will surely help in the paint against OKC Thunder guards.

Jason Kidd is aware of this and will look to have some of his big men play more in situations to give them some size.

If Porzingis cannot play, look for Moses Brown and Forward Marquese Chriss as they can be versatile on the boards.

Dallas has shown great improvement on defense to begin the new year as they have been #1 in that category.

Kidd will undoubtedly have his squad ready to play as they head back to Dallas and the home crowd.

Role Players have to step up in Tim Hardaway Jr's absence

With Tim Hardaway Jr recent injury, the Mavs will need to rely on their role players to fill the void.

While Hardaway was a streaky shooter, he was the Mavericks' 3rd-4th best scoring option on a given night.

This will open the door for Reggie Bullock, Sterling Brown, and Marquese Chriss for opportunities.

Luka Doncic will continue on his monstrous scoring streak, and Jalen Brunson can remain the 2nd scoring option.

When Porzingis plays, he provides great versatility, but other players are inconsistent.

Dorian Finney-Smith has been much better in recent weeks, hopefully, he can provide a spark.

What's Next?

On Wednesday, Dallas can get things back flowing so they can be prepared to take on Atlanta Sunday night.

The Thunder have struggled this season but nothing is given as we saw the Magic pull off an upset.

Look for the Mavericks to come out firing on all cylinders as they return to Big D.

Featured Image by Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

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