What kind of point guard should he play? Kidd quickly asked him to return to the small forward position.

Flagg played his career masterpiece in Milwaukee. Facing the Bucks' defense, he scored 26 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 1 block. He made 9 of 15 shots from the field, with amazing efficiency. This game returned to the familiar small forward position, like a fish returning to the water, every movement was so natural and smooth.

Just a few weeks ago, things were completely different. Due to Irving's injury, head coach Kidd made a bold attempt to let the 2.03-meter-tall young forward switch to point guard. In seven games as point guard, Flagg averaged only 13.6 points per game and shot as low as 38.3% from the field. We can see his discomfort, his center of gravity is too high when dribbling, and it is too difficult to face NBA-level pressing defense. The offensive methods that he was originally good at became hesitant, as if he was always thinking about how to organize the attack instead of decisively completing the attack.

The data doesn't lie. When he returned to the small forward position, his scoring average rose to 17.6 points per game, and his shooting percentage soared to 50%. The improvement on the defensive end is even more obvious, with steals increasing from 0.9 to 1.9 and blocks increasing from 0.4 to 1.1. At the point guard position, Flagg needs to always think about how to drive the team, which distracts from focusing on scoring. His organizational skills are still growing, and his timing of passing the ball is also lacking. Sometimes you will see him in a dilemma after the pick-and-roll, should he attack himself or find his teammates? This moment of hesitation often misses the best opportunity.

When he returned to the forward position, everything became different. He is more decisive when running without the ball, and the timing of air cuts is just right. On the defensive end, he can make full use of his height and wingspan, roam freely between the third and fourth positions, and become an important defensive point in the defensive system. The key block he sent against the Bucks is the best expression of his defensive talent.

Irving is expected to return in January, which means that the Mavericks' backcourt will once again have a stable playmaker. At that time, Flagg can return to the forward position with peace of mind and focus on his strengths-scoring, defense, air cutting, all the skills he is best at. In the long run, this experience of playing point guard may not be a bad thing for Flagg's growth. The perspective of a point guard allows him to better understand the game, and his movement and control skills are also honed under pressure. At this stage, placing him at the small forward position is a wiser choice. It can maximize his personal abilities and help the team win more games.

The biggest problem faced by the Mavericks coaching staff now is injuries. Nong Mei, Lively and others are all recovering from injuries. It is difficult for an incomplete lineup to be effectively trained. Originally, Irving, Russell and Ekosum were used as the main backcourt rotation, but in the end, only Russell could play, and Flagg had to be chosen as the point guard. This is the reality. Injuries are the biggest obstacle for the Mavericks.

Do you think Flagg is better as a point guard? Or is it better to play small forward?