Mavs’ Max Christie Aiming To Finish Strong in Career Year
Just over a year after the organization’s franchise-altering trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks were back in Cleveland on a Sunday afternoon. Max Christie was part of the deal, along with Anthony Davis, who is no longer with the franchise after it traded him to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster at the trade deadline.
A lot has transpired since one of the most unforgettable moments in NBA history, but one of the most untold stories from it is Christie’s development since then.
“It’s been eventful obviously, but I’ve been fortunate to be a part of another great organization and be around some great guys, some great teammates,” Christie told R.org in an exclusive interview. “Just learning and just trying to get better each and every day.
“Just continuing to watch film, continuing to learn from my teammates, continuing to learn from the wealth of knowledge around me. It’s just led to a little bit of growth this year, so it’s good.”
Christie is an everyday starter for the Mavs, averaging career-highs across the board. He is scoring 12.7 points, grabbing 3.4 rebounds, and dishing out 2.1 assists per game. He’s only missed five contests all year, and his shooting splits are the best they’ve been since entering the league at .452/.410/.882.
Though it’s been a difficult year for Dallas to this point with numerous injuries and constantly shifting roles and lineups, Christie has taken full advantage of his opportunities.
“I’m just taking what the defense gives me and just going in and continuing just to play hard and continuing to let my game take over,” Christie said. “I’ve got great teammates that are able to get me the ball in certain situations. Obviously, they’re able to take over, too, but I just think as a unit we’ve done a good job of getting everybody involved.”
Dallas head coach Jason Kidd has put Christie in different positions this season, from handling in pick-and-roll situations, utilizing his talents on fastbreak chances, and working him in off the ball.
“Just taking what the game gives him,” Kidd said at the beginning of March. “Being able to knock down the open three or he’s gonna drive and make a play for a teammate.”
According to the NBA’s playtype data, Christie is scoring 1.27 points per possession in transition, which would rank near the 80th percentile in the league. The Mavs want the 23-year-old swingman to attack swiftly in the open floor.
Christie has also initiated actions and is improving his sense of timing when using ball screens to his advantage. Since he’s gotten to Dallas, more responsibility has been put on his plate, and he’s trended upward with his decision-making and reads as a result.
Kidd has had him play less at the 3 and more in the backcourt as well, putting Christie primarily at shooting guard with a mix of point guard reps. He’s been alongside sensational rookie Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall the most of any trio on the team.
So, it makes sense that Christie ranks third for Dallas in playing with 1,887 total minutes. He’s also suited up for the second-most amount of games.
Fighting Until The End
It has been a tough campaign on the Mavs from the get-go, as Kyrie Irving hasn’t suited up for a single game, and Davis is no longer a part of the club.
As it stands, Dallas is a full 10 games back from the Play-In Tournament with only 13 games left in the 2025-26 season. That doesn’t mean Christie will stop competing and mail it in the rest of the way.
This is a chance for him and his teammates to make their case for next year’s squad. These matchups still count in many ways, and there’s still important progress to be measured.
“Just finish strong. It’s pretty simple,” Christie said. “It doesn’t have to be super specific. Just finish the season strong.
“Obviously, it’s easy this time of year to kinda relax. You’re almost at the tail end and you want to let off the gas a little bit, but I think for me, just continuing to try to get better. Just continuing to stay mentally tough, stay mentally strong these days, where everybody’s fatigued and tired. Just trying to push through.”