10/06/2026
A new 2026-27 FNBA Series to keep you in the know.
The Dallas Mavericks are a perfect storm for John Poulakidas’ NBA plight.
A front office that has stockpiled power forwards like Pokemon (Washington, Marshall, Aldama, Morez Johnson) and a roster that is shooting-starved outside of Kyrie, Max Christie and Marcus Sasser. JP is primed and ready to fill in the gaps at the two spot.
Positional size (6’6”, 205 pounds) plus elite jump shooting is an eternally invaluable, tried and tested, formula for NBA survivability. Indispensable offensive utility sans the need to be compensated for as a defensive sitting duck.
John’s shooting resume precedes him. 40% three consecutive seasons at Yale, a sweltering 46.1% on 8.6 attempts per game throughout the 2025-26 G-League season, followed by a 40.3% clip on 77 attempts to wrap up the year with the Mavs.
But the 3PT variety that underpins those marks is the crucial factor. Poulakidas is a movement shooter through and through. 82% of his looks from deep came from above the break - a function of curling off picks, relocating from the corner to the 45 off the back of paint touches, and making it rain in transition before the defense has had a chance to blink.
The first sequence is the perfect microcosm to his shooting aptitude - sprinting from the deep corner off a dribble handoff, leveraging a push dribble to the top of the arc, squaring his feet at velocity, and putting on the blinders on the way up as the rear contest flies his way.
His lower-to-upper transition on the move is just as important as his snappy mechanics. Not to mention it is always a little sweeter with lefty verve (although I am biased).
The Box Score:
Date: April 12th 2026
Score: Mavs 149 - 128 Bulls
Regular Season Records: Bulls 31-51, Mavs 26-56
Interesting (and uninteresting) Statlines:
John Poulakidas - 28 PTS / 4 AST / 9-18 FG / 8-16 3PT
Ryan Nembhard - 15 PTS / 9 REB / 23 AST / 6-11 FG
Moussa Cisse - 17 PTS / 20 REB / 6-15 FG
Tyler Smith - 20 PTS / 7 REB / 4-9 3PT
AJ Johnson - 20 PTS / 6-12 FG / 8-9 FT
Rob Dillingham - 25 PTS / 5 AST / 11-18 FG
Leonard Miller - 17 PTS / 7 REB / 8-12 FG
Collin Sexton - 19 PTS / 8-16 FG