PREVIEW
MAVS (2-0) AT CHARLOTTE HORNETS (1-2)
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Place: Spectrum Center, Charlotte
TV: BSSW, ESPN
Radio: The Eagle, 97.1 FM; Univision 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: Coach Jason Kidd said he’ll probably only play 11 players tonight. And he added that Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis “will play starter minutes in that sense of getting them to touch the fourth quarter. Pretty much everybody (that plays) is going to touch the fourth quarter. And then we’ll shut it down somewhere in the middle of the fourth quarter and let five or six guys finish out the game.” Sounds like a dress rehearsal game. Then again, Kidd said every game is a dress rehearsal game . . . In playing just the first half of the previous two preseason games, Doncic produced 33 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists in 34 minutes. Porzingis also played only the first half of the two previous games and contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and two steals in 35 minutes . . . The Mavs won their two preseason games at home — 111-101 over Utah on Oct. 6 and 122-114 over the Los Angeles Clippers last Friday . . . After tonight’s game, the Mavs will finish preseason competition on Friday in Milwaukee against the defending NBA champions. They open the regular season Oct. 21 in a nationally televised game (TNT) in Atlanta.
About the Hornets: This is the preseason finale for the Hornets, who are averaging 104.7 ppg while allowing 109.7 ppg . . . The Hornets lost a wild one in Miami on Monday, 104-103, as Javonte Smart’s three-point play with 7.8 seconds left was the difference maker. Charlotte led, 103-91, with 3:37 remaining, but got outscored 13-0 the remainder of the game . . . Miles Bridges (22 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two blocks), LaMelo Ball (19 points, eight rebounds, nine assists) and Cody Martin (15 points, five rebounds) led the way for the Hornets against Miami . . . Charlotte opened the preseason with a 113-97 win at Oklahoma City on Oct. 4 . . . In their only home preseason game, the Hornets were blown out by the Memphis Grizzlies, 128-98, Thursday. Terry Rozier collected 21 points and five assists in only 24 minutes in that game for Charlotte, and Ball had 13 points and seven assists but was only 5-of-17 from the field. Memphis led that game, 73-43, at the half . . . The Hornets will open the regular season on Oct. 20 at home against Indiana and new Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. Ball was the NBA Rookie of the Year last season.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
Share and comment