PREVIEW
Wizards at Mavericks
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Place: American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: FSSW
Radio: ESPN, 103.3 FM, Univision, 1270 AM (Spanish)
About the Mavs: This is the regular season opener for the Mavs, who are 21-18 all-time in season openers, including a 12-9 record in season openers at home. . .The Mavs have lost their last three season openers. Last year they dropped a road game at Phoenix, 121-100. . .Coach Rick Carlisle is 9-8 all-time during season openers, including 4-7 with the Mavs. . .With Kristaps Porzingis joining Luka Doncic to form a nice one-two punch, the Mavs are hopeful of not only improving on last year’s 33-49 record, but also of earning a berth in the playoffs for the first time since 2016. . .Doncic captured the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award last season after averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and six assists. . .This will be the first game for Porzingis in over 20 months after he underwent surgery on Feb. 13, 2018 to repair his torn left anterior cruciate ligament. Before he was injured, Porzingis averaged 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and a league-high 2.4 blocks during the 2017-’18 season and was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. . .The Mavs are 43-32 all-time against the Wizards. That includes a 22-16 record in Dallas. . .The Mavs have won 14 of the last 17 games they’ve played in Dallas against the Wizards. . .The Mavs were 1-1 against Washington last year. The Mavs beat the Wizards in Dallas, 119-100, and lost on the road, 132-123.
About the Wizards: The Wizards finished last season with a 32-50 record and will enter Wednesday’s regular season opener without their best player. This summer, Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said point guard John Wall probably won’t play this season after undergoing surgery to repair his ruptured left Achilles tendon. But while the Wizards will be without their five-time All-Star, they still have guard Bradley Beal, who made the past two All-Star games. “Beal ends up having the ball more, which is not a bargain,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “Again, in a lot of instances he’s the de facto point guard and playmaker. So, having a guy with the ball that much – he’s such a threat to do so many different things – shoot it, drive it, draw fouls, make plays, all those things, it’s a big challenge.” Last year Beal averaged 25.6 points, five rebounds and 5.5 assists while becoming the first player in the Wizards’ franchise history to average at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists in a season. “He’s a great player and he’s playing the game more at the point guard than he’s ever has,” Carlisle said. “Everybody knows what he can do from the outside. But every year he becomes more of a complete player. He’s an MVP-caliber talent.”. . . In 72 games for the Wizards last season, center Thomas Bryant averaged 10.5 ppg and 6.3 rpg in just 20.8 mpg and has been mentioned as a preseason candidate for most-improved player.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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