The Mavericks won for the fifth time in six games to improve to 9-4 overall with their 111-101 conquest of the Denver Nuggets.
It was a solid come-from-behind win that was built on the efforts of many players.
Here’s our morning-after takeaways as the Mavericks prepare to hit the road for four games.
PARDON US WHILE WE FRET: When Luka Dončić limps off the floor, even if it’s something minor, it’s reason for concern. And as of Monday night, nobody knew exactly the extent of the lower-leg injury that the superstar point guard suffered with 44 seconds left. He’s been remarkably durable when it comes to overcoming minor aches and pains. He’ll have 48 hours to try to shake off the injury before the trip begins with games at Phoenix Wednesday and Friday. What’s going to be hard for the Mavericks is if they believe Dončić should let the leg rest for a game or two, but he tries to convince them otherwise. In an 82-game season, letting a rolled ankle rest for a few days is usually a smart thing to do and a small price to pay for better health upon a player’s return.
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER: Jason Kidd made it clear: “In this league, there are some teams that will play without a center and go small. So we’re not afraid to do different things to get a win. And that group was really, really good.” “That group” included Tim Hardaway Jr., Jalen Brunson, Reggie Bullock and Frank Ntilikina. Those four players had a combined plus-minus of plus-48. They were on the floor when the Mavericks turned a three-point deficit after three quarters into a 92-85 lead just minutes into the fourth. Dorian Finney-Smith at 6-7 was the center for that group. They got the job done.
TIT-FOR-TAT: At least the Mavericks know the axe swings both ways. This time, it was the second half of a back-to-back that seemed to get to the Nuggets. Having been blown out in Denver last month on the second night of a back-to-back set of games, the Mavericks hoped to repay the Nuggets in the same fashion as they visited after having beaten Portland at home Sunday night. It wasn’t exactly a blowout. But the Mavericks got the job done. And the Nuggets did seem to run out of gas at the end.
A LITTLE DUST-UP NEVER HURT ANYBODY: The Mavericks got a little ‘bowed-up at the start of the fourth quarter when Denver’s JaMychal Green gave Frank Ntilikina a strong shove that decked the backup guard. Quickly, several Mavericks came in to support Ntilikina. He clearly has won friends on this roster, even if a couple of those coming to his rescue were guys that had played with him in New York – Reggie Bullock and Tim Hardaway Jr. It’s always – always – a good sign when a team comes running to support a teammate that has been wronged.
COMING ALIVE? The Mavericks were shooting around 30 percent for the season from 3-point range a week ago. But in their last four games, they have hit 58-of-149 triples. That includes 14-of-36 on Monday against the Nuggets. That’s 38.9 percent over the last four games. It appears the law of averages is leveling out.
Twitter: @ESefko
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