DETROIT — After stitching together their most impressive win of the season with Tuesday’s 116-113 victory over the
defending world champion Golden State Warriors, the Dallas Mavericks will try to build on that momentum when they start a two-game road trip tonight at 6 against the Detroit Pistons at Littler Caesars Arena.
The play of Josh Green was pivotal in the victory over the Warriors. Green, who barely got off the bench two years ago as a rookie and only averaged 4.8 points in 15.5 minutes last season, has steadily worked himself in playing a crucial role off the bench for this year’s team.
Not only is Green averaging 6.9 points in 19.5 minutes this season. But he also pumps up the Mavs – and the crowd during home games – with the energy he brings to the court.
“I think it’s just looking at it like what do you got to lose,” said Green, who scored 13 points on 5-of-7 shots against the Warriors. “Last year I was passing up on shots, and quite frankly they were bricking and missing and doing everything I didn’t want them to do.
“For me this year, (I’m) just coming in and being confident. If I miss one, you know, just make the next one. I realize it hurts the team when you don’t shoot the open ball or you don’t do stuff like that. If I’m open, I’ll shoot it.”
The shooting spree by Green was his best since he went 8-for-9 from the field – including 6-of-7 from three-point land – and scored a career-high 23 points during the 98-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Nov. 20.
The Mavs, who play the Knicks on New York on Saturday before returning home to host the Phoenix Suns on Monday, are banking on Green bringing his hot hand to the Motor City and helping Dallas get this two-game road trip off to a rousing start.
*Point guard Kemba Walker went through his first practice with the Mavs on Wednesday and declared himself ready to play whenever coach Jason Kidd calls his name. “I know I haven’t played in a while, but I feel as good as I have in a very long time,” Walker said. “I really took my time and made sure I felt better before I really started ramping myself up.” Walker is a four-time All-Star, and is the only player on the Mavs’ roster who have played in an NBA All-Star game other than Luka Doncic.
*Bojan Bogdanovic leads the Pistons in scoring with 20.3 ppg. Next on the list is Cade Cunningham, who was born in Arlington and played high school basketball at Arlington Bowie. However, Cunningham is out tonight due to soreness in his left shin. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, Cunningham averages 19.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 6.0 apg, but hasn’t played since a Nov. 9 game against the Boston Celtics.
*Luka Doncic’s sterling 41-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist triple-double against the Golden State Warriors was remarkable for many reasons. One reason is that Doncic now has three 40-point triple-doubles this season. The rest of the 400-plus players in the NBA has combined to produce absolutely no 40-point triple-doubles this season.
*Pistons rookie guard Jaden Ivey, the No. 5 overall pick in this past summer’s NBA Draft, is questionable for tonight’s game because of right knee soreness. Ivey is averaging 16.2 ppg, while the Pistons have also gotten leverage out of Alec Burks (15 ppg), Saddiq Bey (14.5 ppg), Marvin Bagley III (12.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Isaiah Stewart (12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg).
*After missing the previous games with an injury, Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart returned Tuesday and scored 19 points and grabbed five rebounds in 23 minutes against the New York Knicks. Stewart set a career-high in three-pointers attempted (nine) and made (five) against the Knicks.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (10-10) at Detroit Pistons (5-18)
When: 6 p.m., Thursday
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
TV: Bally Sports Southwest; NBA-TV
Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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