Final: Mavs 105, Spurs 101
Box Score | Highlights
Behind the Box Score
Dirk Nowitzki swatted a Kawhi Leonard 3-pointer at the end of the second quarter. It was his first 3-point block since Nov. 22, 2014, and just his fifth overall since 2006, according to Basketball-Reference. He finished with four blocks, his most in a game since Jan. 29, 2016, and just his second four-block game since the end of the 2013-14 season. Even at age 38, Dirk does stuff we haven’t really seen him do too often.
This was the Mavs’ first regular-season win in San Antonio since Nov. 26, 2010. They had previously lost 12 straight games at the AT&T Center.
The Spurs missed eight free throws, while the Mavericks missed just one. Those points mattered a whole heck of a lot tonight.
Notebook
On the floor for the Mavs during a game-deciding run were Yogi Ferrell, Seth Curry, Dorian Finney-Smith, Harrison Barnes, and Dwight Powell. The oldest player of that group is Curry, 26. Dirk Nowitzki and Wesley Matthews contributed heavily, of course, but the Mavs’ youngsters were able to create even more separation and help to close the deal down the stretch. During one sequence, Barnes made a terrific pass out of a double-team to Curry for 3, Ferrell made an excellent drive and dish to Powell for a dunk, and Barnes hit a couple tough mid-range Js in-between. Some of the vets checked back in in the closing moments, but the fact remains: All of a sudden, wins like this can make young players believe in themselves even more and continue to build their confidence. That can only mean good things for the Mavs, who escape San Antonio with perhaps an unexpected win, but one whose benefits could be on display moving forward for this team for potentially some time.
This was point guard Yogi Ferrell’s Mavericks debut, and less than 36 hours after putting pen to paper to sign his 10-day contract, the 6-foot rookie was starting. He is the first player in franchise history to start his first game of a 10-day deal with Dallas, per the TV broadcast. Rick Carlisle has praised Ferrell for his smarts and basketball IQ, and that element of his game was on display tonight. It’s not that he did anything super fancy or Jason Kidd-esque, but Ferrell played within himself and within the Mavs’ offensive system, which isn’t an easy thing to do in a player’s very first game with a team. He finished with nine points (including two very late, equally clutch free throws), seven assists, and two steals in this one. I would imagine he could be the starter again tomorrow night at Cleveland.
Seth Curry scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including a late layup to put the Mavericks up five. We are running out of ways to say Harrison Barnes is good, and the same truth is becoming evident with Curry. He also added a career-high 10 rebounds to go along with five assists and a steal, in perhaps his finest performance as a pro.
Justin Anderson didn’t receive a ton of playing time tonight — only seven minutes — but he looked good once again. The play which stood out most was a dribble-drive around LaMarcus Aldridge in the first half, with Anderson putting on the burners to get past the big man and finish at the rim. Those are the “simple” plays he needs to make to remain a vital cog in the Mavs’ rotation. The second-year wing is competing with Wesley Matthews and Dorian Finney-Smith for minutes, and Finney-Smith’s baseline drive and dunk was one of the highlights of the game, so while playing time might not come as consistently as the younger two of the group would hope, but they’ve got to continue taking advantage of the opportunities when they earn them.
An issue with Andrew Bogut’s hamstring flared up in this one, and he was ruled doubtful to return in the second half. He ultimately did not retake the floor. Stay tuned for updates on his status for tomorrow night’s tilt with the Cavs in Dallas.
What’s Next
The Mavs (17-30) play the Cleveland Cavaliers (32-14) on Monday at American Airlines Center at 7:30 p.m. Central.
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