Final: Mavs 114, Grizzlies 80

Box Score | Highlights

Behind the Box Score

The Mavs led 31-13 after the first quarter. Their 18-point lead was the club’s largest advantage after the opening frame since Nov. 13, 2014, when Dallas led by 28 against Philly. The 13 points the Mavs allowed were the fewest they allowed in the first quarter since Feb. 11, 2015, when they gave up just nine points against Utah.

Dallas held a 56-30 lead at halftime. It was their largest halftime lead of the season, and the fewest points the Mavs allowed in the opening half since that same Nov. 13, 2014 game against the 76ers.

Harrison Barnes took 11 free throws in the first half alone. Though he didn’t attempt any in the second, it still represented his second-highest total for a game as a Maverick, and third-highest in his career.

Notebook

  • J.J. Barea doesn’t start very often, but when he does, he enjoys himself. Tonight Barea scored 20 points, grabbed five boards, and handed out five assists, good for his sixth-career 20/5/5 game. He did it on a saucy 8-of-11 shooting, displaying his ability to dupe defenders into doing one thing when he was planning on doing something else.

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    The 33-year-old point guard is having the best season of his career in many ways, averaging his most points and assists per game ever, with his fifth-highest field goal percentage and fourth-best 3-point percentage. He continues to carry the second unit with his playmaking, and his ability to see the floor and read defenses has helped Dwight Powell, Yogi Ferrell, and others develop any time they play with him. He’s a magician, able to continuously find cracks in the defense despite not having the size or top-end speed as virtually anyone he faces on any given night.

  • Dorian Finney-Smith made his long-awaited return to action tonight, after sitting out with right knee quadriceps tendinitis since all the way back on Nov. 12. After leading the entire team in games played during his rookie season in 2016-17, it’s understandable that the former Florida Gator was chomping at the bit to get back on the floor. Perhaps his biggest area of development over the summer was intended to be a smoothed-out jump shot. Unfortunately, due to his injury we haven’t had the chance to see too much of it, but Finney-Smith did show it off at one point early on.

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    That’s a huge improvement in three areas over the jumper we saw last season. (See below.)

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    First, it’s a quicker shot, which makes it tougher for a defender to contest. Second, there’s no hitch toward the top of the jumper. Whereas last season he brought the ball behind his head, this season it’s a smooth rise-and-release motion. Finally, he now shoots the ball toward the apex of his jump as opposed to on the way down, as was the case last season. Finney-Smith hit 1 of 3 3-pointers in his first game back. Obviously as time goes on he’s going to get many, many more reps both in games and during practice. That’s going to be an extremely important part of his offensive game moving forward, so it’s good to see

  • Due to a combination of Finney-Smith’s return and Dennis Smith Jr. sitting out the game with a sore left knee (he is expected to play on Sunday against Houston), the Mavs had a big bench for a change. We’re used to seeing three-guard lineups with the second unit, but tonight Dallas rolled out a lineup featuring Yogi Ferrell at point guard flanked by Finney-Smith, Harrison Barnes, and Doug McDermott on the wing, plus a center. That’s one of the biggest lineups the club has played all season. The NBA these days is all about having several wings who can defend multiple positions and at least shoot the 3, if not do more. Clearly Barnes can do much more, and McDermott has shown the ability to create for himself off the dribble as well. The Mavs have played smaller than most this season in large part because of Finney-Smith’s absence, and of course the team added size to the roster by trading for McDermott. Suddenly, Dallas has three big wings who can all seemingly share the floor together. I’m curious to see how much those guys play together the rest of this season and, potentially, beyond.

    What’s Next

    The Mavs (21-45) will play the Houston Rockets (51-14) on Sunday at American Airlines Center at 6 p.m. Central.

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