After some much-needed time off, the Dallas Mavericks hosted the Denver Nuggets in the third game of the four-game homestand. The Mavericks knew defense was key, especially without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, if they wanted to defeat Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets again. The Mavericks lost to the Nuggets 112-101 at the American Airlines Center in a Sunday matinee. Dallas fell to 22-17, while Denver improved to 23-15.
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 25 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Spencer Dinwiddie followed up with 16 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists. Naji Marshall added 16 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Dereck Lively II had 14 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. PJ Washington scored eight points, six rebounds, and two assists. Daniel Gafford recorded eight points and three rebounds.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets Recap
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets game was action-packed from start to finish. The Mavericks ruled out Irving with a lumbar back sprain, Doncic with a left calf strain, and Dante Exum with right wrist surgery. The Nuggets ruled out Vlatko Cancar with left knee surgery, DaRon Holmes II with right Achilles tendon repair, and PJ Hall and Spencer Jones with two-way NBA G League contracts.
The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Spencer Dinwiddie, PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively II. Lively II recently explained his secret skill that excited most, if not all, Mavericks fans. After Thursday’s game, Lively II, who’s in his second NBA season, told reporters that he takes a lot of pride in his play-making as a center and that he’s just trying to be able to make sure everybody on his team gets an open shot.
The first quarter saw the Mavericks’ fast start on highlight-reel plays, such as Naji Marshall’s buzzer-beater three-pointer from the corner. The Mavericks took a commanding 32-17 lead at the end of the first. The second quarter saw the Nuggets’ fast start to trim the lead as much as possible. One of the Nuggets’ top plays was when Aaron Gordon rolled into the paint and threw down a slam dunk. The Mavericks settled for a 61-58 lead at halftime.
The third quarter shifted in the Mavericks’ favor. Lively II’s field goal at the rim was one of the Mavericks’ top plays. The Mavericks led 89-79 through three quarters. The fourth quarter shifted in the Nuggets’ favor, despite Thompson’s three-pointers and Thompson surpassing 16,000 career points and becoming the 125th player in the NBA’s history to reach the milestone. The Nuggets went on to win 112-101 in regulation.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets game featured multiple highlights, such as the Mavericks’ recent announcement of MavsTV and Studio 41 working together to bring fans closer to the action. Five new Mavericks shows are now available to watch live and stream, with new episodes released weekly in English and Spanish. These five shows are Round Ball Talk, Take Dat Wit Chu, Poor Spacing, Mavs Insider, and Somos Mavs.
For the Mavericks, Sports Illustrated recently reported ESPN’s Jonathan Givony explored the Mavericks’ potential upgrade of their frontcourt with the Michigan Wolverines’ Center Danny Wolf. Wolf, 20, is known for his talents, such as handling the ball well and playing the four or five. Wolf has averaged 12.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 58.7% from the field and 36.6% from the three-point line.
For the Nuggets, Sports Illustrated recently reported the Nuggets’ reported interest in the Toronto Raptors’ Power Forward Chris Boucher. Boucher, 31, has been averaging 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.6 blocks per game, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 33.9% from the three-point line. Boucher’s talents include scoring, rebounding, and blocking, and Boucher would be an intriguing acquisition for the Nuggets.
Final Thoughts
Some of the Dallas Mavericks’ role players took on different roles. Thursday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers was no exception. The Mavericks’ role players stepped outside the box. The Mavericks used a fourth-quarter 18-2 run to defeat the Trail Blazers 117-111 on Thursday. Jalen Hardy led Dallas’ scoring with a season-high 25 points on 10-of-18 shots. Hardy’s party made a big difference in Dallas’ win vs. Portland.
Spencer Dinwiddie continues to fill the Mavericks’ backcourt void. Two of Dinwiddie’s plays proved his importance. First, the Mavericks trailed by 10 points late in the first half, but Dinwiddie found Lively II with a lob pass that he jammed through a bucket. Second, the Mavericks took a three-point lead with under two minutes left after Dinwiddie found PJ Washington in the corner, hurried a pass, and buried a three-pointer.
The dynamics of an NBA team can be complicated. The Mavericks’ dynamics changed when their top two players were sidelined indefinitely. The Mavericks’ indefinite sidelining greatly impacts them, as their losses require a team effort to bounce back. Washington increased his leadership in Tuesday’s Mavericks’ 118-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Washington has been around the NBA long enough to know how to take the Mavericks’ pulse.
