OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mavericks capped a 3-2 trip that spanned throughout the holidays with a 95-86 victory over Oklahoma City on Sunday evening.
It was the return of Luka Dončić, along with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Maxi Kleber, all of whom played a big role in the win, which got the Mavericks back to .500 at 18-18 going into Monday’s home game against Denver.
It will be a challenging back-to-back for sure.
But playing with the grit they had against the Thunder would help their cause greatly. Here’s our takeaways from that impressive outing.
LUKA DEALING WITH IT: We might as well get the disturbing news out of the way first. After getting 14 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, Dončić said that even the extra five games off that he sat out for COVID-19 protocols didn’t fully allow his sore left ankle to heal. And then he stepped on a teammate’s foot in the second half against the Thunder, although it didn’t seem to hinder him. “The pain is going to be there for the rest of the season,” he said. “But it’s way better than it was. I know it’s better than it was for sure.” That’s good to hear, but the part that resonates is that he’s going to have to deal with pain the rest of the season. It’s not concerning for the long term health of the face of the franchise. Dirk Nowitzki had ankle problems early in his career and the Mavericks learned to manage them over time. But nobody likes the thought of Dončić having to fight periodic problems with his foot or ankle the rest of this season.
ROAD WARRIORS: Remember one of those major themes when this season started? The Mavericks wanted to be a much-improved home team and continue to be pesky on the road, which has always been one of their strengths. Well, as we near the midpoint of the season, they are 10-10 on the road. That’s more than acceptable. The problem is that they are 8-8 at home, where they face difficult Western Conference opponents Denver and Golden State in the next three days. So far, this team has looked very familiar in the way it has showed perseverance on the road, but has been lukewarm at American Airlines Center.
A BIG THANK-YOU: The Mavericks went 3-2 on their Christmas/New Year’s trip, which is one of two five-game journeys this season. They lost on Christmas night at Utah, then won three of four. Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dončić knew where to give credit. “First and foremost, I want to thank the guys that were on those 10 days (COVID-19 hardship contracts) for holding it down,” Hardaway said. “They did an amazing job with the circumstances put in front of them. That’s not an easy task.” Added Luka: “We had a lot of new guys. But they played great. They shared the ball. They won a couple games and I think they did great.”
BENCH BRIGADE: The Mavericks’ bench outscored the Thunder’s reserves 41-26. They were a plus-14 when Marquese Chriss and Josh Green were on the floor. They were plus-11 when Hardaway was on the floor. As the Mavericks continue to have players trickle back from the COVID-19 protocols, the hope is that their bench will regain its punch.
Twitter: @ESefko
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