Mavs-Hornets preview: Josh Green’s turn to see old friends

Old home week continues for the Mavericks on Thursday night.

No, it’s not going to generate the same electricity that surrounded the Mavericks’ Tuesday visit to Los Angeles where they reunited on opposite sides of the court with Luka Dončić.

But when the Charlotte Hornets come to American Airlines Center as the Mavericks start a three-game home stand, Josh Green will make his first appearance in Dallas since the Mavericks traded him in a convoluted six-team transaction last summer.

The Hornets also have former Mavericks Grant Williams and Seth Curry, who were part of the deal for P.J. Washington before the 2024 trading deadline.

Williams is out after knee surgery. But Curry remains with the Hornets and Green has been a starter all season for them, averaging 7.6 points in 28 minutes per game.

Green, though, is the player that had the strongest attachment to the Mavericks, who selected him in the 2020 draft with the 18^th overall pick. He was taken ahead of players like Tyrese Maxey, Desmond Bane and Saddiq Bey, all of whom went later in the first round and have had high-quality careers so far.

Green was the player who had more hustle and heart than most players, but never had the production for which Mavericks’ fans hoped.

The 6-5 guard averaged 8.7 points and 3.1 rebounds in his final two seasons with the Mavericks, when he was a part-time starter. He averaged 26 minutes per game and shot 39.3 percent from three-point range.

This season with the Hornets, he’s started 51 of the 52 games in which he’s played. He’s shot 40.1 percent from three-point range and averaged 7.6 points per game.

Green had perhaps his best run in the playoffs last season when he and the Mavericks reached the NBA Finals. Green played in all 22 playoff games and averaged 5 points and 2.5 rebounds. In Game 2 against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference second round, he had 11 points in 16 minutes and the Mavericks were plus-nine when he was on the court – exactly the amount they won that game by to knot that series at a win apiece.

Here’s what else to watch for Thursday when the Hornets make their only visit of the season at AAC:

• The Hornets are playing their finale of a nine-game trip that included three games before the All-Star break and six after. They are 1-7 so far on the trip but the one victory was impressive: 100-97 at the Los Angeles Lakers in a game in which Luka Dončić played 33 minutes but shot just 1-of-9 from three-point land and scored just 14 points.
• In the four games since their win at LA, the Hornets have been beaten by 14 points at Denver, 53 points at Portland, 42 points at Sacramento and 36 points at Golden State.
• The Mavericks continue to be without most of their big men, although Dwight Powell did return on Tuesday in LA. Out are Anthony Davis (left adductor strain), Daniel Gafford (right knee) and Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture). Also out is Caleb Martin, who has been nursing a hip injury but is getting closer to making his Mavericks’ debut.
• Kyrie Irving is coming off a 35-point outing against the Lakers and has scored 30 or more points in five of his last six games, dating to before the All-Star break. He’s averaged 31.5 points in that stretch.
• The Hornets are without Brandon Miller (wrist), Grant Williams (knee), Mark Williams (unspecified), Josh Okogie (hamstring) and Tre Mann (back). Listed as day-to-day is LaMelo Ball (ankle).
• The Hornets’ top-scoring healthy player is Miles Bridges at 19.9 points per game. They are a decent defensive team, particularly when healthy. They are fourth in the league in defensive three-point percentage, allowing foes to make just 34.7 percent of their long-range shots.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS (14-43) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (31-28)

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas.

TV: WFAA, KFAA 29, MAVSTV STREAM.

RADIO: KEGL 97.1 FM, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)

X: @ESefko