Entering Wednesday’s home game against the Atlanta Hawks, the Dallas Mavericks have used a whopping 43 different starting lineup
s this season because of injuries, trades and illnesses.
So when the Mavs had a rare full practice session on Tuesday, coach Jason Kidd said it was much needed in order to get his players on the same page and accustomed to playing with one another.
“Focus on Atlanta, but also we got to focus on ourselves because we are a new group because of health and the trade,” Kidd said. “So, we’re trying to do two things at once: focus on Atlanta but also focus on ourselves.
“We’ve had some different combinations that haven’t had the opportunity to play yet. So, getting those guys a relationship started today and hopefully we can build and those can be positive on the floor starting (against the Hawks).”
Center Daniel Gafford gave the Mavs a shot in the arm when he returned Monday against the Brooklyn Nets. Because of a minutes restriction, Gafford only played 19 minutes, but he finished with a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds.
“Gaff was really good on both sides,” Kidd said. “His wind and condition (were a concern).
“But besides that, he did really, really well and came out healthy. That’s the biggest thing. So, if we can continue to keep stacking (healthy days) that’s a good thing.”
What’s also a good thing for the Mavs is the possible return of center Dereck Lively II. Lively has missed 36 games since suffering a stress fracture in his right ankle Jan. 14 against the Denver Nuggets.
However, Lively practiced on Tuesday, and Kidd said Lively “did everything that the other guys did.” Lively is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game, while Anthony Davis (left adductor strain) and Caleb Martin (left hip strain) are listed as probable.
Here are some other nuggets surrounding Wednesday’s game against the Hawks.
*The Mavs opened this brief two-game home stand with Monday’s 113-109 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. After Wednesday’s game, the Mavs head to the West Coast to play a pair of games against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and Saturday before returning home to host the Los Angeles Lakers on April 9.
*Wednesday’s game is the only one on this trip for the Hawks before they go back home to play back-to-back games against the New York Knicks on Saturday
and the Utah Jazz on Sunday. The game against the Mavs is the second leg of a back-to-back for the Hawks after they lost Tuesday night in Atlanta to Portland, 127-113, despite 29 points and 15 assists from Trae Young, and 22 points and 10 rebounds from Dyson Daniels.
*On Nov. 25, the Mavs went to Atlanta and defeated the Hawks, 129-119, when they had four players score at least 20 points: Kyrie Irving (32 points, seven rebounds, six assists), Jaden Hardy (23 points), Naji Marshall (22 points, six rebounds) and Spencer Dinwiddie (22 points). Jalen Johnson (28 points, 11 rebounds, three steals), Trae Young (18 points, 16 assists), Bogdan Bogdanovic (18 points) and Dyson Daniels (17 points) led the Hawks in that game.
*Mavs center Daniel Gafford missed 21 games, but returned Monday and collected a team-high 17 points and seven rebounds in just 19 minutes in the loss to Brooklyn. It was Gafford’s first game since he sprained his right knee during the 129-128 loss in overtime to the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 10.
*The Hawks have one of the best backcourts in the NBA. Young is the big weapon for Atlanta. The seven-year veteran guard averages 24.1 ppg and leads the league in assists with 11.5 per game. Young’s backcourt mate, Dyson Daniels, averages 14.1 ppg and 5.8 rpg, and also is a defensive wizard and leads the NBA in steals with 3.1 spg.
*The Mavs are 40-47 all-time against the Hawks, including 23-20 during games played in Dallas. The Mavs also are 4-1 with Anthony Davis in the lineup. The Mavs (37-39) are the Western Conference’s No. 9 seed, half-a-game ahead of 10th-seeded Sacramento (36-39) and two games ahead of 11th-seeded Phoenix (35-41).
ATLANTA HAWKS (36-39) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (37-39)
When: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: WFAA-8, KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream
Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
X: @DwainPrice
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