Preview: Pushing the pace has helped Mavs to 3-0 start

The Mavericks went into this season committed to pushing the pace, realizing it likely would increase their chances of winning games. And the results thus far have been phenomenal.

After the first three games of the season, the Mavs are tied with the Sacramento Kings for the NBA scoring lead with 125.3 points per game. That has translated to a perfect 3-0 record, which is the fifth time in franchise history the Mavs have started 3-0, and their first since the 2004-05 season.

The Mavs will try and add another win to their won-loss record Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. when they host the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center.

Reserve guard Tim Hardaway Jr. said coach Jason Kidd has given the players the freedom to push the ball up the floor at every opportunity, and that has netted the significant positive results the Mavs want.

“All five guys out there on the floor, he gives us the freedom to get the rebound or get stops, push it those first four to six seconds,” Hardaway said. “It’s your freedom to do whatever you want and try to get a nice shot, attack the rim, get in the paint, get open looks and then, if not, try to get into something.”

Hardaway noticed the increase in pace started near the end of last season after the Mavs acquired guard Kyrie Irving in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

“After the All-Star break when (Irving) came, we were moving a little bit faster, cutting, pushing the pace,” Hardaway said. “I do know one thing that (Irving) always preaches: ‘I joke around with these guys in the locker room, but you got to be in shape in order to play like this.’

“Everybody in that locker room took it to heart, especially when he said it last year. Then going into the offseason, working hard and making sure that we come into this season in shape. The reason why we’re able to play faster and to move like that is that the guys are in shape.”

*Following Wednesday’s game, the Mavs will play their first-ever in-season tournament game Friday night on the road against the defending world champion Denver Nuggets.

*The Mavs are 42-42 all-time against Chicago, but the Bulls are 6-1 in their last seven appearances against the Mavs.

*Mavs guard Luka Doncic leads the NBA in scoring with a whopping 39 ppg. He also is averaging 11.7 rpg and 9.7 apg, and shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 48.6 percent from three-point land.

*Doncic has two 30-point triple-doubles in the first three games and 58 for his career. The only other players in NBA history with multiple triple-doubles through their first three games are Oscar Robertson (three in 1961-62) and Russell Westbrook (two in 2016-17).

*Mavs guard Kyrie Irving missed Monday’s 125-110 win at Memphis with a left foot sprain.

*Mavs forward Derrick Jones Jr. poured in 22 points on 7-of-10 shots in the win over Memphis. It’s just the third 20-point game of Jones’ career. Jones tallied a career-high 25 points on Feb. 5, 2020 against the Los Angeles Clippers while he was playing for the Miami Heat. He also scored 23 points on March 11, 2020 against Charlotte.

*Bulls guard Zach LaVine scored a career-high 51 points last Saturday during a 118-102 loss against the Detroit Pistons. LaVine is 20^th in the league in scoring at 24.5 ppg, and DeMar DeRozan is 22^nd with 23.3 ppg.

*The Bulls enter Wednesday night’s game following a 112-105 win in Indiana on Monday. Nikola Vucevic (24 points, 17 rebounds), LaVine (23 points, five boards) and DeRozan (20 points) paced the Bulls in that game.

CHICAGO BULLS (2-2) AT DALLAS MAVERICKS (3-0)

When: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas

TV: BSSW

Radio: 97.1 FM The Freak; 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)

X: @DwainPrice