The Dallas Mavericks (22-44) play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers (40-26) on Friday on the second night of a back-to-back. The Mavericks are coming off a win in one of the year’s biggest Tank games, where they outlasted the vaunted Grizz starting four NBA 2k randomly generated characters and former Mav, Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
Now they’ll go against a Cleveland squad scrapping for seeding in the East and trying to hold off the Orlando Magic for the fourth spot and home-court advantage in the playoffs.
Dallas wishes them the best in that endeavor.
Cardio Coop
This is not rocket science, but it’s hard to play NBA basketball when you’re tired. Dallas flew back home from Memphis and has less than 24 hours before lacing ‘em up again for the Cavs. While many of the older vets sat out the front half of the back-to-back, Cooper Flagg seems like he’ll be available for both.
With zero days rest this season, Flagg has played eight times, and he averages roughly two fewer points, one fewer assist, and one fewer rebound than his season averages this year. The disparity between zero days’ rest and two days is even higher. On a back-to-back, and especially this late in the season, we’ll get a look at when or if Cooper does finally hit that rookie wall.
Who guards the guards?
Cleveland adding James Harden as a backcourt partner to Donovan Mitchell has made them one of the more formidable pairings in the league, with Harden flashing some vintage performances since putting on a Cavs jersey.
Dallas, which often flips back and forth between starting Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhard at lead guard, is going to have its hands full trying to contain even one, let alone both of those guys. And if one of them gets on a heater, watch out. Things could get out of hand fairly quickly in this one.
Do that again
After this game, Dallas will be on the road again, flying out to take on… the Cleveland Cavaliers! In a rare mid-season home-and-home. How that plays into how Dallas wants to play their lineup is something to consider. Coach Jason Kidd has never been one to shy away from some rather kooky tinkering, and the chance to run his guys against the same team in back-to-back contests might prove irresistible. How will Dallas’ lineup fare in an A/B test? Will Cooper play all his on-court minutes with Nembhard and Powell in game one, and BWill and Gafford in game two? The potential for lineup data is tantalizing.
