Despite another loss and a winless preseason, there are signs of life for the Mavericks.
In Friday’s loss to the Bulls in Nebraska, Dallas at least got a glimpse of its starting backcourt as Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews made their preseason debuts.
Each played 16 minutes, with Williams dishing out four assists and Matthews hitting a 3-pointer in his return from Achilles surgery last March.
The returns overshadowed another loss — this one a Bulls’ jumper at the buzzer — that dropped Dallas to 0-6 and left it the only NBA team without a win in the preseason. The Mavs open the season Wednesday in Phoenix. And they’ll do it without veteran center Samuel Dalembert.
The 6-foot-11 big man was among the cuts on Saturday, losing a roster spot to 29-year-old “rookie” Salah Mejri. The Mavs need to make one more cut by 4 p.m. Monday as they decide what to with big man Maurice Ndour, who is sidelined with a stress reaction in his leg. The Mavs’ top three centers are Zaza Pachulia, Dwight Powell and JaVale McGee.
No, by any stretch that isn’t a strong rotation. But with Matthews’ quicker-than-expected recovery, there is life — and hope — for the Mavs’ backcourt.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
