Christmas came early for the Mavericks over the weekend -- in the form of a re-gift.
Welcome back, Brandan Wright.
With coach Rick Carlisle and star Dirk Nowitzki out with illnesses, Wright made his season debut a smashing success with 19 points and six rebounds in 19 refreshing, reminding minutes.
As the Bucks are the NBA’s worst team and were playing the second of a back-to-back, the team’s result was layup. But the return of Wright from a pre-season shoulder injury is enough to lift even Scrooges’ mood.
At 6-foot-10 and now with jump-shooting range out to 15 feet, Wright is one of Dallas’ most athletic and most explosive players. He can score off offensive rebounds. He can block shots. He can finish around the rim. He’s just a unique player. The Mavericks have an interior presence with Samuel Dalembert and DeJuan Blair, but Wright is a completely different animal.
He made nine of his first 10 shots against Milwaukee.
“I’m still a ways from where I want to be at overall, physically,” Wright told reporters in the post-game locker room. “I’m probably about 65, 70 percent.”
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Even better news than Wright’s return is news that guard Devin Harris isn’t far behind in his return to the court.
Yes, the Mavs have coughed up two games on the road. But they’re 14-10, and help is on the way.
In fact, some of it – in the form of Wright – has already arrived.
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 currently writes a sports/guy stuff blog at DFWSportatorium.com and lives in McKinney with his fiancee, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
