At the end.
134 days have passed since the Dallas Mavericks played their last game against the Denver Nuggets when they faced the Los Angeles Lakers in a scrimmage on Thursday.
Rest assured, the Mavs (40-27) are very eager to return to the basketball court against anyone.
The NBA suspended the game on March 11 because of the coronavirus after the Mavs defeated the Nuggets, 113-97, at the American Airlines Center. After four months, the Mavs and 21 other teams have gathered in Orlando with the hope of restarting the season later this month and crowning an eventual NBA champion in October.
The restart of the Mavs begins against the Lakers at 18:00 on Thursday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in a scrimmage which will be broadcast on television on NBA TV. It will be the first time that Mavs fans will see their favorite team after that incredible NBA announcement about pausing the season.
“Usually we say it for the first show game: it’s time to play someone else,” said coach Rick Carlisle after Wednesday’s practice. “Our practices have been fantastic.
“I suppose most of the teams here have also had good practices. We have all gone for so many months without being on the pitch together that I feel like it has triggered a real camaraderie with our team and I am sure that it is hitting others too teams like that. “
The MAVs will be abbreviated when they fight against the Lakers. Center Dwight Powell (Achilles tendon surgery) and guards Jalen Brunson (shoulder surgery) and Courtney Lee (calf) will not be available. Nor will it center Willie Cauley-Stein and will guard Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Trey Burke.
Cauley-Stein did not travel to Orlando because of the birth of his daughter on July 6th. Kidd-Gilchrist has just arrived in Orlando on Monday and Burke has not arrived in central Florida until Wednesday and has yet to pass the quarantine protocol.
After Thursday’s scrimmage against the Lakers, the Mavs scrimmage the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at 15:00 and the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday at 7:30 pm Without a doubt, the Lakers, armed with superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, pose formidable evidence for the Mavs.
“The Lakers are a great team,” said Carlisle. “They set the second best record in the league (at 49-14).
“We are dealing with LeBron James, we have to deal with Anthony Davis and we are dealing with a great physical team and many skills. We have our hands full, but it’s time to see where we are. “
Carlisle acknowledged that no one should expect his players to play the number of minutes they played before the season was stopped, mainly because it will be a 40-minute scrimmage instead of the normal 48-minute NBA game.
“In terms of minutes, I don’t expect to play boys for their entire minutes,” said Carlisle. “I want to have a chance to look at everyone who is available, so this is a good opportunity to do it.”
The Mavs started practicing under the bubble in Orlando on July 10th. Guard Tim Hardaway believes that now is the perfect time to measure this team’s temperature.
“We’ve been waiting for him for some time now,” said Hardaway. “I know the kids are anxious and ready to move on.
“I’m just ready to go back to the game we love most. I’m excited, I’m excited. All hands on the bridge at this point. “
The fact that it is the Lakers that the Mavs are playing gives this scrimmage a further bump or two.
“This is the number 1 team in our conference, so only by playing against them can we definitely try to see where we are at the moment as a ball club and see what we can work offensively and defensively on,” said Hardaway. “So I’m happy, I’m excited and I’m happy to play against one of my former teammates, (JR Smith). I am happy that he is back in the championship. “
Obviously, no fans will be allowed on the stands of any of the scripts, or when the NBA season will start again on July 30th. But Hardaway doesn’t see it as an obstacle.
“The only photos I’ve seen on the arena are on social media, so I don’t really know what it will be like without the fans,” he said. “But I know they’ll be watching at home.
“The atmosphere will be more like that of an open gym when we are in the summer – we baseball players in the summer who we seek with our peers. I’m pretty sure we guys should have gotten used to it. “
One aspect of his team’s game that Carlisle will follow closely is the defensive end of the floor. This is the part of the game that Hardaway said “you don’t need talent” to be successful.
“You just need hard work and dedication for that side of the floor,” said Hardaway. “When we’re out there on the floor, the kids have to make sure they’re really stuck and typed on that end of the floor.
“We know we are a great offensive team, but getting more stops or a couple of stops here and there can make all the difference in a close match. So let’s learn from those mistakes we’ve made over the season, watch a lot of movies about them and see where we can improve on that part of the floor. “
The Mavs flew to Orlando on July 8 and have since undergone 10 practice sessions. They will play a shootout on Thursday morning before finally having the chance to play against someone else other than themselves.
“Everything that happened with our team has been very optimistic, very positive,” said Carlisle. “We want to compete hard (against the Lakers), we want to play to win and we want to make a good run with the right number of minutes. This will be our goal tomorrow and we can’t wait to reach it. “
Twitter: @DwainPrice
