Dallas wins the second night of a back-to-back with nine available players.
The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat tonight on the second night of a back-to-back. Tonight’s hard-fought win comes off the heels of a 117-107 victory against the Golden State Warriors Wednesday night, led by Kyrie Irving’s 42-point performance.
Dante Exum led the Mavericks tonight with 27 points. Max Christie added 19 and Kessler Edwards had a season-high 15 points. Tyler Herro led the way for Miami with 40 points and 8 rebounds.
Both teams were shorthanded tonight, with a combined 12 players out for the contest. Dallas had only nine players available! The Mavericks were without Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, Anthony Davis, PJ Washington, Caleb Martin, Dereck Lively, and Dwight Powell. Bam Adebayo, Kevin Love, Terry Rozier, and Andrew Wiggins were out for Miami.
Since both teams were playing their second night of back-to-backs and missing many key players, momentum was unable to swing in any direction in the first quarter. The Mavericks finished this period down 22-21. Dallas didn’t allow the Heat to gain any ground in this quarter, and they entered the intermission down 56-55. Exum kept the Mavericks competitive in this period, contributing 12 points and hitting one of his threes.
Dallas came out of the half unable to get things rolling their way as Herro took advantage, tallying 10 of his points in the first half of the third quarter. Miami went on a 10-0 run in this quarter and the Mavericks fell behind by seven. They instantly turned the tables on the Heat, responding with a 13-0 run. It was another beautiful example of how hard this team has fought during the craziness they have been through lately. Dallas eventually finished the third quarter with an 84-83 lead (another one-point lead!).
Herro tried to carry the Heat to the finish line in the fourth quarter until the Mavericks responded. With Miami ahead, the Mavericks went on a 12-0 run to go up 110-102 with 2:30 left. The Heat made it scary for a moment, cutting the lead to three after a weird technical foul call on Naji Marshall and some free throws. Dallas sealed the deal after Spencer Dinwiddie free throws, winning 118-113
Here are a few things to note from tonight’s win.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper has risen to the occasion.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper finished with 10 points and 3 rebounds tonight. A couple of weeks ago, in the Pistons recap, I mentioned that I was impressed with the little things I saw from Prosper. Since then, he has continued to make a name for himself on this team. He’s improved his rebounding and passing and has clearly shown a new level of confidence on offense.
Whenever his name has been called over the last couple of weeks, he has been ready. His motor, defense, and rebounding have been crucial for a team with a current “next man up” mentality, and it has been fun to see him come into his own as a player over this time. Prosper has stepped up in a major way for the Mavericks in recent weeks amidst injuries and may earn himself a spot in the rotation when this team is healthy if he keeps it up.
Max Christie continues to make himself at home
Max Christie got it done again tonight, finishing with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Christie has been nothing short of amazing in his six games as a Maverick. Some people are even saying he’s the steal of the Doncic-Davis trade (let me joke, times are hard).
His defense, rebounding, and aggression on offense have been critical for the Mavericks. He has been the ultimate professional during what has been a major change in his life. Christie was asked about his transition to the Mavericks before tonight’s game, saying “I just have to be where my feet are and give all my effort to win games.”
Christie has blossomed into his own this season. He’s more than just a “3&D” guy, his rebounding, passing, and ability to take the ball inside all make him him the fun player he is. He plays winning basketball and I am glad to have him in a Maverick uniform.
The fight the Mavericks have in them is admirable
The Mavericks have given it their all over the last six games, picking up five wins in this stretch. They could have easily rolled over to teams like Boston, Houston, and Golden State given the circumstances. But they haven’t. They’ve understood the reality of their situation and have set out to prove many people wrong.
The Mavericks found themselves down by seven in the third quarter off of a Miami 10-0 run. They quickly flipped the script on the Heat, going on a run 13-0 run of their own. This run is just another testament to the heart of this team. All of the credit goes to the coaching staff and the leaders of this team for getting these guys to buy in.
Times may be tough, but these guys are worth rooting for.
After moving to 30-26, the Mavericks now have a much-needed eight-day break ahead as All-Star Week festivities commence in San Francisco. Don’t forget to tune into TNT on Sunday at 7 PM CT to watch Irving in his ninth All-Star Game. Dallas will be back in action on Friday, February 21 as the New Orleans Pelicans come to town for a 7:30 PM CT tipoff. Hopefully, the Mavericks can get some of their guys back by then.
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