The Dallas Mavericks are 4-0 to start a season for the first time since 2004-05 after defeating the Chicago Bulls 114-105 at American Airlines Center on Wednesday night.
For the first time this season, Luka Doncic did not lead the team in scoring. That honor went to Grant Williams, who had 25 points (7-10 FG, 7-9 3FG, 4-6 FT), five rebounds, tying the most points he has scored in a single game, and seven threes ties a career-high.
Doncic (5/16 FG, 18 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists ) was off, and Kyrie Irving(foot) missed his second straight game; however, Williams and others stepped up to get the Mavs the win, including Jaden Hardy(nine points) and rookie Dereck Lively(seven points, 13 rebounds, and six assists), which Williams discussed after the win.
“There are going to be some nights when Luka goes for 70, and there’s going to be nights we have to pick him up,” Williams said. “Same way, Jaden Hardy — shout out to him because he did an amazing job tonight — just being ready when his number was called. He came in, and he played 14 minutes, but most of those minutes were in the fourth quarter and had multiple clutch plays for us, not only with passing but taking tough shots for us. I just have to give him that credit — same with Lively, those two guys. We’re considered a veteran team, but we also have a bunch of youth, and those guys have been really, really impactful for us, not only with their energy every single day in the locker room but their approach to the game.”
Derrick Jones Jr., who had 17 points and five rebounds against the Bulls, likes the chemistry the Mavs have right now.
“Like I said before, it’s our chemistry and trust that we have out there on the floor with each other, five guys on the floor and everybody else,” Jones said. “When their number gets called, we just have trust in everybody whenever they step on the floor and trust that they are going to do it to the best of their ability.”
The Mavericks and the Boston Celtics are the last two undefeated teams in the league this season, but Williams knows there’s a lot of basketball left.
“We have, what, 78 more games to go,” Williams said. “I’m not focused on the 4-0. I’m focused on Denver on Friday, but we have a lot we can continue to learn with. That’s the mentality of this team. We can’t get comfortable because as you know in this league, you can win four and then lose four. So, be mindful of that and understand that we have to take it one game at a time and that we have to make each other better every single game.”
Dallas is off to a great start, and the guys are playing their roles to the tee. On paper, the team appeared to be much deeper than a year ago, and after four games, it has looked that way on the floor.
Notes:
Tim Hardaway Jr. recorded 24 points (8-15 FG, 7-13 3FG, 1-1 FT), three rebounds, two assists and one steal against the Chicago Bulls. This marks his longest streak of scoring 17-or-more points off of the bench in his career after doing so in four straight games to start this season.
Lively is just the second Maverick rookie in franchise history to record six-or-more assists in a game as a center after Sean Rooks (1992-93). His 13 rebounds tonight mark the first time a Mavericks rookie has recorded 13-or-more rebounds in a game since Luka Dončić in 2018-19.
Nikola Vucevic finished with 21 points (10-17 FG, 1-3 3FG) and a game-high 20 rebounds, alongside an assist and two steals. The game marked the third time in his Bulls career he has recorded 20-or-more rebounds.
Mavs will travel to Denver to battle the world champion Nuggets on Friday.
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