DALLAS — Just to give the Dallas Mavericks a pretty quick glimpse of what kind of player they’d acquired, Anthony Morrow put on one of the most prolific shooting performances in the 11-year history of American Airlines Center.
During a shooting drill at the end of Saturday’s practice, Morrow promptly loaded up his arm and converted 24 of 25 3-pointers in one amazing stretch. That type of shooting display is why the Mavs acquired the 6-foot-5 swingman in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Dahntay Jones on Thursday.“He’s money,” forward Dirk Nowitzki said of Morrow. “It’s like a little set shot, and he kind of like brings it up to his face. He gets it off quick, and if he’s open it’s going in. We already knew that.”While Nowitzki said Peja Stojakovic was the best pure 3-point shooter the Mavs have ever had, he ranks Morrow right up there next to Stojakovic.After finishing his first practice with the Mavs on Saturday, Morrow said he “couldn’t stop smiling” when he discovered the Mavs had obtained his services. He also will be on the court at some point at noon Sunday when the Mavs host the Los Angeles Lakers.“At the end of the day we’re just playing basketball,” Morrow said. “I’ve been doing that my whole life, and it’s a blessing to be able to be here. Everybody looks like pretty good character people from just a people standpoint, and that’s a great base for me right there. I can come in and fit right in.”Injuries limited Morrow to just 24 games this season with the Hawks, and he averaged just 5.2 points in only 12.5 minutes while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range.In 280 career games, Morrow has averaged 11.5 points and 26.2 minutes per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.During Morrow’s rookie season in 2008-09 with the Golden State Warriors, one of his teammates was center Brandan Wright, who now plays for the Mavs. That’s the same season Morrow shot 46.7 percent from 3-point range and became the first rookie ever to lead the NBA in that category.“He’s a great 3-point shooter — that’s his bread and butter,” Wright said. “I know he was banged up a little bit with Atlanta and that probably took away some of his opportunities, but he can definitely shoot the ball.”Morrow said when he’s on the court he’s not concentrating solely on his shooting percentage.“I just go out there and shoot and do the same thing and do my same routine every game and every practice, and I’m just really looking forward to really joining the team,” Morrow said. “I’m just truly blessed to be here right now.” Kaman could play todayIf center Chris Kaman is cleared by the Mavs’ medical staff today, he’ll play in Sunday’s game against the Lakers.Kaman has missed the past 10 games since sustaining a concussion during a nasty spill in a Jan. 28 practice session. But he said he no longer has headaches and is ready to return to the court.“I just want to play. It’s been too long,” Kaman said. “I never thought anything like that would ever happen to me.”If Kaman returns today, he’ll have to deal with Lakers All-Star center Dwight Howard.“You’re trying to get back to on an easier — no offense here — but like an easier matchup,” Kaman said. “There’s a lot more easier matchups than Dwight Howard. But you know, it is what it is, and I’ve just got to get back out there and play.”Dwain Price, 817-390-7760 Twitter: @DwainPrice
