Mavericks center Chandler misses first game of season with back spasms

Center Tyson Chandler missed Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City with back spasms.

However, it’s not considered anything serious, according to coach Rick Carlisle.

Sunday’s game was the first one Chandler has missed all season. The 13-year veteran averages 11.1 points and a team-high 11.9 rebounds per game, and leads the Mavs with 14 double-doubles.

Chandler’s injury also doesn’t accelerate the Mavs’ need for a backup center.

“We’re looking at everything,” Carlisle said. “There may some [center] possibilities out there, but 7-footers aren’t growing on trees. If they were we would have some of those trees planted around here. Finding quality big guys is always a challenge in this league.”

Owner Mark Cuban said Jermaine O’Neal is still one of the players the Mavs are considering to sign as their backup to Chandler. But Cuban said of O’Neal, who lives in Southlake: “I don’t know if he wants to come here. A lot of decisions have to be made before then.

“When we get the right guy we’ll get the right guy. No rush.”

One player the Mavs are considering at backup center is Dwight Powell. Acquired from the Boston Celtics in the Dec. 18 trade that brought Rajon Rondo to Dallas, Powell collected 26 points and 21 rebounds while playing for the Texas Legends against Reno in Saturday’s D-League game in Frisco.

“It’s not just a double-double, but 20-20 in 30 minutes,” Cuban said. “I think it says something about his motor. He has lot of upside. Now he’s just got to realize it.”

Powell made 11 of 18 shots and also added four assists and two steals.

“Some of the rules are a little bit different [than in the NBA], and the style of play is a little bit different, especially when you play a team like Reno that plays unlike a lot of teams,” Powell said. “You have a lot of possessions just because of the way they play defensively.”

Just because Powell’s numbers came in a D-League game, the Mavs don’t want to discount what the 6-foot-11, 240-pound rookie was able to accomplish.

“He was very productive when he played with the Maine [D-League] team out of Boston,” Carlisle said. “That bodes well for his career and the future.

“Double-figure rebounds and 20-plus points on a consistent basis, that’s pretty strong in any league.”

Cuban added: “They’re better than not putting up numbers.”

Villanueva vs. Terry

Cuban likens Charlie Villanueva to another player who used to fire up 3-pointers for the Mavs.

“He’s a bigger version of Jet [Jason Terry] in a lot of ways,” Cuban said. “To Charlie’s advantage he’s long, so all he’s got to do is stick his arms up, and he’s athletic enough to where he can at least get in the way.

“He even shoots that ball a little bit flat with the quick release that Jet has. Charlie, he’s going to have his off nights, but he’s also going to have his on-fire nights, too.”

This story was originally published December 28, 2014 at 9:12 PM with the headline "Mavericks center Chandler misses first game of season with back spasms."