Yogi Ferrell’s debut did not surprise Rick Carlisle

What Yogi Ferrell did to the San Antonio Spurs in his debut with the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night didn’t surprise coach Rick Carlisle.

“I expected him to play hard,” Carlisle said. “Guys that come out of the minor leagues and play within 36 hours tend to do well.”

Carlisle should know.

“I had the best statistical game of my career doing that,” he said. “So I have first-hand knowledge.”

In his first game for the New York Knicks in 1987 — after playing for the Albany Patroons of the National Basketball Development League — Carlisle scored a career-high 21 point against Seattle.

In his first game with the Mavs during their stunning 105-101 win in San Antonio, Ferrell collected nine points, seven assists and two steals in 36 minutes. The 6-foot point guard also — with the Mavs up two points with 7.3 seconds to play — iced the game by burying two free throws.

“He’s adjusting to my sort of belief in what a point guard should be,” Carlisle said.

The Mavs brought Ferrell in for a workout prior to last summer’s NBA Draft, but the Indiana product ultimately was not selected. Then, as Mavs president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and vice-president of basketball operations Michael Finley were searching for someone to sign to a 10-day contact to replace the injured Pierre Jackson, owner Mark Cuban had one stipulation: “We were going through names and it was Fin’s and Donnie’s call, obviously, on who we’re grabbing,” said Cuban, who is an Indiana graduate. “They had some different names, and I’m like, ‘Well, you guys decide. But if it’s a tie, it goes to the Indiana guy.’”

Thus, the Mavs awarded the 10-day contract on Saturday to Ferrell, who had played 10 games earlier this season for the Brooklyn Nets. And after one day with the Mavs, he found himself in the starting lineup against the vaunted Spurs.

“When coach told me that, my mind switched,” said Ferrell, who admitted to being nervous. “I made sure I was ready. But as the game went on I kind of got settled down and got into myself.”

Bogut, Williams sat out Monday’s game

Center Andrew Bogut (right hamstring strain) and point guard Deron Williams (left great toe sprain) missed Monday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Bogut has now missed eight of the last 10 games, and Williams has sat out the past three games. The Mavs don’t yet know if either player will be able to play in Wednesday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

“He’s doing a little better each day,” coach Rick Carlisle said of Williams. “I’m not sure (if) Wednesday is a realistic possibility or not.”

As far as Bogut goes, Carlisle said: “I don’t think it’s real serious. Hopefully he’ll work through it relatively quick.”

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 9:45 PM with the headline "Yogi Ferrell’s debut did not surprise Rick Carlisle."