Mavs’ Dennis Smith Jr. flashes future but Spurs still rule
Sooner than later, the Dallas Mavericks hope, the efforts of Dennis Smith Jr. won’t be in vain.
Despite a season-best 27 points from the Mavs’ rookie point guard, the San Antonio Spurs held on for a 97-91 win Tuesday night at American Airlines Center.
VIDEO: Pau Gasol gets a front-row seat to Dennis Smith Jr.'s giant dunk: https://t.co/llvolNg19J pic.twitter.com/6W9gQBEyAe
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) November 15, 2017
Smith was 5-for-11 from the 3-point arc, and scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, but too often down the stretch the rookie’s youth was on display. With less than two minutes remaining and the Spurs holding an eight-point lead, Smith was picked by Danny Green as Smith sized up a pass to Dirk Nowitzki. The next time down the floor, Smith drove to the basket but was blocked by Kyle Anderson.
“There are rough things right now,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “We just have to keep bringing the same kind of fight we brought tonight. Our level of fight is very good.”
Smith scored at least 20 points for the third time in 15 NBA games. All three have come in the past week. His five 3-pointers Tuesday are a career-high.
The Spurs were led by forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who had a season-high 32 points. Patty Mills added a season-high 19 points. Harrison Barnes and J.J. Barea each scored 16 points for the Mavs. Barnes led the Mavs with eight rebounds.
Barea hit three consecutive shots, including two 3-pointers to help cut the Spurs’ lead to 62-60 as the third quarter came to a close. The Mavs held the Spurs to 18 points in the third quarter and their 9-0 run the final 2:40 of the quarter wiped out an 11-point Spurs’ lead. Smith’s 3-pointer cut it to 74-71 with less than seven minutes remaining in the game, but a dunk by Aldridge capped an 8-0 run that quickly pushed the Spurs’ lead back to 11.
“We’re dribbling too much at times,” Carlisle said. “Everyone is at times. It’s a game that the dribble needs to be used, but we’re going to keep working on moving it better.”
Dirk nears Hakeem
Dirk Nowitzki was 5 of 8 from the field Tuesday night to move to within two field goals of passing Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon for eighth all-time with 10,750 field goals in his career. Elvis Hayes is seventh all-time with 10,976.
Stefan Stevenson: 817-390-7760, @StevensonFWST
San Antonio | 17 | 27 | 18 | 35 | — | 97 |
Dallas | 16 | 23 | 21 | 31 | — | 91 |
San Antonio | Min | FG-A | FT-A | R | F | Pt |
Aldridge | 35:52 | 12-21 | 8-10 | 5 | 1 | 32 |
Anderson | 33:53 | 1-4 | 5-6 | 8 | 2 | 7 |
Gasol | 23:25 | 1-5 | 0-0 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
Green | 26:49 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
Mills | 29:43 | 7-13 | 1-2 | 3 | 1 | 19 |
Murray | 19:56 | 4-7 | 1-2 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
Forbes | 17:59 | 2-5 | 0-1 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Ginobili | 16:22 | 4-7 | 4-4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
Gay | 16:06 | 1-7 | 2-2 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
Paul | 9:54 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Bertans | 5:09 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Lauvergne | 4:52 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Totals | 240 | 35-79 | 21-27 | 47 | 16 | 97 |
Percentages: FG .443, FT .778. 3-Point Goals: 6-26, .231 (Mills 4-9, Ginobili 1-2, Murray 1-2, Bertans 0-1, Gay 0-1, Aldridge 0-2, Forbes 0-2, Gasol 0-2, Paul 0-2, Green 0-3). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 12 (6 PTS). Blocked Shots: 7 (Aldridge 2, Anderson 2, Gay, Green, Mills). Turnovers: 12 (Aldridge 3, Gasol 3, Gay 3, Bertans, Green, Mills). Steals: 9 (Mills 4, Green 2, Aldridge, Anderson, Bertans). Technical Fouls: Aldridge, 3:33 second.
Dallas | Min | FG-A | FT-A | R | F | Pt |
Barnes | 37:37 | 5-16 | 6-6 | 8 | 4 | 16 |
Matthews | 37:33 | 4-11 | 3-5 | 4 | 6 | 12 |
Nowitzki | 28:58 | 5-8 | 1-1 | 7 | 1 | 12 |
Ferrell | 33:03 | 0-5 | 0-0 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
Smith Jr. | 36:23 | 10-23 | 2-2 | 6 | 4 | 27 |
Barea | 26:34 | 6-11 | 1-1 | 6 | 0 | 16 |
Kleber | 20:50 | 2-5 | 1-1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Mejri | 14:05 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Noel | 4:57 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Totals | 240 | 33-81 | 15-18 | 40 | 23 | 91 |
Percentages: FG .407, FT .833. 3-Point Goals: 10-34, .294 (Smith Jr. 5-11, Barea 3-6, Nowitzki 1-4, Matthews 1-5, Barnes 0-2, Kleber 0-2, Ferrell 0-4). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 15 (17 PTS). Blocked Shots: 4 (Mejri 2, Kleber, Nowitzki). Turnovers: 15 (Smith Jr. 6, Ferrell 3, Barea 2, Barnes 2, Noel, Nowitzki). Steals: 7 (Barnes 3, Barea, Ferrell, Matthews, Mejri). Att.—19,535 (19,200). T—2:11. Officials—Mike Callahan, Kevin Scott, Scott Wall
This story was originally published November 14, 2017 at 10:24 PM with the headline "Mavs’ Dennis Smith Jr. flashes future but Spurs still rule."