This was no ordinary pick-up game Monday after Mavs practice

Dallas Mavericks practice is closed to the media, though doors to the two floors at the Lympo Practice Facility generally open in time to see the players doing some extra shooting work or some such.

It’s not exactly riveting.

But Monday was an exception, as a must-see pick-up game broke out during the post-practice media time.

On one team was 40-year-old Dirk Nowitzki, who is nearing his season debut after left ankle surgery in April. One the other was 19-year-old Luka Doncic, who is nursing a strained right hip that cost him a game Sunday and could keep him out Tuesday.

As coach Rick Carlisle said while peering over the swarm of reporters, Doncic was looking better than in a couple days. As one scribe noted, Nowtizki’s defense is already in midseason form.

“It’s good to see him playing against some NBA players today,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “He’s usually playing against the interns. It’s been fun to see this. He’s getting close.”

How close? Carlisle said this month, assuming Nowitzki can avoid any setbacks. Carlisle said that Nowitzki continues to work on his strength and conditioning, and is attempting to simulate game speed as much as possible.

“There are full-court games that are going on with interns and other guys that are good players,” Carlisle said. “It’s simulations of spring and moving and recovering and all that. It’s never going to be the same as running out there with real NBA players in an arena full of players, but you’ve got to do what you can do.”

Team Dirk also included reserve guard Ryan Broekhoff and shooting coach Peter Patton. Jalen Brunson and Salah Mejri rounded out Team Luka.

Both games that the media had a chance to see were close, and Nowtizki even threw down a couple dunks. He may or may not have giving up a thunderous alley-oop dunk to Mejri.

Doncic, who on Monday was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November, wasn’t moving a full speed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t play Tuesday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

“I don’t think it’s 100 percent that he’s going to play, but it looks like he’s doing fine out there,” Carlisle said.

Dennis Smith Jr. is expected to play after missing practice to have his front tooth repaired after it was chipped Sunday night in a 114-110 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Smith went out in the third quarter but returned to play the final 10:45 of the game and made the key defensive play with 12 seconds remaining.

This story was originally published December 3, 2018 at 1:16 PM.