The Dallas Mavericks swept the season series against the San Antonio Spurs for the first time in franchise history and improved to 52-30.
Despite the achievement, the game left fans somber as Luka Dončić suffered a calf strain injury in the third quarter of the game. He has since been seen with a boot on his left leg prior to his MRI scan.
In his absence, the Mavericks still managed to find some positives as they rallied behind the efforts of Theo Pinson, Josh Green, and Boban Marjanović.
Theo Pinson in particular excelled, scoring 16 points and shooting a perfect 5/5 from the field and 4/4 from three-point range. He also added two assists and one rebound in his 13 minutes of playing time.
“For Coach Kidd to trust me and put me in the game and give me that opportunity, I appreciate it a lot,” said Pinson after the game. “It was fun getting out there and playing in front of this big-time crowd.”
Josh Green had a productive game as well with seven points, three rebounds, and two assists in 17 minutes. Boban tallied four points, two rebounds, and one assist in seven minutes.
After the game, Pinson delivered a powerful statement as the Mavericks head into their Game 1 Saturday matchup against the Utah Jazz.
“The sky is the limit,” he said. “If we stay locked in defensively and we just play together we can win this thing. I’m just being brutally honest, we can win this thing. We’ve got everything we need, everyone is together on and off the court and that’s what you need on a championship team.
As the Mavericks continue to monitor Dončić’s health and availability, the strength of their bench becomes more important than ever.
Saturday’s game will tip-off at 12:00 PM CT at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
