Following a two-game road trip following the All-Star break, the Dallas Mavs used a strong fourth quarter en route to a 109-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers at the American Airlines Center.
Tonight, was a special night at the AAC, as the late Don Carter was remembered following his passing last week. Carter was the original owner of the Mavericks in 1980. The team will wear a “Mr. C” patch on their jersey for the remainder of the season.
Outside of the tribute to Mr. C, newly named interim CEO Cynthia Marshall attended the game alongside Mark Cuban following the introductory press conference. And though she’s new to the organization, Marshall was seen cheering and clapping the whole game as if she was a season-ticket holder.
The Mavs added a new face to the roster over the past few days as Scotty Hopson signed a 10-day contract with Dallas. The 6’7” forward from Tennessee played for Galatasaray in the Turkish league earlier this season.
In the first half, neither team could gain much of an advantage. The scoring was back-and-forth the entire half until the Mavs gained a six-point advantage going into halftime.
Dennis Smith Jr. led the way for Dallas with 11 first-half points. Former Texas Longhorn Myles Turner kept the Pacers in the game with his 13 points and seven rebounds.
The Pacers shortened the gap in the third but the Mavs took a three-point lead into the fourth following a Doug McDermott buzzer beater.
To begin the fourth, the Mavs caught fire. A lineup made up of Barea-Ferrell-McDermott-Powell-Dirk, which was a +18 for the night, led the run, as they couldn’t seem to miss from three, extending their lead to 11.
But the Pacers wouldn’t let up, as they fought back into the game. After a few replay reviews and clutch free throws, the Mavericks secured the victory 109-103, ending a four-game losing streak.
Harrison Barnes led the way for Dallas with 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting. J.J. Barea continued his production off the bench with 19 points and nine assists.
After a scoreless first half, Dwight Powell scored 10 points in the second half to go along with his season-high 14 rebounds. Doug McDermott did what he’s known for tonight and that’s shoot the long ball. McBuckets went 4-of-4 from deep for 15 points.
The Mavericks caught a break tonight as Pacers guard Victor Oladipo found himself in foul trouble early, leading to him only playing 23 minutes. In those minutes, Oladipo went 8-of-13 for 21 points.
Dallas will have a day off on Tuesday as they prepare for the Oklahoma City Thunder at the AAC on Wednesday.
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