DALLAS _ As the Mavericks try to rebuild their rotation in the backcourt, Yogi Ferrell is doing everything he can to take a wrecking ball to it.
Expectations still need to be tempered, as Rick Carlisle cautioned after the game, but the rookie point guard was one of the few bright spots in a 111-98 loss to the Boston Celtics Monday night at American Airlines Center.
Deron Williams made sure coach Carlisle didn't have to make a decision about playing the starting point guard in the second half. Williams, making his second start on the comeback trail from a toe injury, got ejected 36 seconds before halftime. He may have played some in the second half, although he is still operating on a minutes restriction.
Instead, the Yogi show was on.
It had already been a success earlier in the evening when Ferrell came into the game less than four minutes into the first quarter as Boston's Isaiah Thomas had incinerated Seth Curry for nine points in barely three minutes of action.
Carlisle had seen enough and brought in Ferrell, who did a commendable job making life tougher on the diminutive Thomas, the NBA's second-leading scorer.
"I thought Yogi did a solid job on him," Carlisle said. "At the beginning of the game, he was on pace to score 140 points. He's a great scorer, but we weren't playing tough enough on him. The beginning of the game was a microcosm of what was wrong."
The Mavericks gave up 61 first-half points, had a good third quarter to get back in position to win the game, then fell apart in the final period.
"We got it within one, tantalizingly close and we had some opportunities that fell by the wayside," Carlisle said. "They got a little lucky a couple times. Ball got kicked around and ended up in (Kelly) Olynyk's hands in the corner for a three. But that's a great offensive team. They got a legitimate chance to get to the finals with that team out of the East."
Ferrell has been nothing short of outstanding as he's taken the Mavericks and the NBA by storm in his first nine games.
Against the Celtics, he hit eight of his first nine shots en route to 20 points through three quarters.
There are moments when he looks like a rookie. That's to be expected. But the Mavericks feel like they've unearthed a potential J.J. Barea starter kit.
"He has the same trials and tribulations J.J. was going through his first year _ learning how to finish at the rim, shooting over shot-blockers," owner Mark Cuban said. "Yogi's been great, especially for a rookie, but he's still going to be better."
Earlier in the day, Barea, who expects to return from a calf injury shortly after the All-Star break, said he's been impressed with Ferrell.
Asked if Ferrell reminded him of himself, Barea said: "He does, especially with that number. I'm excited for him."
Barea wore No. 11 early in his Maverick career, which Ferrell wears now.
"I like Yogi," he said. "He deserves everything he's gotten. He worked and got an opportunity and took advantage. And he's helping us."
Barea said he's looking forward to sharing the court with Ferrell.
"That will be fun," he said. "I think it's going to happen."
The Mavericks were fighting uphill virtually all night. They trailed by 11 at halftime and never fell any further behind. But neither could they get over the hump against the team with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics were on the finale of a four-game road trip that started with a loss at Sacramento and wins at Portland and Utah.
The Mavericks finally got some traction when they scored 10 of the last 12 points in the third quarter to climb within 83-82 going into the fourth.
Then, Thomas happened. The tiny point guard first got caught up in the air, but through a pass to the corner. He was lucky a teammate was there for the blind pass and Olynyk hit a 3-pointer. After Harrison Barnes missed, Thomas pulled up from beyond the arc and nailed a triple for his 29th point of the night and a 100-89 Boston lead with 4:31 to play.
