The Dallas Mavericks’ 41st season, the most anticipated in Dallas in nearly a decade, opened Wednesday night with a whole bunch of clangs – as in missed shots -- then a Jalen Brunson-led fourth-quarter rally.
But, ultimately, it was a 106-102 Phoenix victory at fan-less PHX Arena – and a Mavericks continuation of last season’s clutch-time struggles.
The game was tied at 100 after a pair of Luka Doncic free throws with 1:56 left, but Chris Paul and Devin Booker scored the next five points and Dallas went cold until a Doncic dunk with 35 seconds left.
Doncic scored 32 points, pulled down 8 rebounds and dealt five assists, but he was 0-for-6 on 3-point attempts. And he couldn’t help the Mavericks pull out a close game late.
Last season’s Mavericks were 10-19 in games in which the difference was within three points in the last five minutes.
The Mavericks arrived at PHX Arena to the smell of new paint in the hallways and visiting locker room, but instead of a fresh-start sizzle, the Mavericks fizzled offensively.
Dallas set an NBA record last season for offensive efficiency, and it averaged an NBA-best 122.3 points in three preseason games this year, but the Mavericks scored only 45 first-half points.
Mind you, this was a team that scored 45 or more points in five quarters last season.
Fortunately for the Mavericks, their upgraded defense kept them in the game until the Brunson-led fourth-quarter rally in which he scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
Doncic’s Most Valuable Player candidacy also did not begin auspiciously.
He missed his first six shots. The game was five minutes old when he scored his first point; and he didn’t score his first basket until 3:19 remained in the first quarter.
Doncic warmed up slightly, making three shots in a four-shot stretch, but he still finished the first half shooting 5-of-15 as the Mavericks trailed 53-45.
If not for Dallas’ improved defense, which helped force 13 Suns first-half turnovers, the deficit would have been greater.
Dallas somehow hung close despite missing 15 of its first 18 shots. When the Mavericks finally took their first lead, 25-24, early in the second quarter, they were shooting only 24% from the field.
Along with excitement on this second night of the 75th NBA season, there were ominous reminders of this year unlike any other.
While most games were played in empty arenas, the Rockets-Thunder game in Houston was postponed – in accordance with the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Three Rockets players returned coronavirus tests that were either positive or inconclusive. And four other Rockets were placed into quarantined because of contact tracing protocols. And, as the basketball world learned, James Harden violated protocols by attending a crowded party and failing to wear a mask.
“We all know that this virus is real, and it’s out there and many people are dying because of it, so I think the league made a good decision to try to prevent something from spreading, or prevent the virus from spreading,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said.
Noting the 160 pages of NBA COVID-19 protocols, Williams added: “Everybody has the same opponent off the court.”
For the Mavericks, Wednesday’s opener was the start of a three-game road trip that concludes with games against the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day and the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 27.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said the Mavericks are still learning what is permissible and what isn’t, noting that COVID-19 health department guidelines are different in the states of Arizona and California.
“The idea is to be safe,” he said. “To take as many precautions as possible and try to stay out of harm’s way.
“Wearing masks all the time, distancing, following all the protocols that the NBA has put forth. It gives us a chance, but it’s not going to be perfect. ... This is a quite different situation than Orlando [the bubble] in terms of being able to control the environment.”
The Mavericks won’t have fans at either game in Los Angeles, or in their Dec. 30 home opener against Charlotte.
“But I expect the basketball to remain very competitive,” Carlisle said. “Teams are going to play hard. There’s a lot to play for, so as a league, if we can avoid game cancellations and follow the rules, we’ll have a good chance to keep this going.”
