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Dallas Mavericks: Are There Advantages to Rookies Riding the Bench?

By Kohl Rast
Jan 22, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Nicolas Brussino (9) guards Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Lakers 122-73. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 22, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Nicolas Brussino (9) guards Los Angeles Lakers guard Louis Williams (23) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Lakers 122-73. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 26, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) dunks the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith (10) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) dunks the ball in front of Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith (10) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Immersion

There is no other league in the world like the NBA. International leagues have tried time and time again to replicate what the NBA does, but to no avail. For that reason, even those players that have played some professional ball overseas (Brussino and Gibson), it still takes some time to adapt.

Coach Carlisle knows the difference between the NBA and the other leagues. This is why he has decided to give these players a shot playing against the best players in the world, when the time is right. Obviously we have hardly seen any minutes from most of these guys, with the exception of DFS and Jackson.

The point is, nothing is going to give these guys a shot at understanding what the NBA is quite like guarding Russell Westbrook in a close game as he drops 45 points against us. Finney-Smith, Jackson, and Brussino all got to try their hand at slowing him down but were very unsuccessful.

If that doesn’t motivate these guys to get better, I’m not sure that anything will. All-stars come in and out of the gym every single day in Dallas and, especially on the second night of a back-to-back, these young guys have to be ready to play.

Next: Opportunity

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