Dallas Mavericks: Wesley Matthews faces Dallas for first time since trade

Former Dallas Mavericks wing Wesley Matthews returns to the American Airlines Center for the first time as a visitor since 2015 on Feb. 27.

The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a blockbuster trade with the New York Knicks on Jan. 31. It saw the Mavs acquire All-Star Kristaps Porzingis in exchange for three starters and two future first round picks. Dallas also received Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee from the Knicks.

One of the players Dallas moved away was Wesley Matthews. He signed with the Mavericks in 2015. Matthews was in his fourth season as a starter for the Mavs. The veteran was skilled on the court and a fantastic presence in both the locker room and community. Mavericks fans were sad to see Matthews go.

Facing Dallas for the first time

Wesley Matthews stint with the Knicks lasted just two games. The rebuilding New York squad wanted to give minutes to younger players, so they waived Matthews. It did not take him long to find a new home, though.

Matthews signed with the Indiana Pacers because they were offering a starting gig. He has played five games with them and is averaging 31.0 minutes a night.

The Pacers are coming to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Wednesday evening. It will be Matthews first chance to make the Mavs regret trading him away. Expect the wing to have a stellar performance.

After joining the Mavericks, Matthews played 40 minutes and scored 18 points in his first game against the Blazers (his former team).

Mavs fans will also get a chance to thank Matthews for three and half seasons of all-out effort on Feb. 27. Hopefully, they give him a loud ovation because Matthews deserves it.

Final thoughts

Indiana Pacers starter Wesley Matthews is returning to Texas to face the Dallas Mavericks for the first time since he was traded away on Jan. 31. Expect the Pacers to give him a few additional shot attempts against his former squad.

The Mavs will be looking to end a five-game losing streak against Indiana. They will have the home court advantage plus Luka Doncic is back and on a mission to finish his Rookie of the Year campaign strong. Expect Matthews to matchup on Luka plenty this evening, but consider it advantage Doncic.

The Smoking Cuban will have plenty more on tonight’s game and everything Dallas Mavericks fans need to know about the team, so continue checking back with us.