Josh Green stays hot as shorthanded Dallas Mavericks pick up ugly win over Spurs

The Dallas Mavericks picked up an ugly 137-128 overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs on March 15 that snapped a three-game losing streak. They were without Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Markieff Morris on Wednesday night, but the rebuilding Spurs were on the second night of a back-to-back without six players of their own. The Mavs committed plenty of turnovers and fouls, but they got a road victory to move to 35-35 on the season.

Josh Green continued to impress in his increased opportunity. The 22-year-old has broken out in his third NBA season, and he has shown even more when given the keys to the offense. Green had his third straight 20-point game, and his improved playmaking ability has been on full display.

The Mavs desperately needed a victory, and they barely got it on Wednesday night. Here is a closer look at Green’s performance, why they had to win, and what to expect moving forward.

Josh Green stays hot as shorthanded Dallas Mavericks pick up ugly win over Spurs

The Mavs run a few plays each game with Green initiating, but he is not usually a top playmaker on the floor. With both stars out, someone has to step up, and Green has done a respectable job. He had 11 assists and seven turnovers in the two games against the Grizzlies before dishing out seven with just two turnovers on Wednesday night.

Fans know Green has speed, and he beat his man off the dribble for this tough finish against the Spurs.

Green made nine of his 18 field goals on March 15, including hitting two 3-pointers as Dallas outscored the Spurs by 17 in his 45 minutes on the floor on Wednesday night. Green finished with 21 points.

Dwight Powell, Christian Wood, Reggie Bullock, and Jaden Hardy all scored over 20 points as the Mavericks had six players in double figures. C-Wood led the way with 28 as the Mavs shot the ball well, including hitting 51.5 percent from 3-point range. They did just enough to earn a key victory away from the American Airlines Center to start a three-game road trip.

The Mavericks had multiple chances to win the game in regulation, but they could not execute. They were up two with just three seconds remaining. Maxi Kleber forced a Malaki Branham miss, but he was called for a shooting foul. The Spurs forward missed both free throws, and Dallas grabbed the rebound. All they had to do was get the ball in play, but Kleber threw the ball out of bounds without being touched, and San Antonio made them pay by getting Keldon Johnson open for an alley-oop to tie the game and send it to overtime.

The Mavs made up for it in overtime as they dominated the Spurs to grab the win. They outscored them 16 to seven in the extra five minutes as Reggie Bullock and Jaden Hardy stepped up to make sure Dallas finished it off.

The Spurs were shorthanded and on the second night of a back-to-back, but they shot the ball well, including making 15 3-pointers. Dallas could not get stops, but they had just enough offensive firepower to make up for it.

The Mavs' win coupled with a loss by the Lakers moved Dallas into eighth in the Western Conference, but they are just 1.5 games up on the Jazz and Pelicans. Utah and New Orleans are currently outside the Play-In Tournament and in the lottery right now. The Mavericks cannot afford to finish there as they owe their first-round pick to the Knicks with a top ten protection. Dallas could land in the lottery and not have their selection to improve their roster.

The Dallas Mavericks travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Friday night in a crucial game. Dallas currently holds a 2-1 edge in the season series, and they can secure a key tiebreaker with a victory, but that won’t be possible without getting some reinforcements back. Will Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving return? If not, the Mavs will struggle again, and it could be the reason they miss the postseason. Stay tuned for all the latest.