Mavericks: Reggie Bullock and Frank Ntilikina miss practice

The Dallas Mavericks were back at practice on Oct. 1 after taking Thursday off. New head coach Jason Kidd has the team competing hard and communicating, and it will be interesting to see his impact on the on-court product. Mavs fans will get their first chance on Sunday at Fan Jam.

Kidd is more open with the media. He has let them in to watch part of practice and was not shy about sharing his expected starting five. The Hall of Famer is not hiding anything in his first season in charge of the Mavericks.

Kidd let everyone know that Reggie Bullock and Frank Ntilikina missed practice on Friday with a non-COVID related illness. It sounds like a minor thing for both players, but it could put their status for Sunday’s open practice in jeopardy.

Dallas Mavericks wings Reggie Bullock and Frank Ntilikina miss practice

The Mavericks entered training camp healthy with Bullock and Ntilikina being the first two players to miss practice. Fans will be watching their status closely for Sunday’s event, but they both should be back for Wednesday’s preseason opener.

Coach Kidd was asked on Oct. 1 about how Ntilikina has performed since joining the Mavericks, and fans can see his answer below.

"Frank has been great. Again, coming here we wanted him, and we were lucky to get him. I think you look at his defense. It is incredible what he can do with his length, and on the offensive end, I think he is starting to become a little bit more comfortable shooting the ball. I thought he shot the ball well when he did practice, but I just love his competition. He’s still young. I know we call some guys old at 23 or 24, but he came in the league at 18. I think we are getting him at the right time in his journey to have success with us."

Both Bullock and Ntilikina should be significant upgrades for the Dallas Mavericks on the defensive end of the floor. They are no strangers to guard the opposition’s top scorer and have the ability to lock down on the perimeter. It will be interesting to see how coach Kidd uses the duo this season as Dallas attempts to become a top ten defense and vault into title contention.

Mavs Fans should not worry about Reggie Bullock and Frank Ntilikina missing practice but stay tuned to The Smoking Cuban for updates as they become available, plus all the latest rumors and analysis.