Mavericks: 2 studs and 1 dud from win over shorthanded Pelicans

Dallas Mavericks dud from win over shorthanded Pelicans:  1. Kristaps Porzingis

Selecting KP as the dud for this game is a bit unfair because he keyed the run that got Dallas back into the game after a slow start. The Mavericks were down ten with just over one minute to go in the first period when Porzingis returned to the court, and he sank two 3-pointers to get them within five after 12 minutes.

The Unicorn had a 3-point play the old-fashioned way at the start of the second quarter to push Dallas within one. They would take the lead before a wild stretch that derailed KP’s night. He picked up three fouls in one minute and 17 seconds of game action, which put him on the bench for the remainder of the half.

Porzingis never recovered. He still finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one block, but was four of 13 from the field on Monday night. The Mavericks did outscore the Pelicans by seven points in his 26 minutes on the floor.

They need Kristaps Porzingis to be healthy and producing on the court. The 7’3 big man provides a ton of floor space and is a unique talent. It was not his best performance, but KP still played a key role in Monday’s win over the Pelicans.