Player Ratings: Summary of Mavericks vs. Bulls

The Dallas Mavericks were in the midst of a shaky home stretch entering the day, having dropped two of the first three games of the five-game set. With tonight’s match against Chicago Bulls and a rematch Friday night against Phoenix Suns still left, things weren’t made any easier with key contributors Dereck Lively II and PJ Washington sitting out. Despite an atypical lineup, the Mavericks came out on top, led by Kyrie Irving early on. They built a healthy lead that only got healthier as the game progressed. There was little to feel bad about in this one as the Mavs got back in the win column. Let’s get to the characters!

Luka Doncic: A

27 points 7 rebounds, 13 assists, 4 steals

Luka looked good from the start in this one. When he checked out with 7:24 left in the game, he logged almost exactly 32 minutes of doing all sorts of damage. His shooting percentages were made a bit uglier by some fourth quarter misses that may very well have been uncalled fouls and he had an ugly five turnovers, yet every one of his 13 assists seemed special, he had an astonishing 4 steals – each one earned with vigilance and quick hands – and a ridiculous plus/minus of plus-35 to lead all players. He just looked completely calm and controlled every aspect of the game.

Kyrie Irving: B+

17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals

It was clear from the tip that Irving was intent on setting the tone. In the first quarter alone, he dropped 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Two of those buckets came from beautiful steals, he took the other way to lay. He only scored 2 points the rest of the game, but shot 7-for-11 (63.6%) overall and really wasn’t needed for much after that.

Klay Thompson: A

13 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist

Thompson had a very nice game, albeit a quiet one. He shot 5-for-10 from the field and 3-for-7 from three for a crisp 42.9% clip. He did his damage in just under 25 minutes, making his totals and efficiency all the more remarkable.

Naji Marshall: B+

8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

Marshall didn’t have the type of game he had in the previous outing, but he was solid and also gets some bonus points for the things that don’t show up in the box. His ball handling continues to impress, as does his passing. For a team just a few years removed from wingers who were ineffective dribblers, Marshall is a most welcome sight. He was 4-for-7 from the floor but missed his only three of the night.

Quentin Grimes: A-

7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

Grimes gave exactly what you would hope for from him in just 15 minutes of play. He was in the right spots, had a nice dunk, hit half of his shots and was very active on defense. His stat line may not show everything he brought to the game, but this is solidly in line with the level of production the team wants to see, backed up by grabbing the second most rebounds on the team in this one.

Daniel Gafford: A-

17 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks

Gafford had a good game, even without Lively to spell for him. You probably can’t ask for much more than dropping 17 on 77.8% from the floor in just 23 minutes of action. Opposite center Nikola Vucevic put up hot shooting numbers while collecting a double-double, but Gafford generally held his own even when he was pulled out to the three-point line. He also turned away three shots.

Spencer Dinwiddie: C+

3 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists

Dinwiddie had a forgettable one tonight in most regards, making all six of his three point attempts on a 1-for-8 shooting night overall. He gets “plus” on his letter grade for staying the course like a pro, collecting a few rebounds and finding his teammates instead of forcing the issue beyond the generally good looks he couldn’t convert.

Dwight Powell: A

5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Powell only played 20 minutes and it wasn’t just garbage time. With Dereck Lively out, he got meaningful time in this one and put up a number in each of the five primary stat categories. He was the typical high energy intelligent player we have seen for years now. He didn’t convert on too many shots, but drew fouls and converted 3-of-4 free throws.

Jaden Hardy: B

11 points, 2 assists

Hardy matched Klay Thompson’s three-point performance (3-for-7) and did it in 11 fewer minutes. His overall 40% from the floor needs to go up as he still struggles to finish at the rim and it was literally not pretty to airball a layup in the second quarter. Overall, he provided some microwave scoring and also had a few nice passes for finishes.

Bench Mob: N/A

Everyone played in this one, so everyone gets their name mentioned. O-Max (six points, one board), Markieff Morris (two boards, two assists), Brandon Williams (two points, two boards), Jazian Gortman (his first three NBA points) and Kessler Edwards all saw action in this one. O-Max was a bit inefficient, but you could see a lot of potential and a lot of hustle. Gortman got his first NBA points, and overall, the bench mob kept the majority of the lead they inherited.

You can listen to our latest podcast episode in the player embedded below, and to make sure you don’t miss a single one going forward, subscribe to the Pod Maverick podcast feed at Apple, Spotify, Pandora, Pocketcasts, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon music, Cast box.

You can watch our After Dark Recap podcasts, YouTube Live recordings and guest shows on Pod Maverick Podcast feed. Sign up, rate and review.