The Dallas Mavericks are hoping to get back into the win column after a disappointing overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Fortunately, rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. was able to find his footing after a recording a team-high 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting.
The Mavs now hit the road to square off against a floundering Denver Nuggets team in the “Mile-High City.” Denver is notorious for its altitude giving them the homecourt advantage, however, Smith Jr. is not concerned about having to catch his breath in tonight's game, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News:
“Nah, I can get my wind on the moon.”
With the 2017-18 NBA season now halfway through, this is usually the time when younger players go through their growing pains as they get accustomed to the rigors of the schedule. Needless to say, Smith Jr. is not the average rookie.
Although conditioning may not be an issue, there is still concern regarding his ability to run the offense. The ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft is one of the most explosive scorers in his class, however, still has yet to prove himself as a bonafide playmaker for his teammates.
Despite being the starting point guard, Smith Jr. checks in behind backup point guard J.J. Barea in assists per game. He has also experienced some severe shooting woes since the start of the new year. That said, perhaps he can capitalize on his strong performance against the Lakers in Tuesday night's showdown with the Nuggets.
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