Since being fortunate that Dennis Smith Jr. was still available for the Dallas Mavericks to select with the ninth overall pick back in June's draft, the team already had high expectations for him and believes that he can be a big part of their future plans.
The former NC State star has also earned the respect of Rick Carlisle, who only has good words to say about him. After their win versus the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, the veteran head coach gave him high praises for his performances so far this season and added via ESPN's Tim MacMahon that he has no doubt that he will become a great player in the league in the future.
Despite his subpar performance on the night, it is worth noting that this is just Smith's fourth game back after missing six games due to a left hip strain. He is expected to regain his form soon, and produce numbers similar to his season averages of 13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 27.6 minutes per game.
Knowing that his coach is impressed with what he has shown so far and praises him even after a poor shooting game is definitely a morale booster for Smith. It may also be just what he needs to take his game to an even higher level and live up to the expectations of the Dallas faithful and the team's coaching staff.
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