The Dallas Mavericks have been through a lot this season but have seen a steady positive in Jaden Hardy.
Dallas suffered multiple injuries to key players, including Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. While the former is now back, the latter will be unavailable until the second half of next season.
With Dallas being short on players, there were a lot of minutes to go around. Hardy was one of those guys who took advantage of the opportunity. This season, he is averaging 8.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game after 51 appearances. He is doing this with 15.4 minutes of action, being an active player off the bench.
Hardy reflected on his growth following the Mavericks' 101-92 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night. He stayed humble, saying he is doing whatever his team needs him to do so they can win games.
“Just trying to take advantage of my opportunity anytime I step on that floor,” Hardy said.
“Just trying to take advantage of my opportunity anytime I step on that floor” 💪
Jaden Hardy chats with @QRich, @steve21smith & @chrismilestv after his strong night in the @dallasmavs win! pic.twitter.com/Bdz51oDPiv
— NBA TV (@NBATV) March 28, 2025
What lies ahead for Jaden Hardy, Mavericks
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Jaden Hardy earned his role as a consistent player off the bench for the Mavericks, which has helped stabilize their injury situation.
The Mavericks have won three of their last four games, with the last two seeing Hardy have a big impact. Against the New York Knicks on March 25 and Orlando Magic on March 27, Hardy combined for 37 points, five rebounds and two steals. He shot 14-of-21 from the field, including 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Dallas has a 36-38 record on the season, holding the 10th spot in the Western Conference standings. They are 0.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings and 5.5 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Following Thursday's win over the Magic, the Mavericks will prepare for their next matchup. They face the Chicago Bulls on March 29 at 8 p.m. ET.