Summer League Report: Crowder, 'DoJo' lead balanced Mavs to 3-1
Earl K. Sneed reports from Las Vegas, where the Dallas Mavericks improved to 3-1 in the Summer League after rookie Jae Crowder and third-year guard Dominique Jones led a balanced effort.
Summer League Report: Crowder, 'DoJo' lead balanced Mavs to 3-1
LAS VEGAS -- It was built as a matchup between the 10th overall pick in last month’s draft, Austin Rivers, and third-year Dallas Mavericks guard Dominique Jones.
But with Rivers ruled out of the game for the New Orleans Hornets due to lower leg soreness, the stage was set for Jones and the Mavericks to bounce back from a sub-par effort in Wednesday night’s 67-61 loss to Atlanta.
Still, with Jones leading an all-around team effort, the Mavericks (3-1) would have no problem rebounding from their loss two nights prior, leaving the Thomas & Mack Center court with a 78-65 victory.
With Mavs defensive coordinator and summer league coach Monte Mathis inserting big man Drew Gordon into the first unit in place of David Harrison, the Mavs looked to get off to a quick start out of the gates. But even without Rivers in the lineup the Hornets (1-3) put up a fight, remaining close as the Mavericks entered the second stanza with an 18-17 edge.
Jones operated more as a facilitator than a scorer early in the second period while the ball swung to second-round acquisition Jae Crowder on the perimeter. The rugged swingman then showed the ability to knock down shots from behind the arc after officially signing with the team earlier in the day.
A highlight reel alley-oop connection from Jones to Crowder then lifted the Mavs to a double-digit advantage before taking a 38-27 lead into the halftime intermission thanks to 20 combined points from Crowder and Gordon.
After a dominant first half, the Mavericks continued to attack in the third quarter as Jones began looking for his own shot. No. 20 continued filling up the stat sheet, taking control of the game in a number of ways as the Mavs took a 54-45 edge into the final quarter.
While Jones rested on the bench, last year’s NBA Development League MVP, Justin Dentmon, made sure the Mavs didn’t miss a beat to start the fourth, becoming the fourth player in double figures. Simultaneously, second-rounder Bernard James dominated the interior at both ends of the floor, protecting the lopsided lead until the final buzzer.
Jones and Crowder then put the finishing touches on the win with late scores to pad their final numbers.
Hitting 7-for-15 from the field and 3-of-9 from behind the 3-point line, Crowder finished with 18 points to lead four Mavs starters in double figures.
Jones’ impact on the game, meanwhile, was felt in an assortment of ways, scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out nine assists. Dentmon added 12 points and Gordon slid into the starting five by scoring 10 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
“Just sharing the ball,” Mathis explained. “I think we had 17 assists, so I think that’s the most assists we’ve had in a game. And D.J. [Jones] did a better job of just using his eyes in this game. Whether he was backing down on a post-up or whether he was in a pick-and-roll, he was finding open guys and people were sharing the ball. That’s why we had 17 assists.”
Meanwhile, James fell just short of his third double-double this summer, scoring nine points, snagging eight boards and blocking five shots.
The Mavericks outshot the Hornets on the night, 47.6 percent to 40.3 percent, while overcoming a 36-33 rebounding disadvantage. Outscoring New Orleans 40-24 in the paint, the Mavs also converted 18 Hornets turnovers into 21 points.
“We wanted to force it,” Dentmon explained. “First of all, just pressure the ball a lot more. We didn’t do that last game. We knew if we got into them then we’d get more opportunities at attacking the basket.”
The Mavericks will now try to carry the momentum into Saturday, finishing up play against the San Antonio Spurs at 5 p.m. CT.
“We want to end up 4-1,” Dentmon emphatically proclaimed. “Especially against the Spurs, you know, with this whole rivalry thing. Guys just want to play and do their best in front of the scouts one last time.”
