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Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd emphasized trust as a key factor in the team’s recent progress, highlighting rookie point guard Ryan Nembhard following Tuesday night’s 131–130 win over the Denver Nuggets.
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Kidd addressed his confidence in Nembhard during his postgame presser with Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban, explaining why the 22-year-old has continued to earn significant responsibility within the rotation.
“He knows how to get guys the ball, the pace. There’s a trust, being able to execute and you can see that the relationship that he has with Cooper is at a high, and so they both want each other to be successful. When you have that trust, and he understands how to play the game. He’s a basketball player, and guys like playing with him so that’s why he’s out there starting with that group.”
Nembhard turned in a composed outing against Denver, finishing with 11 points, seven assists and three rebounds while shooting 5-for-11 from the field and 1-for-3 from three-point range in 33 minutes. His control of tempo and decision-making proved critical as Dallas closed out a narrow one-point victory.
Ryan Nembhard’s emergence coincides with Mavericks’ improved stretch
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
On the season, Nembhard is averaging 8.3 points, 5.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from beyond the arc across 18 appearances, including 12 starts. His efficiency has provided steadiness for a Mavericks lineup that has dealt with early-season inconsistency.
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The win continued a gradual turnaround for Dallas, which has shown improvement after opening the season 5–15. The Mavericks have now climbed to 12–19, with Nembhard’s emergence coinciding with increased lineup stability.
Dallas will open a three-game road trip on Christmas Day with a matchup against the Golden State Warriors (15–15) on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. ET. The game will air nationally on ABC and ESPN as the Mavericks look to build on their recent momentum.
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