The Dallas Mavericks have played with inconsistent lineups all season because of injury or illness, but Naji Marshall has provided consistency in what’s turning into the best season of his career.
Over the last 11 games as a starter, the Mavericks forward has been a stable force on offense with an average of nearly 20 points per game.
Marshall led the Mavericks once again in Wednesday’s 118-105 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the short-handed home team didn’t have enough firepower to contain Plano native Julius Randle in his homecoming game at American Airlines Center.
Dallas was on the front end of a celebratory back-to-back so Cooper Flagg and Klay Thompson were unavailable in Wednesday’s game, leading to a by-committee approach on offense by the Mavericks.
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Marshall scored 18 points with six rebounds, but was bested by Randle’s game-high 31 points with five rebounds and four assists. Before the game, Wolves coach Chris Finch said he’s always been a fan of Marshall.
“I love playmaking wings,” Finch said. “I think guys who are super hard to guard are so valuable in the league right now. Feels like he’s comfortable getting to his spots as well. In situations where he’s been forced to probably score a bit more, he’s been able to measure up.”
The third quarter was a shining example of how valuable Marshall has been for the Mavericks through their injury woes. Functioning as the point guard in Jason Kidd’s non-traditional starting five, Marshall used his handle to penetrate into the paint often. From there, he created enough separation to launch his signature floater.
“That’s the league right now, people put their head down and get to the paint, put your defense under pressure,” Finch said. “You got to be able to kind of stand him up at the point of attack, guys that can playmake right now increases the value of everyone’s 3-point shooting.”
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In theory, Marshall’s ability to get into the paint should’ve helped space the floor, but the Mavericks struggled from beyond the arc with only three triples on just 18 attempts. None of the starters managed to connect from 3-point range, including Marshall who didn’t attempt one for the first time since New Year’s Day.
Marshall was frustrated once the Mavericks went down by 15 with 6 minutes and 48 seconds left. He launched a towel toward the team tunnel, which summed up another rough night on offense without a true point guard.
Flagg missed Wednesday’s game because of left ankle injury management, while Klay Thompson rested with left knee soreness. P.J. Washington scored 12 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter. The seventh-year forward retuned to the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 14 and talked about Marshall’s impact over the last month.
“Just being a beast that he is,” Washington said. “Killing mismatches, what he does best. I’m very proud of him. I love playing with him. I know out there me and him are two brothers out there, we’re going to fight for each other.”
There’s a strong argument to be made that there wouldn’t be a game between the Mavericks and Timberwolves on Wednesday if it wasn’t for the man of the hour, Norm Sonju, co-founder of the Mavericks.
Sonju received his flowers during a special ceremony during halftime. At Wednesday’s shootaround, Dwight Powell discussed the importance of the man responsible for laying the foundation for the franchise in 1980, along with Mark Aguirre, who will have his No. 24 jersey retired on Thursday.
“It’s huge,” Powell said. “I think the foundation of this organization is very strong and we’re honored to put on this jersey and to be of the cloth and lineage of those guys. It’s been some time since (Aguirre’s) played, but I think it’s great that we’re honoring them now and I’m looking forward to it.”
The celebration will continue during Thursday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, when Aguirre’s jersey is raised to the rafters of American Airlines Center. It’s the fifth jersey to be retired by the franchise, a moment decades in the making.
Flagg could be back in the lineup, especially since it’ll mark his first regular season game against his college roommate, Kon Knueppel.
Norm Night! See photos from Mavericks-Timberwolves, including the ceremony honoring franchise co-founder Norm Sonju
View GalleryMavericks’ franchise father figure Norm Sonju finally receives ‘well-overdue’ recognitionCooper Flagg, Klay Thompson out for Mavs’ game vs. Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards available
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