DALLAS — Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks earned a 111-103 victory against Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The Mavs are currently without four centers due to injuries, so Williamson made an effort to back down defenders in the post throughout the affair. He ended up recording 29 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Jason Kidd comments on the small-ball Mavs’ effort against Zion Williamson, who consistently attempted to get looks at the basket.#MFFL pic.twitter.com/fly5yxrTyS
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) February 22, 2025
“He’s not easy to guard,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Williamson after the game. “We were sending him to the free throw line there a lot in that first half. I thought the guys did a better job of… He’s super talented. We tried to double-team him, make others beat us. I thought the group did a great job of being able to rotate and then rebound the ball being small.”
“Z was Z,” Williamson’s former teammate Naji Marshall, who now plays with the Mavericks, said of Zion. “That’s why he gets paid to do what he do and he is who he is. I think we just wore him down, may not have the tallest people out there but we got strong guys… Over the course of the game, you know, they got to him. We were able to capitalize on that in the fourth quarter.”
Mavericks earn a big victory against Pelicans
Despite Williamson’s strong effort, Dallas was able to emerge victorious. It was a quality win for the Mavs, who improved to 31-26 with the victory. The Mavericks have utilized energy and effort to remain competitive despite their plethora of injury concerns.
Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington led the way on Friday night. Irving scored 35 points while Washington added 24. However, it was certainly an all-around team effort.
Marshall got completely and brutally honest while discussing the Mavericks’ small-ball mentality.
“Animals, dogs. All of us, all five. Dogs! You gotta have that dog in you, there’s no key. Got to be born with it,” Marshall told reporters. “Shoutout to everybody.”
The Mavs’ next game is scheduled for Sunday against the Golden State Warriors on the road. Sunday’s contest represents the first of a two-game road trip, as they will play the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday before returning home.
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