Another game is in the books and it's time for some instant analysis. The Mavericks got their first win of the summer league in dramatic fashion, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 73-72 in the first overtime game of this year's summer league. You can view the box-score of the game Here. The Mavericks didn't really take advantage of Milwaukee in the sense this was the first game for the Bucks. The rebounding, as a whole, looked better but you'd still like to see some more improvements in that department. The overall issue might just be a lack of true size down low. It almost bit them at the end of regulation, but a perfect inbound pass with .03 seconds left took the game to overtime. Roddy was the trigger man on that inbound pass and he took the game-winning shot at the buzzer.
The Mavericks continue to struggle at the free throw line as well during the summer league. Another random trend I'm noticing is that none of the players on the team really use the picks that are being set to their advantage. We will take another in-depth look at the two standout Mavericks (Roddy Beaubois and Dominique Jones), as well as the two invitees who might have a shot at making it to training camp (Jeremy Lin and Omar Samhan).
Roddy Beaubois
30 minutes played, 15 points (6-14 FG, 3-5 3PT, 0-2 FT), 7 assists, 0 rebounds, 6 turnovers, 1 steal, 0 blocks
Roddy took a beating tonight, tweaking his ankle and banging knees, but he played through the pain. Beaubois continued to show his great wingspan with clogging passing lanes and defending lay-up opportunities for the Bucks. He did run into some problems with Larry Sanders when he attacked the lane, the length of Sanders caused some issues. Roddy continued to show excellent court vision when he attacked and sucked in the defense, he usually found the open man for an easy opportunity. As mentioned, Roddy was the trigger man on that inbound pass that took the game to OT and he took the game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Dominique Jones
35 minutes played, 9 points (3-12 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-4 FT), 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, 2 blocks
It appeared like working the jump shot was a bigger point of emphasis for DoJo tonight. He had similar problems as Roddy when it came to attacking with Sanders clogging up the lane at the last point of attack. Jones showed some nice hustle as well diving for a loose ball early in the game. He did struggle with some mental lapses on defense. He got burned a few times allowing a player to get a clean path into the lane for some easy buckets. Jones continues to impress with his passing abilities. Jones and Roddy are doing a great job attacking and making quick decisions that produce positive results. Both players showed excellent ball control when they were attacking as well.
Jeremy Lin
17 minutes played, 8 points (2-5 FG, 1-2 3PT, 3-3 FT), 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, 0 blocks
Lin continues to impress me and he's going to find himself a home on team by the end of the summer. He doesn't quit on a defensive possession and he makes the player work for any kind of shot opportunity. Jeremy is showing an excellent feel for the game and knowing when he can be crafty with steals. His experience playing for Harvard could prove opportunistic because he does feel comfortable playing in a half-court setting as well as running on the break. He's showing creativity with his passes and he pushes the ball with purpose every time. Lin showed impressive body control on an and-one opportunity going up against Larry Sanders. Jeremy used his body as a shield and used the left hand for a crafty finish. If the Mavericks do end up having a free point guard spot (possibly trading Barea), Lin would be a solid pickup as an emergency point guard.
Omar Samhan
33 minutes played, 9 points (3-11 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-4 FT), 0 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 0 steals, 1 block
Samhan continued to show some more of his fancy footwork in the post area. He appears to have a good grasp of the game as well, I just think the speed of the game is too quick for him. The big man is definitely a pick and pop center as opposed to a pick and roll center. The speed is not there but he definitely has the shooting touch. Rebounding in traffic appears to be another issue for him as well. He doesn't necessarily have a quick spring when he elevates. That issue might dictate how he moves in the low post. You would like him to use his big frame a little more with pushing more towards the basket with his finishes down low as opposed to fade-aways, but his lack of speed when elevating definitely causes a problem. With the arrival of Ian Mahinmi to the Summer League Roster as early as tomorrow, Samhan's prospects for having an extended trip for the Mavericks are looking bleak.