The depleted (by design) Mavs dropped the 2-3 this preseason after tonight’s 104-90 loss at Houston. The contest wasn’t without its positives, as Avery Johnson got long look at guys like Moe Ager, JJ Barea, Eddie Jones, Brandon Bass, Nick Fazekas and Trenton Hassell.
“This game played out just like we wanted it to,” Johnson said.
Ager started for the first time this preseason and had his hands full early with Tracy McGrady. The Rockets star coaxed a couple quick fouls out of Ager. Bass powered his way to double figures before the first quarter was done, scoring 12 of the Mavs’ 16 points, and hit 23 by halftime.
The Mavs, down 57-47 at the break, made a push in the third behind Barea despite the creative lineups. Barea started the half in place of Devin Harris, who turned his left ankle during the morning shootaround.
“[Johnson] told me to push the ball and they started missing shots,” said Barea, who admitted he tired some during his 32-minute stint.
Harris played 11 minutes in the first half, but sat out the final two quarters as a precautionary measure. His status for Friday night’s home game with Detroit is uncertain.
Bass finished with 25 points and eight boards in fatiguing 33 minutes. “He wasn’t the ‘Animal’ at the end,” Johnson quipped. Fazekas scored 12 with eight rebounds, Ager fouled out with nine and Barea (nine points and nine assists) flirted with a double-double.
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