DETROIT – With only three games remaining in a season that hasn’t gone all that well for the Dallas Mavericks, they know the time is ripe for them to turn the proverbial page and focus on the continued development of their younger players.
Especially with veterans Dirk Nowitzki and J.J. Barea lost for the remainder of the season.
Nowitzki underwent season-ending surgical debridement of his left ankle on Thursday morning, while Barea will miss the final three games with a strained left rib muscle. That opens the door for the Mavs to give more minutes to their younger players.