The Mavericks have been fined $25K “for violating league rules related to bench decorum,” the NBA announced (via Twitter).
“On multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff stood away from Dallas’ team bench and were on or encroaching upon the playing court” during Game 2’s loss to the Suns, the announcement says.
The boisterous bench squad, led by two-way player Theo Pinson, who’s ineligible for the playoffs, have made their presence felt throughout the season, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
“Probably more s–t talking than coaching,” Pinson says. “We just try to do everything we can to help our teammates. We just want to give ourselves an advantage. We’re causing a problem for the other team, just mentally. I don’t see other teams doing what we do.”
However, the league has taken notice of their antics, including for “bench decorum” violations in a “Points of Education” video sent out prior to the postseason, MacMahon notes.
“We’re probably on the floor a little bit too much here and there, but we’ve tamed it back from the regular season,” Pinson says. “We police ourselves over there a lot more than we did in the regular season.”
Pinson, who signed a couple of 10-day hardship contracts with the Mavs before inking a two-way deal in January, has provided a major spark in an intangible way: team chemistry.
“Our chemistry is way better now than it was at the start of the season,” Luka Doncic said before the start of the second round. “We’re together, and I think it’s improved a lot. You can see it on the court and off the court.”
The Suns lead the Mavs in their second-round matchup two games to zero, with Game 3 set for Friday night in Dallas.
I get guys like Pat Bev running their mouth because they either back it up, or get run over and have to take it. Theo Pinson can’t even play. GTFO!
Or that they are 0-2 so far in this series lol
Not anymore
Ayton and McGee are destroying them. Obvious now that KP trade was a mistake. Wizards must be happy they got rid of Bertans (previously considered untradable) contract
We wouldn’t be where we are if we had KP. After the trade we had the best record in the NBA. Ayton and McGee were largely irrelevant in game 3.
I must just say that CP3, D-Book & Bridges all had a bad game 3, meanwhile Ayton was the only PHO player to have a good game, so go figure, right?
People were praising Dwight Powell before the playoffs. “Allstar” was mentioned.
But has stats have gone from good in the RS and great in the PO last year, to awful vs Jazz & Suns. Sometimes he gets played off. No impact.
So DAL may make a move at center… No big need to elsewhere… Powell expiring, $11m.
Pinson trying to steal Thanasis’ pom poms and become the best cheerleader in the NBA
I keep saying it but Dalles doesn’t have a starting caliber power forward and a center. They have nice bench players