Sometimes, these Mavericks will frustrate the bejabbers out of you.
And then there was Monday night, when they played their fifth game in seven nights, their second in 24 hours and despite those hardships, they put on a show that makes you think this team has a future.
Sooner, rather than later.
The Mavericks stepped on Charlotte’s throat early and never let the Hornets have a gasp of a chance, rolling up a 30-point first-half lead and cruising to a 120-96 victory at American Airlines Center.
Yes, that’s right, it was a win at AAC, the Mavericks’ first one since Nov. 15. They had lost five in a row since then, but they clearly were sick and tired of the home woes.
“We’ve always been a good road team,” said Dorian Finney-Smith, who scored 13 of his 15 points in the third quarter. “But we got to change . . . and protect the house. Move forward and try to get some wins at home.”
Monday was a good start. Kristaps Porzingis made sure the Mavericks would win their second game in a row – the first time that’s happened since Nov. 12 and 15 – with a huge first half. He had 22 points and 12 rebounds before halftime, when the Mavericks went ahead 70-40.
The rest of the night was just for show. But it was a nice chance for Finney-Smith, Trey Burke and others to pick up the slack for Luka Dončić, who missed his second consecutive game with left ankle soreness.
Just about everybody who stepped on the floor made good things happen for the Mavericks, who scored the first 10 points of the game and never trailed.
It was a great night for Porzingis, in particular because he has spent most of his first few seasons with the Mavericks sitting out the second half of back-to-back games.
But after a relatively easy night Sunday at Oklahoma City, he came back with a dominating first half Monday.
“It’s weird but I almost feel better on the second game of a back-to-back than when I have to get my body going for the…