DALLAS — One of the adjustments made in Game 5 of the Dallas Mavericks' 104-92 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder was replacing Jaden Exum, who played a key role in the regular season but struggled.・It was to take Hardy off the bench. postseason.
“We've got to find a way to give him more playing time,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of Hardy. “It's not reflective of Exum's performance, but someone has to sit. We'll reevaluate for tomorrow's game, but Hardy deserves more floor time.”
Hardy, who was not in the playoff rotation before Tuesday's game, played 15 minutes and totaled two points, three rebounds and two assists. He shot 1-5 (20.0%) from the floor and missed two 3-pointers, but the Mavericks are likely to play him in Friday's Game 6 and are positive about his performance. I was looking at it.
“I wanted to see how he would react in that situation, and he did a great job,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “We need to build on this momentum and have another positive day tomorrow night.”
The coaching staff intended to move quickly to face Hardy in the Western Conference semifinal series. The team remains confident in his ability to handle the increased responsibility when his number is called. The Mavericks felt he passed the test of what Dallas wanted by having the burst of energy they needed, making good decisions and doing what he was supposed to do defensively.
“I wanted to go to Hardy sooner, but I never had the chance,” Kidd explained. “I prioritized bringing him in early to see how he reacts. I believe he's ready to play and my teammates agree. . He did a great job, bringing a high level of energy and decision-making. Defensively, he did everything right.”
The coach won't reveal much basketball insight during the postseason, but his aggressiveness as a shooter and ability to serve as another initiator in the absence of either Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving , it is believed that Hardy was given the chance. The floor was set up to relieve the Thunder's offensive ball pressure.
“He was an asset to our team all season,” Kidd said. “He was patient and supportive and always cheered me on from the sideline. Even when he wasn't playing, he gave his all.”
Irving praised Hardy's response to the opportunity, noting that he played aggressively even though his shots didn't fall. Against an aggressive defense like the Thunder, a player who doesn't mind playing tough and doesn't hesitate to make the catch, as opposed to a player who stalls on the catch, looks away from the rim on drives, or pulls down. presence helps a lot. -Up jumper.
“I saw Jaden Hardy come in. I'm so proud of that young guy who really lifted us off the bench tonight,” Irving said. “He was really aggressive. The stats sheet might not show that he was taking a lot of shots. He took five shots. [shot 1-5]But for us, I think the belief in him, energy-wise, and him being so young in a semifinal playoff game, Game 5, it could go either way, and it also shows the belief that J-Kid has in him. It was just a lot of effort on his part.”
If the second-year guard can continue to make a positive impact for the Mavericks in Game 6, it will be a strong indicator of his growth going forward.
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