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Klay Thompson Had Catchy New Motto to Describe Mavericks' Small-Ball Lineup

Tim Capurso|
Thompson warms up before a game.
Thompson warms up before a game. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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Dallas Mavericks

In response to big men Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford going down with injuries, the Dallas Mavericks have been forced to roll out smaller lineups than usual. In fact, Thompson, along with fellow forward Kessler Edwards, was the tallest player, at 6'7", in the starting lineup for Dallas's 133-129 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

Thompson, speaking to reporters after the game, joked that the Mavericks' small-ball lineups made him feel like he was playing high school basketball again. The veteran sharpshooter also came up with a catchy motto to counteract any concerns about the team's current size disadvantage.

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"High school ... That's what it feels like sometimes, because we're so small," Thompson said, via Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. "But we've got a lot of heart. Heart over height, you know?"

Despite their lack of size, the Mavericks actually out-rebounded the Spurs 40-38, and showed a lot of the heart Thompson was referring to in a thrilling comeback victory on the road.

Aside from a lack of size, the Mavericks have also been dealing with, well, a lack of healthy players. In Sunday night's loss to the Phoenix Suns, the Mavericks had only seven players available during the fourth quarter. The bevy of injuries comes as the team is already under a heavy media microscope after the stunning blockbuster trade of five-time All-Star Luka Doncic in February.

But despite the seeming chaos surrounding the team, Thompson is keeping a cool head.

"You still get to do what you love,” Thompson said, via The Athletic. "It’s just another opportunity to show what you can do. That’s probably the toughest part ... Not feeling sorry for yourself and realizing we have a job to do. This is the best job. It’s great, honestly."

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

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