Mavs' Grant Williams Flashes Potential with Career-High 27-Points vs. Kings; More to Come?
It's no secret if the Dallas Mavericks are going to get where they want to go, they need their supporting cast to step up around Luka Doncic.
Saturday was a step in the right direction for forward Grant Williams, as he shot 7-for-10 from 3 and nearly had a double-double with a career-high 27 points and eight rebounds in Dallas' 120-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center. The Mavs forward was also a force on the defensive end with three steals and a block.
Grant Williams.
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"He was great," Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said. "Physicality, being able to play-make and then also he gave us a spark -- he shot the ball well from beyond the arc. I thought he was really good tonight."
WIlliams' 27 points were the most in his first year with the Mavericks (25-21) and marked only the second time he surpassed 20 points this season. It was also the first time he scored in double-figures in six games.
Even with his ups and downs, Williams is still averaging a career-high 8.5 points per game while shooting 38.1 percent from deep. Now the key for both his and the Mavs' success is to string together more performances like the one he had against Sacramento, consistently giving Doncic more help. Doncic had another triple-double with 28 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds against the Kings.
"We've just got to find him some help," Kidd said of Doncic. "We've got to be consistent with the help and also with our health and everything else. We're asking him to do everything and he's trying. That's how I feel about what he's doing for us right now."
With the injuries Dallas has had to endure, including Kyrie Irving set to miss at least four straight games with a sprained right thumb, the Mavs need Williams to keep up is positive momentum. If Saturday night was a sign of things to come for the fifth-year forward, it'll make Dallas that much more dangerous in the second half of the season once it gets fully healthy.
“You never want to miss guys, but the biggest thing is being healthy at a time when we need it," Williams said. "Right now, we have guys that are banged up, and they take the night because you have to. It’s a long season...Once you get healthy and get everybody back, I’m excited to see what this team can possibly do.”
Dallas faces the Orlando Magic (24-22) on Monday at the American Airlines Center at 7:30 p.m. CT.
