The Theo Pinson Rule: Did Mavs Cause NBA Bench Crackdown?

The Dallas Mavericks had a lot of fun last season, both on and off the court. Thanks to the stellar play of superstar Luka Doncic and others, Dallas was able to exceed all expectations by getting out of the first round for the first time in 11 years and advancing to the Western Conference Finals.

The Mavs would likely tell you their bench played a role in their success as well, as the guys on the bench were always standing, being rowdy and getting into opponents’ heads. Theo Pinson, who signed a new deal with the Mavs over the summer, is the undisputed leader of the Dallas ‘Bench Mob.’

On Friday, the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman reported that the NBA is cracking down on how benches conduct themselves this season … and you might as well call it “The Theo Pinson Rule.”

“NBA rules change this season to limit prolonged standing of bench players/coaches and crowding of sideline. Warning first. Then delay-of-game warning. Then technical. Unsportsmanlike technical assessed for players not in game who enter playing court or making ‘distracting’ move,” Winderman tweeted.

During the postseason, Mavs owner Mark Cuban was more than happy to pay the fines the league gave his team for violating bench decor rules — nearly $200,000.

In this particular situation, though, given that the new rule could potentially hurt the team during the game by awarding opponents technical free throws, the Mavs might not be able to be as rebellious as they were last season. It will be interesting to see how the team, and more specifically, Pinson, adjusts to this new rule.

Mavs Media Day and training camp begins on Monday. Check out our latest Mavs Step Back Podcast with Mavs.com’s Bobby Karalla previewing the 2022-23 season.

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