Al-Farouq Aminu: Energizing The Dallas Mavericks

A little less than a month ago on this forum I openly questioned whether the Al-Farouq Aminu experiment had failed in Dallas. If I had waited any longer to write that article, it never would have happened. It’s funny how much things can change in a short amount of time.

After the Rajon Rondo trade, Dallas Mavericks head coach Carlisle was doing a lot of experimenting with the team’s second unit trying to find an effective combination of players without having Brandan Wright or Jae Crowder available (both included in Rondo trade).

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Aminu was free falling out of the rotation and he failed to see the court at all in the Mavericks 96-88 road win against the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 5. He then played only 39 seconds in a 108-95 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 7. Brandan Wright was an extremely efficient scorer and it looked like Carlisle was trying to replace his offensive production with a combination of small forward Richard Jefferson and power forward Charlie Villanueva.

This meant Aminu had to sit and watch as this great opportunity in Dallas seemingly slipped through his fingers. As frustrating as this may have been, part of being a professional in any field is taking the good and bad in stride. Aminu never openly complained or issued statements questioning Carlisle when he chose to leave him off the court.

Jan 14, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Al-Farouq Aminu (7) during the game against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

Instead of complaining about it, Aminu just kept working hard. His hard work and effort has appeared to win over the entire Mavericks’ roster, top to bottom. Anytime Aminu steals the ball at a crucial moment in the game, or streaks down the court to block a shot, the Dallas bench erupts.

Aminu didn’t know if he would see the court for extended minutes anytime soon, but if it happened, he would be ready. That day came on Jan. 28, in a game that the Mavericks lost to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center by a score of 99-94. This was a frustrating loss that Dallas could have stolen away from Houston, despite the fact they turned the ball over 24 times.

Positives may have been in short supply that night, but one promising takeaway was the effort that Al-Farouq Aminu put forth. Aminu had the type of game that forced Carlisle and the Dallas coach staff to take notice.

Aminu saw the court for over 28 minutes and he showed what kind of positive impact he can have off the bench. Aminu finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and six blocks. He also provided ample amounts of hustle and energy that help keep Dallas in the game.

As encouraging as his effort was, it was anybody’s guess what that meant for Aminu’s playing time moving forward. The last game that Aminu played in for over 20 minutes was on Jan. 4 in a blowout 109-90 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Oct 30, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Al-Farouq Aminu (7) and Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood (5) during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Jazz 120-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Aminu went from playing over 20 minutes one night, to becoming a healthy DNP the following night as the Mavericks headed to Brooklyn for the second game in a back-to-back stretch.

It’s difficult for players to get in any kind of groove on the court when their minutes are fluctuating on a nightly basis, but that appears to no longer be an issue for Aminu. The Mavericks have played in six games since Aminu’s effort in Houston and he has become a fixture in the Mavericks’ rotation.

According to Basketball-Reference, over the last seven games Aminu is seeing the court for over 26 minutes per game. In that time he is averaging 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game. His effort and energy are contagious for a Mavericks’ team that lacked a spark plug like Aminu off the bench.

Feb 2, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Al-Farouq Aminu (7) dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

With Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons, the Mavericks have capable scorers to lean on when a crucial basket is needed. What they have lacked since losing Shawn Marion is an athletic, defensive presence capable of defending both small forwards and power forwards.

Aminu only had to concern himself with playing the small forward position in New Orleans, but he has become effective at defending opposing power forwards as his minutes have increased.

Every matchup against the teams vying for a playoff spot in the Western Conference is a battle, and Aminu is the type of player can swing those tightly contested games with his defensive prowess and energy off the bench.

The Mavericks could be bolstering their bench with a free agent forward or two in the coming weeks, but it’s unlikely Aminu will fall out of the rotation again. He’s earned the time he is getting on the court, and the Mavericks are a better team when he’s on it.

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