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Dallas Mavericks: Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews See Preseason Action

By Cole Mentzel

Oct 23, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews (23) drives against Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2015; Lincoln, NE, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews (23) drives against Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a long wait, Dallas Mavericks fans finally got their first look at the Mavs’ two biggest summer acquisitions in Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews.

Williams, who reached a buyout agreement with the Brooklyn Nets during the summer, signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Mavs after the DeAndre Jordan saga had unfolded. Williams is a native Texan who attended high school in The Colony.

He ultimately decided to ask the Nets for a buyout so that he could come home and help the Mavs out since they did not have a starting point guard.

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Over the last few seasons, Williams has struggled with minor injuries and that’s exactly what he was dealing with early in training camp. A strained calf was originally set to keep him out for the entire preseason, and possibly some of the regular season, but he looked good in practice and was cleared to play against the Bulls in the Mavs’ preseason finale.

Matthews tore his Achilles against the Mavs back in April. The Mavs decided to let Monta Ellis go in free agency which meant they would need a new starting shooting guard. After hanging out with Chandler Parsons during the summer, Matthews signed a max deal with the Mavs, despite the fact that they told him he didn’t have to stay committed since DeAndre Jordan had pulled away.

Originally, he was not set to return to play until late November and possibly early December, but Matthews, nicknamed “Iron Man,” continued to tell the media that he would be out there opening night. In sort of a surprise to fans and the media alike, he was announced as active against the Bulls.

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Matthews and Williams only played in the first half and every time they were on the court, they were playing with Raymond Felton, Dirk Nowitzki and Zaza Pachulia, the Mavs starters for the game. They both played 16 minutes, but set the tone during the times that they were out there.

Williams finished the game with six points, four assists and two rebounds. His instant chemistry as the floor leader was seen and he had a few opportunities to play the two-man game with Nowitzki, something Dirk loves to do with the guards on the team.

Williams looked in shape and was back to his old ways with his fancy handles and crossovers. He seemed to enjoy being out there playing for the team that he grew up near.

Matthews finished the game with seven points, two assists, three rebounds and two steals. His defensive presence was more obvious and he actually showed off his range a few times with a deep jumper and a three-pointer. He never showed any sign of weakness and never acted like he was trying to find his rhythm again.

Overall, Matthews’ game looked complete, which is what he is known for, and he will be huge once the season starts.

The Mavs brought in both of these guys to be their new backcourt in a conference that is dependent upon guards who can handle the scoring load. Though it was only a preseason game, Williams and Matthews both looked as if they were ready to go.

Adding Chandler Parsons will be another big step to the team’s progression since he will be another target and scoring option. The backcourt combining with Parsons could be a scary sight if all goes well in 2015-16.

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