Mavs' Matthews, Williams to begin season on minute restrictions
The Dallas Mavericks' starting backcourt of point guard Deron Williams and shooting guard Wes Matthews will be limited to start the 2015-16 campaign.
Head coach Rick Carlisle told ESPN's Tim MacMahon that Williams and Matthews will begin the season on an unspecified minute restriction.
Williams missed most of training camp with a strained right calf, while Matthews blazed through his rehab following a torn Achilles sustained in March to return in time for the season opener.
Both players returned from their respective injuries last Friday during the Mavericks' final preseason game, and combined for 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting in 30 minutes.
After the game, Carlisle praised his recovering veterans for a rusty but promising debut.
"I like the way they played, considering that Deron's been out most of training camp," coach Rick Carlisle told Dwain Price of the Star Telegram following Friday's game. "His rhythm was unexpectedly good, all things considered.
"Wes played the way he's been playing the last week-and-a-half of practice, with a lot of grit and a lot of skill. Having those two guys out there was very important tonight, and they did a really good job."
The Mavericks have already vowed to take a conservative approach with Matthews. After a whirlwind offseason that saw Dallas' leading scorer Monta Ellis bolt in free agency, Carlisle will lean heavily on the shooting guard and Williams to provide consistency in a revamped roster.
Dallas tips off its season against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 28.