‘He was great’: Mavericks’ Jaden Hardy emerges with another 20-point effort
Dallas Mavericks rookie Jaden Hardy continued a hot month of March on Wednesday and put up another 20-point performance in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Hardy produced 27 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot in 25 minutes of work off the bench. He went 10-of-18 from the field, including a career-high 6-of-9 from 3-point range, in the 127-125 loss at home.
The 37th pick scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and hit several key shots, including a layup to give the Mavericks the lead with 3:52 left to play. The Warriors eventually pulled away late as Dallas dropped to 36-37 on the season.
Jason Kidd liked what Hardy gave the team, despite the loss.
He was great. Offensively, he was great. Defensively, he did his best and he was really, really good. It just shows his growth and the minutes he deserves so he gave us a spark off the bench.
PUT SOME RESPECT ON JADEN HARDY'S NAME 😤
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Hardy registered his seventh 20-point game of the season with the performance and his fifth in March alone. He is averaging 19 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 47.1% shooting from 3-point range in seven games during the month.
He is continuing to play with more confidence on a nightly basis.
I feel real comfortable out there just trusting the work I put in in the gym late at night. When I get out there, just staying poised and playing within myself and try to make the right plays.
Hardy has played sporadically this season but has produced when called upon. His latest run comes as Kyrie Irving has missed four games recently due to foot soreness. He has stepped up of late and helped the short-handed Mavericks.
Despite inconsistent playing time, Hardy has stayed ready for his opportunity this season. He has earned the trust of the coaching staff and his teammates when he is out there and that has been evident over his recent hot stretch this month.
“He is going to be a great, great player,” Luka Doncic said. “He is already really good. I think sometimes he goes really quick. I just tell him to slow down but he listens and listens to me a lot. I think he is going to be really, really good.”
