04/12/26 10:52:00
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04/12 22:51 CDT Ryan Nembhard's 23 assists break coach Jason Kidd's rookie Mavs
record in blowout of Bulls in finale
Ryan Nembhard's 23 assists break coach Jason Kidd's rookie Mavs record in
blowout of Bulls in finale
By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer
DALLAS (AP) --- Ryan Nembhard broke Dallas coach Jason Kidd's club rookie
record with 23 assists after No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg's debut season ended with
an ankle injury, and the Mavericks beat the Chicago Bulls 149-128 in a season
finale Sunday night.
John Poulakidas scored 28 points to lead the Mavericks in a meeting of
also-rans that more closely resembled a summer league game. Moussa Cisse had 17
points and 20 rebounds, which tied Roy Tarpley's rookie club record from
1986-87.
Flagg scored 10 points in 10 minutes before exiting with a sprained left ankle
in the second quarter. The 19-year-old Rookie of the Year contender finished
the season averaging 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games.
Rob Dillingham scored 25 points for the Bulls, who head into an uncertain
offseason looking for a new head of basketball operations and a decision on the
future of coach Billy Donovan. CEO Michael Reinsdorf has said he wants Donovan
to return.
Chicago (31-51) was already locked into the ninth-worst record going into the
lottery. Dallas (26-56) started the day tied with Memphis for the sixth-worst
record and ended it even with New Orleans for the seventh-worst mark. The
Pelicans won the season series with the Mavericks.
Tyler Smith and AJ Johnson scored 20 points apiece for Dallas as both teams had
eight players in double figures, including all nine who came off the bench.
Nembhard, who scored 15 points, set a franchise record for assists in a
regulation game and fell two shy of Kidd's club mark of 25 in a two-overtime
game in February 1996. Kidd's rookie record was 17 in 1994-95.
The Mavericks led 45-34 after their highest-scoring quarter of the season in
the first and 80-56 following their most prolific half of the season.
Dwight Powell made the 12th start of what could be the last of 11-plus seasons
with the Mavericks, finishing with seven points and 12 rebounds. The
34-year-old Canadian was a rookie when he was part of the trade that brought
Rajon Rondo to Dallas from Boston during the 2014-15 season.
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