Barnes’ 364-Game Run Ends; Flagg Nears Return, Mavericks Outline Two-Way Deals, Finney-Smith Still Managing Ankle Pain
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San Antonio forward Harrison Barnes sat out Tuesday’s meeting with the 76ers after waking up from a pregame nap with a sore left ankle, ending his streak of 364 consecutive games played. The ironman run dated back to Dec. 6, 2021; Barnes had not missed a contest since Dec. 4, 2021, when he was still with Sacramento. League-wide, only Knicks swingman Mikal Bridges owns a longer active streak at 616 games. Barnes also ranks second to Bridges with 382 total appearances since the start of the 2021-22 season.
In Dallas, head coach Jason Kidd said rookie forward Cooper Flagg is expected to make his first appearance since the All-Star break during the Mavericks’ ongoing six-game road trip. Sidelined since Feb. 10 by a mid-foot sprain, Flagg has resumed on-court work and could “get in and play a game or two,” Kidd told reporters. Dallas opened the trip with a loss in Charlotte on Tuesday.
Kidd also confirmed that the two-way contracts signed this week by guard John Poulakidas and forward Tyler Smith span two seasons. Poulakidas, an undrafted rookie out of Yale, debuted Tuesday, logging 14 scoreless minutes while collecting five rebounds and two assists.
Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith said lingering pain in his surgically repaired left ankle continues to affect his play. Since returning from offseason surgery, the veteran is averaging career lows of 3.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 16.7 minutes across 26 games off the bench. “I expect more, but I’m happy to be back on the court,” he told the Houston Chronicle.
Source: Hoops Rumors
