Dallas Mavericks second-year guard Jaden Hardy was relied on off the bench to close out the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.
' postseason run until Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the opposition deploying aggressive ball pressure, another threat was needed—resulting in the coaching staff confidently turning to him to play 15 minutes. He was among the first players off the bench in Saturday's pivotal Game 6, playing 11 minutes.
While Hardy shot 1-5 in Game 5, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was impressed with how he handled the situation overall. The team remains focused on stacking positive days as he continues the developmental process early in his career and continued to trust him in Game 6. "Just staying engaged with the team, cheering my teammates on, and always wanting us to win," Hardy told MavericksGameday.com. "I did anything I could to help the team, whether that was cheering or going in and providing a spark when called upon. Staying ready and getting extra reps was key."
When the Mavericks closed the regular season with a top-five seed already clinched, Hardy was deployed in the starting lineup alongside a shorthanded group. Oklahoma City was still competing for the first seed and used a regular rotation in the first half, resulting in Dallas getting blown out. Hardy described that relatively recent game as a learning opportunity while he prepared for the series.
"The pride we take in defense impresses me the most," Hardy told MavericksGameday.com. "We know that winning games and championships starts with defense, and we’re all locked in on that goal."
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